Abu Dhabi’s events and knowledge-economy ambitions gained a new institutional link as ADNEC Group and Khalifa University of Science and Technology signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on national events, innovation programmes, education initiatives and research-led public engagement.The agreement, signed on the sidelines of Make it in the Emirates 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, brings together one of the region’s major venue and event-management groups with a research university central to Abu Dhabi’s science, engineering and technology agenda. The MoU was signed by Humaid Al Dhaheri, Group CEO of ADNEC Group, and Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.
The partnership is designed to formalise cooperation around major exhibitions and conferences, deepen student and faculty engagement with national industry platforms, and widen the visibility of applied research in sectors ranging from advanced manufacturing and energy to healthcare, food security, security technologies and autonomous systems. It also places ADNEC Group in charge of organising Khalifa University’s graduation ceremonies on an exclusive basis, covering event management services for one of the UAE’s prominent academic occasions.
Al Dhaheri said the partnership marked “a significant milestone” in ADNEC Group’s efforts to enhance events and promote the UAE’s innovation ecosystem. He said the collaboration with Khalifa University would support initiatives in technology, science and education while strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for innovation and talent development.
Al Hajri described the MoU as a formalisation of a relationship already embedded in the university’s public-facing research agenda. He said ADNEC had become a gathering point for national priorities across energy, healthcare, agri-tech and security, while Khalifa University had used such platforms to present technologies and talent aligned with the country’s development objectives.
The agreement covers collaboration within the Capital Events portfolio, including the International Exhibition for National Security and Resilience, the Unmanned Systems Exhibition, the Simulation and Training Exhibition, the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition, Global Food Week, the International Defence Exhibition, the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition, and Make it in the Emirates. These platforms give the university access to industry, government and investor audiences, while giving ADNEC a stronger academic and research dimension across its flagship events.
Make it in the Emirates 2026, held from May 4 to 7, marked the fifth and largest edition of the national industrial platform. The event brought together more than 1,245 exhibitors across 12 industrial sectors and highlighted procurement opportunities aimed at localising about 5,000 products. Small and medium-sized enterprises accounted for a majority of participants, underscoring the broader policy push to connect manufacturing, entrepreneurship, investment and research commercialisation.
Khalifa University’s participation at the event centred on advanced research technologies and a “lab-to-market” programme led by Khalifa University Enterprises Company, the university’s commercialisation and technology transfer arm. Its showcase included graphene-based products and other advanced materials initiatives, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s efforts to build industrial capability around high-value technologies rather than relying only on imported intellectual property.
The MoU gives both sides a framework to convert that public exhibition role into a wider programme of structured engagement. For Khalifa University, major events offer a route to expose students, researchers and spin-offs to procurement bodies, manufacturers, investors and potential partners. For ADNEC Group, the partnership strengthens the content and knowledge base of its exhibitions at a time when large event operators are expected to do more than provide venue capacity.
ADNEC Group’s position as part of Modon adds a further urban and destination-development dimension to the agreement. The group operates major event assets in Abu Dhabi and overseas, and its portfolio links exhibitions, hospitality, tourism and business events. Its venues have become central to Abu Dhabi’s strategy of using conferences and exhibitions to attract investment, support sectoral clusters and raise the emirate’s profile as a meeting point for industry and government.
Khalifa University has built its profile around engineering, computing, life sciences, advanced materials, aerospace, robotics, clean energy and other applied research areas. Its growing commercialisation agenda reflects the country’s wider emphasis on turning university research into start-ups, patents, pilot projects and industrial partnerships.
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