His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, on Wednesday inaugurated the headquarters of Rabdan Academy in Abu Dhabi.

Upon his arrival at the academy, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed was received by Mike Hindmarsh, chairman of the board of trustees of Rabdan Academy; Saif Mohammed Al Hajery, chairman of the Abu Dhabi economic development department and vice-president of the board of trustees of the academy; James Morse, president of the academy, and Dr Faisal Obaid Al Ayyan, vice-president of the academy, as well as several members of the academy's founding committee.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed also launched the strategic plan of the Rabdan Academy, which reflects its future vision of supporting the country's combined readiness, through encouraging joint training and learning.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Lt-General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior; Minister of State for Defence Affairs; Dr Ahmad bin Abdulla Humaid Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of State for Higher Education, and Dr Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, head of the Community Development Department, as well as several members of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and senior officials at the ministries of Defence, Interior, the Armed Forces and the Abu Dhabi Police.

Sheikh Mohamed stressed that Rabdan Academy is part of a range of national academic institutions that aim to achieve sustainable development and enhance the capacities of Emiratis and have received the attention of the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, through his support for the educational sector in the UAE.

Sheikh Mohamed was briefed about the academy's departments, its research and scientific facilities, the advanced technologies used in its teaching curriculum and the efficiency of its academic and training personnel, as well as its close cooperation with national institutions. He also met the academy's students who are about to graduate, and they exchanged conversation and took photos.

In the academy's guest book, he wrote: "I was delighted today to visit this promising educational institution, which we hope will become a sound basis for promoting cooperation and coordination between our national institutions and will provide them with talented and qualified Emirati citizens who are capable of addressing modern and future challenges. My best wishes to the academy's students and its teaching and administrative staff."

Sheikh Mohamed also attended the signing of several memoranda of understanding (MoU). The MoUs were signed by Matar Salem Ali Al Dhaheri, under-secretary at the Ministry of Defence; Lieutenant Saif Abdullah Al Sha'afar, under-secretary at the Ministry of Interior; Major General Maktoum Al Sharifi, director-general of the Abu Dhabi Police, and Mike Hindmarsh on behalf of Rabdan Academy.

The agreements include organising relevant workshops, seminars and conferences, as well as promoting mutual cooperation in the areas of research, development and innovation.

Source: Khaleej Times