RAS AL KHAIMAH, 30th March, 2023 (WAM) – The Ministry of Education (MoE) under the Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme (MBRSLP) has awarded AED500,000 in research funding to the Office of Research and Community Service at the American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK). The university intends to utilize the funds to develop a range of smart learning tools in 13 different areas.
Dr. Mohamed Al Zarooni, Associate Provost for Research and Community Service at AURAK, expressed his enthusiasm for the grant and praised the innovative work being undertaken by the university's faculty and students. The proposals submitted by the AURAK team, covering areas such as machine learning-based decision-making tools and virtual reality teaching methods, were approved by the MoE.
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Smart Learning Programme, established in 2018, aims to create a unique learning environment in schools through the introduction of 'Smart Classes' where students use smart devices to acquire knowledge. The programme provides seed funding for outstanding research and development proposals in targeted Education Technology (EDTech) topics. Projects funded by the MBRSLP are expected to advance scientific and technological development in EDTech and have the potential to transition into startups. The programme also encourages the development of partnerships between UAE universities, companies, and leading industrial and academic institutes, both nationally and worldwide.
Applicants for the MBRSLP grant were required to demonstrate the potential impact of their R&D and identify how this impact would be realized.