Abu Dhabi University (ADU) has announced the launch of a strategic partnership with twofour54 — Abu Dhabi’s media free zone — to continue the growth of the emirate’s media sector through increased talent development supported by gaming industry giant and twofour54 partner Unity Technologies.
The partnership between Abu Dhabi University and twofour54 seeks to upskill and empower students, provide them with the training, courseware, support and examinations needed to increase their employability, and obtain game development qualifications alongside their degrees.
Training will also be provided to ADU’s academic staff by global video game software developer and twofour54 partner, Unity Technologies, as part of their ‘Train-the-Trainer’ scheme. Following completion of the training programme, ADU’s faculty will be fully equipped to pass on their knowledge to the university’s students, developing their Artificial Intelligence, virtual reality, game development and coding skills.
The agreement will also seek to develop Abu Dhabi as a leading gaming hub in the UAE and the wider Middle East region with an emphasis on education, technology and incubation programmes for start-ups and student entrepreneurs.
Dr. Waqar Ahmad, Chancellor of ADU, and Michael Garin, CEO of twofour54, signed the agreement. Also present to mark the occasion were Dr. Thomas Glas-Hochstettler, the Provost of the ADU; Ian Mathews, the Vice-Chancellor of ADU; Dr. Petra Turkama, the Director of Innovation at ADU; and James Hartt, Director – Strategy & Business Development at twofour54.
Dr. Ahmad said, “With a finger on the pulse of tomorrow’s market needs, we commit ourselves to equip graduates with the tools and resources they need to become the creators, leaders, and self-starters of tomorrow; We are confident that this partnership will further enable that, and provide our students with the necessary insight and support they need to better ready themselves for their post-university chapter.”
Garin, in turn, stated, “Gaming is an increasingly important area for twofour54, with a range of initiatives such as new business licence categories attracting some of the industry’s top gaming firms to our free zone. Ensuring we have the right talent pool by nurturing Abu Dhabi’s next generation of creative professionals is critical to the sustainable growth of the emirate’s media sector. We’re proud to be partnering with one of the UAE’s top academic institutions to bring the gaming expertise of Unity to students across the country and enhance their learning journey.”
The agreement will promote the placement of skilled ADU graduates into the private sector workforce by introducing them directly to Abu Dhabi-based companies located within the twofour54 free zone. The strategic partnership will offer ADU students access to game development courses through Unity Technologies, as well as a comprehensive Unity training programme for a select number of ADU faculty members.
