JIC to put up cluster excellence center with German university

JUBAIL: Jubail Industrial College (JIC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Technical University of Munich (TUM) to establish an international cluster excellence center on the JIC campus together with Bavaria of Germany
“Through this, the college is aiming to make, within the next few years, a substantial contribution to the economy of the Kingdom through an innovative approach in serving its industrial community,” said Eid Al-Hajri, managing director of the college, who signed the MoU.
The cluster excellence center will include an international research and application center, a cluster academy, an international cluster hub and a business incubator and park.
For Jubail industrial city, the cluster excellence center will become the leading coordinator of technology transfer from science to industry, and an accelerator of Saudi-European business cooperation.
The cluster excellence center will support creation of a cluster organization to network Kingdom wide clusters, prepare professional cluster management structures and initiate market-driven partnerships with cluster networks from Germany and other European countries.
As per the memorandum, TUM will prepare a road map for implementing the research and application center with focus on energy efficiency in petrochemical processes, environmental engineering, clean technology, conversion technology and innovation management.
TUM international and JIC will organize workshops with local companies in order to identify the first set of R&D projects, which can be realized together with researchers and students of JIC, but also including international experts; providing industry solutions will be at the forefront of the business plan of the center.
The phases of the project will include setting up of the center with its service portfolio, cluster training and match-making, implementation of a high-level application center, operation of an incubator and the development of a business park on the JIC campus, a set of pilot projects with industry, and a detailed business plan for long-term operations. By setting up the cluster excellence center in Jubail industrial city, JIC and TUM international enter into a sustainable strategic partnership with aim to build one of kingdom’s leading drivers for technology-based value creation and its international flagship in cluster management excellence.
Al-Hajri said that through this, the college is aiming to make, within the next few years, a substantial contribution to the economics of the Kingdom through an innovative approach in serving its industrial community.
“The JIC will be hosting an International Cluster Hub including a Cluster Academy. The Cluster Hub will offer tailor-maid services to members of local Cluster organizations regarding national and International Market Development, Innovation Management and Initiation of applied R&D Projects together with JIC.”
He said that eventually, the JIC Cluster Excellence Center will become the vital pillar of the future economic development of Jubail Industrial City.
TUM-International is a leading German organization in the development of applied research centers, technology transfer centers, industrial clusters and business incubators.