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Dr. Ali Rashed Al Noaimi, Vice Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, held the first press conference of the ‘Year of Innovation’ on the morning of Sunday 19^th April, 2015 in the Great Hall in the Crescent Building at UAEU. The press conference addressed UAEU’s current trends, future plans and objectives.

Dr. Al Noaimi reminded the attendees that His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, had declared 2015 to be a ‘Year of Innovation’. Therefore, His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chancellor of UAEU, seeks to ensure that UAEU does its part in promoting the values of innovation, creativity and excellence. The university has adopted an innovative strategy with clear objectives that concentrate on student success. To aid this UAEU recently formed an innovation support team to focus on goals of national importance: this team includes professors, graduates and undergraduate students.

The Vice Chancellor also briefed the media on a new project that will be unveiled in the first semester of the next academic year (2015/2016). This is a ‘Scientific Park’ which will serve as an incubator for innovation and invention and bring together ideas, innovations and initiatives from the various UAEU colleges into one location.

Certain doctoral and master’s students presented information on current projects at UAEU. These include the development of low-fat meat for human consumption (a patented project) and the development of a safety jacket. The university has not only sought to patent these developments but hopes that they can benefit wider UAE society.