Abu Dhabi: Mubadala Investment Company and Emirates Global Aluminium, the largest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas, Strata Manufacturing Company and Khalifa University of Science and Technology, a leading research-intensive higher education institution, have signed an agreement to develop the UAE’s first-of-its-kind national laboratory and research programme focused on high temperature materials.
According to Emirates News Agency, this state-of-the-art facility will be located at Khalifa University’s Main Campus in Abu Dhabi and is expected to significantly expand high temperature materials research in the UAE for both practical applications in industry and academic study. Currently, research in high temperature materials for institutions and industries in the UAE can only be conducted abroad.
The initiative aims to build long-term strategic partnerships where academia and industry are proactively engaged and committed to success in collaborative and multidisciplinary advan
ced RandD efforts. EGA expects to use the laboratory and programme for practical research into refractories, carbon-based materials, anode baking furnaces, and waste.
EGA’s research is anticipated to focus on capturing and recovering heat energy generated from the company’s industrial processes, improving energy efficiency, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In aluminium smelting, approximately half of all energy is lost as waste heat.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of Emirates Global Aluminium, stated that one of EGA’s core values is to continuously improve business and operations through innovation. He emphasized that this new laboratory and research programme will strengthen the UAE’s position as a leader in industrial technology development and drive forward the country’s Operation 300bn industrial growth strategy. For EGA, it means conducting more practical research locally, solving challenges, and contributing to the UAE’s research capabilities.
Prof. Ebrahim Al Hajri, President
of Khalifa University, expressed satisfaction with the enduring and fruitful relationship with Emirates Global Aluminium, Mubadala Investment Company, and Strata Manufacturing, emphasizing that the trust of the industry in Khalifa University is a testament to the advanced research competencies offered. He highlighted that the achievement is a result of over a decade of collaboration with industrial partners, enabling capacity building and a deeper understanding of industrial needs.
Mubadala Investment Company is committed to launching advanced RandD programs aimed at developing capabilities in areas critical to Mubadala and of national priority. Priority will be given to applied research and providing solutions in areas of critical technical need. The goal is to develop capable UAE scientists, technologists, and innovators for careers in RandD.
EGA is committed to reaching net zero by 2050 in line with the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative and has a roadmap to decarbonise its operations. EGA has w
orked for over a decade with other industries in the UAE to find productive uses for by-products from aluminium production and has developed re-uses for many waste streams from its activities.
EGA’s technology and development team collaborates extensively with universities in the UAE and internationally, maintaining academic partnerships with institutions including Khalifa University, American University of Sharjah, Rochester Institute of Technology, Abu Dhabi University, and American University in Dubai in the UAE, as well as the University of Auckland, University of New South Wales, and MIT.
