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IMPRESSIONS of II International Triple Helix Summit Dubai, United Arab Emirates – November 2018

ALINE ARAUJO PERINI
Student of Doctoral Program
Technology Transfer Office
Nuclear and Energy Research Institute
University of São Paulo, Brazil,
Avenida Lineu Prestes, 2242, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, Brazil, 05508-000 *email address protected*

RABII OUTAMHA
PhD Student in Management Science
Faculty of Law, Economics and Social Science
University Hassan II – Casablanca, Morocco,
*email address protected*

THE EVENT
“The Role of Government, Academia, Industry in Building Innovation-Based Cities and Nations”, was the theme of the second Triple Helix Summit held in Dubai from 10 to 13 November 2018. Under the patronage of his highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman of Dubai Airports, CEO and Chairman of the Emirates Group, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chancellor of the British University in Dubai, the Summit was organized by the British University in Dubai, in collaboration with the Triple Helix Association, Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government, the University of Dubai, in partnership with the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, and sponsored by Al Sahel Contracting Company LLC, supreme council of energy and Al Maktoum Foundation.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: FROM OIL-BASED TO KNOWLEDGE-BASED ECONOMY
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a Middle East federation of seven monarchies: Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm al-Qaiwain. A country with a huge ambition and strong leadership to build a competitive economy and meet the global trends, dedicating significant funds and efforts in the development of infrastructure, R&D, technology, higher education system, innovation culture, risk taking culture and initiative encouragement.
As an oil-based economy, UAE is transforming toward innovation and a knowledge-based economy. In fact, knowledge-based sectors are making a greater part of the UAE’s GDP than oil, growing from 32.1% in 2001 to 37.5% in 2012. The country diversified its economic activity to cover renewable energy, aviation, technology, trade, logistics, finance, tourism etc..
The UAE success is a collaborative effort among public and private stakeholders. The country invested in smart cities in order to create platforms for fostering interactions between economic agents. As an effect, the joint efforts generated synergy that have led UAE to the knowledge and innovation based paradigm.

THE COLLABORATION ASPECT MANIFEST ON THE UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY RESEARCH COLLABORATION IN UAE AND HOW IT HAS EVOLVED IN TIME.
The score of 50.9 was already significant at 2011 and it kept increasing (see table 1). The private sector as well as the university, are supporting the government’s agenda under the triple helix perspective, fostering as effect, a dynamic knowledge environment that benefits each part of the equation.
Dubai, in particular, is moving towards innovation to meet the goal of becoming the smartest city in the world. It has a strategic location and serves as the biggest re-exporting centre in the Middle East, offering world class infrastructure and service sector, open and free economic system, competitive cost structure, a high quality of life, excellent living conditions, political and economic stability, strong local commercial tradition and a wide choice of potential business partners, extensive foreign trade network and major achievements in export and re-export performance.
The UAE is a country to study and learn from its journey towards becoming a knowledge-based economy, and holding the Summit in Dubai particularly was a wise choice and the learning experience was amazing.

WHO WAS THERE
The Summit was honoured by the presence of key figures in the Triple Helix research field such as the iconic Professor Henry Etzkowitz, founder of Triple Helix Association, honoured the event by his speech, as well as representatives from industries, academics, researchers, scientists, managers of innovation and international Parks, PhD students and interested parties from around the world.

DISCUSSING THE PRESENT, PROSPECTING THE FUTURE
The Summit presented was an opportunity to discover how the Triple Helix as a practice can be diverse from one context to another. Plenaries, keynotes, round tables and paper presentations were rich in data, information and knowledge, giving an insight to different aspects of university-industry-government linkages, on best practices and case studies, as well as exposing research perspectives for the future. Coffee and lunch breaks were the perfect platform to discuss around the theme on a personal informal level. Participants enjoyed time exchanging ideas, building relationships, and prospecting opportunities for joint research projects.

SUMMIT HIGHLIGHTS
A diverse program contained keynote lectures, plenary sessions, special sessions, paper presentations, round tables, a Gala Conference Dinner and an Awards Ceremony.
Sunday, November 1l, the first day of the Conference, starting with the Opening Ceremony featuring the honured guest, Mr Abdullah Albasti, the Secretary General of The Dubai Executive Council. This was followed by the Welcoming Session presented by Mr Mohammed Abdullah Shael Alsaadi, CEO-Corporate Strategic Affairs, Department of Economic Development, the Government of Dubai. There were four keynote presentations in the morning session including:

The Triple Helix – A Catalyst for Change, Professor Henry Etzkowitz
Presentation by H E Ahmad Butti Al Muhairbi, Secretary-General, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
The Application of Triple Helix in the Creation of Districts of Innovation, Josep Pique, Past President of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation.
Evaluation of UAE’s Innovation Strategy and Practice – Triple Helix Perspective, presented by Abdullah Alshamsi, Vice Chancellor of The British University in Dubai.

During the afternoon, the program covered a plenary session, round table, workshop and parallel sessions:

Plenary: Challenges for Effective Partnership and Interactions among Triple Helix Actors in support of Innovation, chaired by Professor Tariq Durrani, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.
Roundtable on Science Parks and the Triple Helix, moderated by Professor Emanuela Todeva, Vice President of the Triple Helix Association.
Workshop: Developing University-Industry Collaborations: Why, What, Dr Tatiana Schofield, Head of the Knowledge Exchange, The Royal College of Art, London, UK.
Paper presentations in two parallel sessions:
Session A: chaired by Professor Sufian Forawi,
Session B: chaired by Professor Khalid Al Marri.

