SAIT and the University Of Alberta will be the first in the province to partner with NATO and join a worldwide defense innovation network. NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) network is built up of almost two hundred institutions across 28 NATO countries.
Photo courtesy of NATO
“In these new roles, SAIT and the U of A will be contributing to world peace and security in a time of fundamental importance.” Says Rajan Sawhney, Minister of Advanced Education. “In their drive for innovation at the intersection of academia and defense, SAIT and the U of A will also benefit from the Dianna networks grant funding training and commercial guidance. They will have access to a robust network of accelerators and test centers and be partners in world leading expertise beyond the campus”
At SAIT’s DIANA test center, the institution will be helping to develop technology to solve military defense and security challenges.
“Joining NATO DIANA presents a tremendous opportunity for the U of A and SAIT to expand their research horizons and drive innovation at the intersection of academia and defense. This is also a rare opportunity to connect with a network of experts around the globe to develop new technologies while gaining international recognition for the expertise at Alberta’s post-secondary institutions.” Sawhney said at yesterday’s announcement.
This was no easy process, With SAIT having spent the last year making this agreement and working hard to get this opportunity.
Dr. Hamid Rajani, Ph.D. is the chair for SAIT’s Centre for Innovation and Research in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials (CIRAMM), and expressed his excitement for the opportunity.
“It was a long journey and we are proud to be part of this network. So right now I would say we’re just excited to have this opportunity for SAIT and Alberta. Initially we were nominated by Canada’s National Defence as one of the few candidates from Canada to NATO.” he stated
For more on this announcement, check out the video below.
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