Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination partners with Russia’s Ural Federal University

Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO) has partnered with Ural Federal University Russia (UrFU) to exchange knowledge, share expertise and cooperate in establishing psychological and neurological diagnostic laboratories at ZHO.

The partnership aims to foster advanced technology and artificial intelligence to improve services for People of Determination.

The partnership came on the sidelines of the visit by a high-level delegation from UrFU to ZHO’s headquarters to learn about its experience in caring for and rehabilitating People of Determination, as well as its educational and rehabilitation services and psychological and social health care.

The visiting delegation included Erin Vyacheslav, Minister of Economic International Relations of Sverdlovsk Oblast, UrFU’s Rector Mr. Victor Koksharov, Elvira Symanyuk, Director of the Ural Institute of Humanities (UrIH), and Dmitry Chernikhov, Deputy Director for the Development of Advertising Programs and Social Partnerships. They were received by His Excellency Abdullah Abdul-Ali Al-Humaidan, ZHO’s Secretary General and a number of its leaders.

The delegation visited the Bee Café to learn about the first project of its kind in the UAE, a café run by People of Determination. They also visited the sewing and carpentry workshops at ZHO’s vocational rehabilitation workshops, and the Smart Robotic Rehabilitation Laboratory, the first integrated laboratory in the Middle East for treatment and rehabilitation centre, to get acquainted with the health care management services provided by ZHO. The Russian delegation also visited the therapeutic pool, one of the most advanced treatment facilities in the UAE, providing hydrotherapy services for people of determination, and visited the Comprehensive Assessment Department.

ZHO-UrFU’s areas of cooperation include the educational and academic exchanges, as well as cooperation in training champions for Olympic games. This will enable the Russian team to transfer experience and vice versa, cooperation in designing educational programs and smart applications, and the organisation of seminars, conferences and exhibitions.

The MoU was signed by His Excellency Abdullah Abdul-Ali Al-Humaidan, ZHO Secretary-General and UrFU’s Rector Mr. Victor Koksharov. The signing ceremony took place at ZHO’s headquarters in the presence of a number of leaders from both sides and scientific cadres at UrFU.

His Excellency Al-Humaidan said this strategic partnership with UrFU, one of the prestigious international academic entities the most important leading universities in Russia at the level of expertise, scientific research, and mechanisms of diagnosis, evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation for People of Determination.

His Excellency Al-Humaidan said: “ZHO believes in the inevitable joint fruitful international cooperation which serves the common interest and goals. We strive for cooperation with international institutions and bodies and distinguished scientific institutions in the area of welfare and rehabilitation of the People of Determination. 

“This cooperation is geared towards benefiting from UrFU’s great experiences in our work for the benefit of our affiliates by investing in the AI’s global technological breakthrough and establishing psychological and neurological diagnostic laboratories at ZHO. We are also eager for the arrangement of joint seminars, conferences and exhibitions, as well as benefiting from UrFU’s expertise in the field of sports for people of determination.”

His Excellency Al-Humaidan said the deep and strong, strategic and historical relations between the UAE and the Russian Federation, and the keenness of the two countries to strengthen them on an ongoing basis through mutual visits between the two countries, the last of which was made by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, to Russia in October 2022 where he met President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, contributes to opening new horizons for bilateral cooperation between the two friendly countries and taking it up to high levels of further growth and prosperity in various fields.

Victor A. Koksharov in his legal capacity as rector of the university, said: “I would like to thank His Excellency Abdullah Abdul-Ali Al-Humaidan and colleagues from ZHO for visiting the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin campus in Yekaterinburg in April this year and for today's welcoming and warm reception in the United Arab Emirates. The Ural Federal University delegation is happy to be in Abu Dhabi on a return visit.

“I am convinced that the Memorandum of Understanding signed today will become a great step forward not only in the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between our organisations, but also in strengthening partner and friendly relations between our countries.

ZHO and UrFU will work together to develop inclusive educational programs for People of Determination and will collaborate in the fields of psychotherapy, neuropsychology, and pedagogy. We will unite our scientific schools to conduct joint advanced research for the benefit of all humankind. There is no doubt that together we can achieve big successes.”