ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) and the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance research collaboration and knowledge sharing in technology, manufacturing, and education across borders.

The partnership will see GMIS and Pitt, in particular its Swanson School of Engineering, collaborate to explore opportunities to encourage research and development in manufacturing, develop academic papers, and facilitate knowledge exchange between different universities and educational institutes worldwide.

The partnership aims to foster cross-sector collaboration through academic research and expertise to address the industry's challenges.

Dr. David Vorp, the Swanson School’s John A. Swanson professor of Bioengineering and associate dean for research, and Namir Hourani, managing director of the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit (GMIS) signed the MoU.

The partnership is designed to further the two organizations’ shared objectives to drive sustainable innovation that will help reshape the global manufacturing landscape, serving economies, industry, and civil society better.

Commenting on the partnership, Hourani said: “We are pleased to sign the MoU with the University of Pittsburgh as we continue to rollout long-term partnerships with world-class, research-focused universities from all over the world.

“These partnerships play a very important role within our ecosystem and contribute to multiple activities that run alongside the Global Manufacturing and Industrialization Summit.

“The city of Pittsburgh is a major center for technological innovation and advanced manufacturing in the United States and across the world, and this partnership will provide a platform for us to jointly showcase best practices from the city on the world stage.”

James R. Martin II, US Steel Dean of Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, said: “The University of Pittsburgh is indeed excited to be a global academic partner with GMIS, and reflects Pittsburgh’s commitment to excellence in academics, research, and sustainability.

“Pittsburgh represents the intersection of Industry 5.0 and Society 5.0, as indicated when Worth magazine recently named it as the nation’s second-most resilient city.

“Pittsburgh was the burning heart of the Second Industrial Revolution, and the past three decades of re-invention have shown how our region has once again established itself as the nexus for creating new knowledge that improves the human condition.

“And as we celebrate the 175th year of engineering education at Pitt in 2021, the Swanson School is proud to help lead the way in research, academics, and cultural competency.”

Pitt will join GMIS in the development of its Leadership Programme which was announced at #GMIS2020 and focuses on shaping future global leaders to prioritise advancing humanity and promoting global prosperity.

Together with the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, the GMIS platform will work towards developing future leaders that can set their organisations on the path to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Swanson School will be instrumental in supporting with the research, developing the curriculum, engaging with stakeholders, implementing the programmes, and supporting in creating awareness of for the programme amongst relevant institutions all over the world.

Dr. Vorp added: “The integration of sustainable industrial development in the mission for GMIS sets a well-charted path for our partnership.

“Pitt has endeavored to be a university leader in sustainable innovation, and at the Swanson School, our faculty and students are exploring new materials, advanced manufacturing, and tools that have the potential to improve the triple bottom line — social, environmental, and economic — for industry around the world.

“We are excited to join the GMIS ecosystem as a global academic partner and to be able to share the city of Pittsburgh’s success stories and innovations on the world stage of industrial and manufacturing excellence.” — SG