The UAE’s Metal Park has signed a strategic agreement with the World Steel Association and the Belgium-headquartered Steel University, establishing a national-level alliance to develop a fully integrated metals education and capability ecosystem for the Middle East.
Witnessed by H.E. Dr. Sultan Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology; Captain Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi, managing director and group CEO of AD Ports Group; and Mr. Vahid Fouladkar, CEO of Metal Park and signed by Navid Fouladkar, head of strategic partnerships at Metal Park, and Jorge Muract, director of Steel University.
This milestone partnership directly supports the UAE’s industrial vision under Make it in the Emirates and Operation 300bn, reinforcing the country’s ambition to build globally competitive, value-added metal production capabilities from within the UAE.
The alliance positions Metal Park not only as industrial infrastructure, but as the execution layer where education, standards, talent, and production converge into a single operating ecosystem.
Vahid Fouladkar, CEO of Metal Park, said: “This alliance marks a defining step in how industrial growth is built and sustained in the region. Metal Park was conceived as more than physical infrastructure – it is an operating ecosystem where standards, talent, capability, and production are developed together.
“By partnering with the World Steel Association and Steel University, we are embedding global best practices directly into the industrial environment, ensuring that education translates into measurable performance, competitiveness, and long-term national value for the UAE.”
Jorge Muract, director of Steel University, said: “The alliance seeks to secure the industry talent pipeline through strong collaboration and alignment among academia, industry, its value chain, and government as a key enabler of this interaction, while also providing agile infrastructure to continuously upskill and reskill the workforce and sustain innovation in production systems.
“Together, we aim to develop high-quality learning and technology solutions that build a more efficient and dynamic workforce. At the same time, the alliance seeks to join efforts with similar initiatives in Europe, Saudi Arabia, India and Latin America to create a global education and training ecosystem that enables talent mobility and ensures equal access to education and training, fostering social innovation worldwide.”
Abdullah Al Hameli, CEO of Economic Cities and Free Zones, AD Ports Group, said: “This agreement strengthens the foundation of our industrial ecosystem by aligning global standards with local production capability. KEZAD Group not only provides infrastructure, but also enables performance.
“By embedding internationally recognised expertise from the World Steel Association and Steel University directly into Metal Park’s operating environment, we are accelerating the development of advanced industrial skills, raising productivity, and enhancing the competitiveness of UAE-based manufacturers.
“This initiative directly supports national industrial priorities under Make it in the Emirates and Operation 300bn, and reinforces Abu Dhabi’s position as a globally competitive hub for value-added metal production, driven by capability, standards, and long-term industrial resilience.”
From global standards to industrial output
At the core of the agreement is a shared commitment to transforming skills development into measurable industrial performance.
Through collaboration with the World Steel Association and Steel University, Metal Park will embed internationally recognised standards, certifications, technical frameworks, and sector intelligence directly into its operating environment – ensuring education is applied at the factory-floor level, not abstract.
This ecosystem-driven model ensures that learning, certification, and best practices translate into higher productivity, improved quality, and enhanced competitiveness across UAE-based metal production.
Advancing national industrial priorities and regional workforce capability
The partnership directly contributes to the objectives of Make it in the Emirates and Operation 300bn by:
- Strengthening domestic metal and steel industrial capability
- Developing future-ready technical, engineering, and operational talent
- Embedding global standards into local production environments
- Enhancing the long-term competitiveness and resilience of regional manufacturing
By connecting global industry leadership with Metal Park’s integrated infrastructure, the alliance ensures that industrial growth is powered by world-class assets, standards, and people.
Building the Middle East’s metals education and capability ecosystem
The agreement underpins Metal Park’s long-term vision to establish the region’s most comprehensive metals education and capability ecosystem – spanning foundational skills, advanced metallurgy, engineering, processing, and operational excellence.
This phased, scalable approach ensures that capability building is aligned with real industrial demand, national priorities, and long-term sustainability.
Metal Park views this agreement as a foundation for broader collaboration. Delivering a globally recognised industrial talent and standards ecosystem will require continued engagement with government entities, regulators, academic institutions, and industry partners – anchored by Metal Park as the ecosystem platform.