The Gala Dinner and Awards Night included a guest speaker of the Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Cabinet Member and Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and a Medal Awards Presentation to the winners of the Best Case Studies.
On the second day, Monday 12 November, the program had two keynote presentations and two plenary sessions in the morning:
Keynote: University Agility in Partnering with Industry and Government: Can Government Regulation of Higher Education to Ensure Quality also Permit Universities to Be Entrepreneurial?, Professor Stephen Wilhite, Vice President for Academic Affairs, the American University in Ras Al Khaimah.

Keynote: The Global Innovation Index as a Measurement of Triple Helix Engagement by Professor Emanuela Todeva, St. Mary’s University, and Vice President of Triple Helix Association.
Plenary: Challenges for Effective Partnership among Triple Helix Actors in Construction (Waste Control in the Construction Sites)
Private Sector, Mr Mohammed Hammad, CEO, Al Sahel Contracting Co.
Academia: Professor Abid Abu Tair, The British University in Dubai
Government: Mr Naji Radhi, Waste Management and Treatment Expert at Dubai Municipality.
Chair: Al Sahel Contracting Co.
Plenary: Opportunities and Challenges in Operationalizing the Triple Helix Model at Regional Lvel: the experience of the Triple Helix Association Chapters.
Mr Naveed Ulhaq, Office coordinator of the South Asian
Chapter (SATHA) Olga Sudibor, Leader of the Kazakhstan
Chapter
Dr Liana Kobzeva, Representative of the Russian Chapter
Chair: ,Maria Laura Fornaci, Executive Director, the Triple Helix Association

The afternoon program continued:
Plenary: Role of Triple Helix in Sustainable Energy: Waste to Energy
Government: Engr Sonia Nasser, Executive Director, RAK Waste Management Agency
Academia: Dr Uday Kumar, R&D, RAK Research and Innovation Center, American University in Ras Al Khaimah
Private Sector: Mr Manoharan Sundaralingam, CEO, Al Shrooq Green Energy
Chair: Proessor. Mousa Mohsen, Dean of Engineering, American University of Ras Al Khaimah
Plenary: Entrepreneurial University and its Engagement in the Triple Helix System
Academia: Professor. Bassam Abu Hijleh, Dean, Faculty of Engineering and IT, The British University in Dubai
Academia: Dr Yuzhuo Cai, University of Tampere, Finland
Private Sector: Mr Faris Saaed, CEO, Diamond Developers
Paper presentations in tree parallel sessions:
Session A: chaired by Riccardo Viale
Session B: chaired by Dr G. Gachino
Session C: chaired by Dr E. Fiore

The final day of the Summit morning program was rich covering plenary sessions, round table and a master class, as well as paper presentations in two parallel sessions.
Plenary: Multiculturalism and Inclusivity
Academia: Dr Abubakr Jaber, College Secretary and Acting Head of College, Al Maktoum College of Higher Education.
Academia: Professor Eman Gaad, Dean of Faculty of Education, The British University in Dubai
Plenary: Challenges for Effective Partnership Among Triple Helix Actors in Smart Cities
Academia: Dr Fatma Taher, Assistant Dean, College of Technological Innovation, Zayed University.
Government: Dr Bushra Al Blooshi, Research and Innovation Manager, DESC.
Industry: Mr Martin Feustel, CEO, Energy Savers.
Chair: Professor Hussain Al-Ahmad, Dean of Engineering and IT, University of Dubai
Round Table Discussion on “Innovations in Triple Helix Studies” – Thematic Research Groups (TRGs) of the Triple Helix Association.
Chair: Yuzhuo Cai, University of Tampere, Convener of the TRG on Entrepreneurial University.
Liana Kobzeva: National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia, Convener of the TRG on Triple Helix Actors, Regions and Governance (THARG)
Dimitri Corpakis: former European Commission official, Convener of the TRG on Innovation Policy (INNOPOL).
Professor Emanuela Todeva, St. Mary’s University, representing the TRG on National Innovation Systems and Models (NISM).
Masterclass on Entrepreneurial University, Dr Christiane Gebhardt, Malik Institute Switzerland, Triple Helix Association, Member of the Board and Associate Editor.
Paper presentations in two parallel sessions:
Session A: chaired by Dr Alaa Ameer
Session B chaired by Ms Aisha Ali

The event concluded by a vote of thanks, and the Award for the winner of the Best Research Paper. The prize was awarded to Claudia Olvera, PhD student, for her the paper on Evaluating the Success of Companies at University Science Parks: key performance and Innovation Indicators, Congratulations.
The Summit took place a following the Triple Helix and Beyond – A New Era Conference held on 5-8 September 2018 in Manchester, United KIngdom, and precededing the South Africa XVII International Triple Helix Conference: A Catalystt for Change, the impact of Science and Technology on Regional Innovation and Socio Economic Development, to be held in Cape Town, 9-11September 2019.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The fund was provided by UFPE, Recife, Brazil, to enable reach research community. To the Triple Helix Committee and the IPEN-CNEN/SP to remain Alive the Spirit of Entrepreneur.

 

Published by the Triple Helix Association  –  ISSN 2281-4515

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