The 1st Korea-UAE Science & Engineering Forum 2025 (25th November 2025)

The 1st UAE–Korea Science & Engineering Forum 2025, hosted by the Korean Scientists and Engineers Association in the UAE (KSEAU), was successfully held on November 25, 2025, at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahrin Abu Dhabi. The forum was organized to strengthen research networks among Korean scientists and engineers residing in the UAE and Qatar and to expand bilateral exchange and cooperation in science and technology. The program focused on strategic fields including artificial intelligence (AI), aerospace, healthcare, environment and water, and energy. Approximately 50 participants from academia, government agencies, major research institutions, and industry attended the event. In particular, researchers from Khalifa University, New York University Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, University of Sharjah, and Qatar University, along with experts from UAE government entity ATRC and organizations such as FANR, EDGE, TII, KBSI, KTL, and KOSME, gathered, bringing together professionals from diverse backgrounds.

The forum commenced with opening remarks by Daniel Choi, President of KSEAU, followed by congratulatory addresses from Jongkyung Park, Minister-Counselor at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the UAE, and a video message from Sungkwang Yang, President of the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI). These addresses underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation in science and technology and highlighted the strong potential for advancing joint research initiatives between the two countries.

The forum featured two technical sessions with a total of eight speakers. The first session addressed recent advances in AI, aerospace, and healthcare, presenting topics such as machine learning technologies, space technology development, and innovative applications in the medical field. The second session focused on environment, water, and energy, introducing research on sustainable water management aligned with regional priorities, clean energy technologies, and environmental resilience. These presentations provided an important foundation for exploring collaborative opportunities and identifying future joint projects between researchers from both countries.

In addition to the technical sessions, participants actively engaged with one another during informal networking opportunities, including registration, coffee breaks, and the dinner reception. These interactions enabled meaningful exchanges among experts from academia, government, and industry, fostering discussions on collaboration across multiple levels.

The forum concluded with the second KSEAU General Assembly and a commemorative group photo. Overall, the inaugural UAE–Korea Science & Engineering Forum was recognized as a highly meaningful event that showcased outstanding research achievements from both countries and laid a solid foundation for future cooperation, with the potential to be established as an annual flagship forum.

Notably, Korean scientists and engineers from the Qatar region were also invited to this forum, marking an important starting point for expanding research networks with professionals active in neighboring countries to the UAE. Furthermore, as the significance of bilateral science and technology cooperation was further highlighted by the Korean President’s official visit to the UAE during the same period, the Korea–UAE Science & Engineering Forum hosted by KSEAU is expected to play a pivotal role in further invigorating scientific and technological exchange between the two nations in the years ahead.

Photo: Opening remarks by KSEAU President Daniel Choi