Part of:
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

The Science and innovation network engages with the local science & innovation community in support of UK policy overseas and also create strategic relationships.

Science and innovation are at the heart of government strategy for promoting prosperity and growth. Research and knowledge is increasingly developed and transferred through international collaboration which provides opportunities to work with the best in the world, exchange students and researchers, and gain access to large scale international facilities; leading to mutual benefits for the UK and UAE.

Responsibilities

The Science and Innovation Network (SIN) has approximately 110 officers in over 40 countries and territories around the world building partnerships and collaborations on science and innovation.

In the UAE, SIN is working on the following global objectives:

  • establishing the UK as the UAE’s pivotal partner of choice in science and innovation
  • supporting the UAE in enhancing their resilience and security by addressing long-term threats, including emerging health issues and global challenges on water and food security, as well as through building their capacity to deliver evidence-based policies
  • increasing trade and investment cooperation in education, healthcare, infrastructure, water, clean energy, cyber security, Science and Innovation – working on higher education, collaborating with the British Council and the Gulf Science and Innovation, Knowledge and Economy programme
  • broadening security cooperation between the UK and the UAE – keeping Britain, and our interests, safe
  • strengthening bilateral relationship through engagement on science and innovation
  • helping the UAE to deliver commitments made at COP 22
  • engaging with the next generation of thinkers

Priorities for UAE

SIN activities in UAE are focused on the following priority thematic areas:

  • Digital Economy (Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Security)
  • Clean and Renewable Energy
  • Future/SMART Cities
  • Health and Life Sciences
  • Food and Water Security

Our services

The Gulf Science and Innovation Network consist of three officers covering all six Gulf Cooperation Council countries, with the Head of SIN (Gulf) leading from Doha. In the UAE, SIN is based in the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. We work closely with DIT, Political and Prosperity teams, as well as with the British Council.

For an introductory brief which covers the local Science and Innovation landscape, UK priorities and activities in UAE, read the UK Science and Innovation Network Country Snapshot.

Opportunities

Gulf Science and Innovation Knowledge Economy Programmer’s Grants, Science Collaboration Symposiums and funding opportunities are often publicised on the Embassy Facebook page, and we chat about them regularly on Twitter, too. Join us!

Contact us

Layla Bentley
Science and Innovation Adviser UAE
British Embassy Abu Dhabi
Office: +971 (0) 2 610 1523
Mobile: +971 (0) 52 568 3310