Industrial Technology Initiative

1. Industrial Technology Initiative Faculty of Engineering and Architecture American University of Beirut Nov 16, 2007

2. OUTLINE • AUB’s mission • On the needs of Local Industry • Role of Faculty research and service • ITI • Mission and Objectives • Activities • Partnership • Today’s outcomes!

3. Mission of AUB The American University of Beirut (AUB) is an institution of higher learning founded to provide excellence in education, to participate in the advancement of knowledge through research, and to serve the peoples of the Middle East and beyond. Chartered in New York State in 1863, the university bases its educational philosophy, standards, and practices on the American liberal arts model of higher education. The university believes deeply in and encourages freedom of thought and expression and seeks to foster tolerance and respect for diversity and dialogue. Graduates will be individuals committed to creative and critical thinking, life-long learning, personal integrity and civic responsibility, and leadership.

4. Education Systems and Economic Development • Educated workforce stimulating higher rate of innovation • Innovation yields ability to sell increasingly complex services and products • Services mostly arise in conjunction with the dissemination of new products • Products are created, services are provided, productivity is enhanced, wealth is generated Local return on Huge investment in Education is Questionable

5. Local Industry • Economy at large • Unemployment, Trade deficit, Brain drain • Changes with agreements: standards, open markets • Over 90% is Small to Medium Enterprises • Local SMEs Must remain: • Core of economic growth • Source and home of entrepreneurship • Creators of new jobs • Means for income especially for poor people • Must focus on core business • Needs improved competitiveness for “globalization”: • Enabling environment (public policies) • Harness technology (R&D / HR for Process and Product)

6. Faculty Research and Service FACULTY TASKS: Teaching, Research, and Service • Aim: • Connected to community (service) • Justified • Better return on the education investment What is Good for the Community is Good for AUB Based on INDEVCO Founder Company’s Slogan 1965: “What is Good for the Community is Good for the Company”

7. Technology in SMEs • “Technology” as defined by Encarta Dictionary: • Application of tools and methods; the study, development, and application of devices, machines, and techniques for manufacturing and productive processes, or • Method of applying technical knowledge; or • Sum of a society’s or culture’s knowledge; • Enterprise promised benefits based on technology: • Increased savings in total costs of operations, productivity • Consistently and efficiently produce goods based on desired specifications (QUALITY) • New products and services • Reach wider markets in faster time • Technology in improving SME’s productivity is applying and generating Knowledge

8. STRENGHTS • AUB strong reputation • High potential in Faculty members • Committed and skilled Students • Equipped Facilities OPPORTUNITIES • AUB accreditation and mission to serve the community • New Ph.D. programs and associated research activities • Need for industrial modernization and innovation, and export • SME Nature of local industry • Large MNC outsourcing value added tasks WEAKNESSES • Gap between University research activities and Industrial needs • Weak management and entrepreneurial skills of scientists CHALLENGES • Small size of local market • Misaligned activities and incentives of stakeholders • Political Instability

9. ITI Mission The Industrial Technology Initiative (ITI) at AUB aims to establish a framework to support local and regional industry through • applied research, • consulting services, and • training programs. ITI shall harness technologies and deploy knowledge for enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises.

10. Fouad Mrad Ayman Kayssi Hassan Artail Ali Hajj Mazen Saghir Imad Elhajj Daniel Asmar Khaled Joujou Ghassan Deeb

11. ITI Activities: Applied Research • Innovation in product and process is the key to competitiveness • Innovative solutions are based on research • Technology mapping in various sectors • Relevant university innovation activities survey • Demand based

12. ITI activities: Training In collaboration with technology suppliers when suitable for Dual Certificates - SAMPLE: • Industrial Controllers • Industrial Process Instrumentation • Product Reverse Engineering • Product Design and Prototyping • Web Technologies for Business • IT for Productivity Improvements The following is a SAMPLE list of workshops can be organized in coordination with BDCs:  • Technology commercialization issues • Quality Assurance Technologies

13. ITI activities: Consulting • Technical consulting to innovators of new products • Prototyping and proof of concept • Industrial Sectors diagnostic analysis and priorities with respective syndicates • Demand driven!

14. Examples • VHDL and Digital design using FPGA for Electronic Board Designers • Retrofitting Injection Molding Machines • Technology Literacy for Transparency and Accountability • Harnessing Technology for SME competitiveness • WAN for banks • Information security • Apple sorting using computer vision

17. ITI Partnership Present: • National Council of Scientific Research NCSR • Association of Lebanese Industrialists (LIRA) • Arab Research Institute in Science and Engineering (ARISE) • Technology Suppliers: • National Instruments • Omron Soon: • Industrial Research Institute (IRI) • European Lebanese Center for Industrial Modernization • Other technology suppliers • Other units in AUB and other institutes

18. Conclusion • Technology is not a magic wand that can solve all the problems facing local industry • Competitors are using Technology, can we afford not to? • Today's Objectives: • Gather stakeholders for aligning activities • Solicit ideas, projects, partnerships • Open AUB gates for local industrial needs • Others

19. Industrial Technology Initiativehttp://www.aub.edu.lb/fea/webiti