The Weizmann Institute of Science and the United Arab Emirates' Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) have agreed to work together, UAE state news agency WAM said on Sunday.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) follows the UAE's decision a month ago to normalize relations with Israel. Both countries have said they hope normalized ties will bring economic and technological benefits.
The MoU is the first signed between Israeli and UAE higher education bodies, WAM said, intending to "advance the development and use of artificial intelligence as a tool for progress".
Spheres of possible collaboration include academic exchanges, conferences, sharing computing resources and the establishment of a joint virtual institute for artificial intelligence, WAM said.
The signing ceremony, which was held virtually, took place in the presence of Weizmann Institute of Science President Prof. Alon Chen and Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and member of the Federal Cabinet, and Chairman of the MBZUAI Board of Trustees.
A delegation headed by Weizmann Institute president is expected to travel to Abu Dhabi next week to finalize the details of the MoU and discuss its implementation.
The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world’s top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions and offers masters’ and doctoral-level degrees across five faculties
The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, established in 2019, is a graduate-level, research-based academic institution located in Abu Dhabi. The University is part of a broader national strategy to make the UAE a leader in artificial intelligence.