AURAK launches AI research centre
New AURAK AI research hub backed by TDRA ICT Fund
#UAE #R&D – The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) has inaugurated its new Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence Centre (ATAIC), a state-of-the-art applied research and industry collaboration hub established under AURAK’s School of Engineering and Computing. Funded in part by the UAE’s TDRA ICT Fund, ATAIC is designed to advance applied AI research, foster industry partnerships and develop future-ready technology talent. The new research hub directly supports the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 and aims to position Ras Al Khaimah as a regional hub for smart systems and digital innovation.
SO WHAT? – ATAIC’s launch is significant beyond its immediate research remit. By establishing a dedicated AI and advanced technology centre with government funding and the active involvement of global technology companies including Microsoft, AWS, IBM, Dell and Huawei, AURAK helps to position Ras Al Khaimah as a serious participant in the UAE’s national AI ambitions. So far, Abu Dhabi and Dubai-based institutions have led in introducing tertiary education AI programmes. So, the creation of the new AI hub is an important step in supporting the emirate’s local talent pipeline allowing it to contribute more actively to the national AI strategy.
Here are some key points about AURAK’s new AI research hub:
The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) last week inaugurated its Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence Centre (ATAIC). The new facility provides a purpose-built applied research and innovation hub established under the university’s School of Engineering and Computing with backing from the ICT Fund of the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA).
ATAIC is equipped with high-performance computing clusters, AI workstations, robotics kits and IoT devices, providing students, faculty and industry partners with the infrastructure to co-develop practical solutions in machine learning, smart systems and digital transformation.
The centre’s core activities span applied research and development, industry-driven projects and business incubation. Students demonstrated early projects at the inauguration showcasing practical AI applications developed in direct collaboration with industry partners.
The launch attracted representatives from a significant roster of global technology companies including Dell, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Huawei and IBM, alongside RAK-based pharmaceutical company Julphar and government bodies including TDRA and Ras Al Khaimah Statistics, underscoring the centre’s industry co-creation model.
The centre is intended to position Ras Al Khaimah as an emerging hub for smart systems, data science and advanced digital innovation, extending the UAE’s AI and technology development footprint into the northern emirates.
AURAK describes ATAIC as a milestone in the university’s evolution from a consumer of innovation to a contributor to its creation. The new centre intends to ensure graduates are not merely job-ready but equipped to adapt and lead in a rapidly evolving digital economy.
ATAIC aligns directly with the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, reinforcing AURAK’s role in contributing to national AI goals and supporting the broader ambition to establish the UAE as a global leader in artificial intelligence by the end of the decade.
Support from the TDRA’s ICT Fund reflects the national commitment to strengthening AI research and education at the local emirate level.
ZOOM OUT – ATAIC's inauguration is the latest step in AURAK’s commitment to AI education and research. In 2024, the university launched a comprehensive Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence, a four-year programme covering machine learning, computer vision, robotics and natural language processing. The Bacherlor’s has been designed explicitly to produce market-ready graduates for an AI job market. Developed in direct alignment with the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, the course was built on the recognition that AI specialist roles carry up to a 25 percent wage premium over comparable positions (PwC), and that demand for such skills is outpacing overall job market growth. With the addition of ATAIC, AURAK is assembling a genuinely end-to-end AI capability, allowing the emirate to take an increasingly stake in the UAE's national AI story.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]