His Excellency Dr Saad bin Saud Al Fuhaid, President of Arabian Gulf University (AGU), recently met with His Excellency Mr Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), during his visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain to participate in the 6th World Entrepreneurship Investment Forum (WEIF 2026), hosted by Bahrain.

During their meeting, the discussion explored ways to strengthen collaboration between AGU and higher education institutions across Bahrain and the Gulf with international organisations, with a focus on scientific research and development fields.

His Excellency Dr Saad bin Saud Al Fuhaid reaffirmed the university’s commitment to expanding strategic partnerships with international organisations in areas such as scientific research, sustainability, green industrial development related to energy and environmental protection, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer. He noted that collaboration with UNIDO is a vital pillar in supporting research, capacity building, and fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

He stated, “AGU is dedicated to integrating higher education with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and seeks to leverage its academic and research expertise to address regional industrial and economic challenges.”

For his part, His Excellency Gerd Müller praised the pioneering role of AGU within the Gulf, stressing the importance of university partnerships in advancing innovation and knowledge transfer. He stated, “We highly value AGU’s endeavours in education and scientific research, and look forward to deepening cooperation to promote sustainable industrial development, empower entrepreneurs, and align scientific research with economic needs.”

At the conclusion, both parties affirmed the importance of ongoing collaboration and coordination to achieve SDGs and enhance the role of higher education in supporting a knowledge-based economy. The meeting was attended by Professor Waleed Zubari, Dean of the College of Education, Administrative and Technical Sciences and Professor of Water Resources at AGU and Dr Afaf Mubarak Bugawa, Director of the AGU Training and Consultancy Centre.