A delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently visited Trinity College Dublin to meet with a team from ADAPT and AMBER Research Ireland Centres, exploring potential collaboration in advanced technology research and commercialisation. Representing the UAE’s Advanced Technology Research Center (ATRC), the group aims to position Abu Dhabi as a hub for advanced technology and support the UAE’s shift toward a knowledge-based economy.
The ADAPT team introduced the UAE delegation to Ireland’s technology and research landscape, beginning with an overview of Trinity College Dublin and Portal, Trinity’s professionally managed gateway for partnering and co-location with world class researchers, new talent, innovators and entrepreneurs, led by Neil Gordon, Head of Portal. This introduction provided context for subsequent discussions on the University’s research and innovation capabilities.
Declan McKibben, Executive Director of ADAPT, presented an overview of the ADAPT Centre, highlighting its role in AI and digital content research and in Ireland’s AI and innovation ecosystem. Conor McNally, ADAPT’s Spinout Development Manager, followed with an outline of ADAPT’s deep tech spinout incubator, showcasing how ADAPT fosters an environment for translating research into new businesses.
Lorraine Byrne, Executive Director of the AMBER Centre also headquartered at Trinity, then shared insights into AMBER’s work in advanced materials, adding another layer of potential partnership areas between Ireland and the UAE.
The delegation expressed interest in both ADAPT’s focus on digital and AI-driven innovation and AMBER’s advanced materials research, which align with ATRC’s mission to drive transformative technologies. ATRC’s three divisions include ASPIRE, the technology programme management arm; the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), which focuses on applied research across 10 advanced technology domains; and Venture One, which bridges the gap between research and commercialisation.
ATRC, based in Abu Dhabi, encompasses 964 researchers from 76 countries, holding 33 patents and contributing to a diverse R&D landscape. The group’s visit to Ireland reflects a strategic interest in fostering global partnerships to advance technology across sectors.
This visit represents a step toward UAE-Ireland collaboration in high-impact research.
