Ericsson has announced the extension of its successful R&D collaboration with King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) for another two years, following the success of their initial three-year partnership. This extension underscores both institutions’ commitment to advancing cutting-edge telecommunications technologies, including 5G and 6G, focusing on on-chip reflective intelligent surfaces and free-space optical communications, aligning with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Since its inception, the partnership has yielded numerous valuable scientific publications and findings, particularly in machine learning for frequency-selective wireless channels, Terahertz (THz) and free-space optical communications, and transparent and flexible intelligent surfaces.
Next-Gen Telecom Focus
Building on these successes, the extended collaboration will delve deeper into next-generation telecommunication technologies, emphasizing on-chip reflective intelligent surfaces and free-space optical communications.
This partnership has also facilitated knowledge exchange and collaboration among students and researchers from KAUST and Ericsson Research in Sweden, enriching educational and professional experiences and building a robust talent pipeline that supports the kingdom’s technological aspirations.
Pierre Magistretti, Vice President of Research at KAUST, stated: “The extension of our partnership with Ericsson reflects our shared vision for pioneering the telecommunications landscape of tomorrow. Through this collaboration, we have combined KAUST’s research capabilities with Ericsson’s industry expertise to produce groundbreaking scientific research. Our efforts have significantly contributed to developing a skilled talent pool in alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. The next phase of our partnership promises even greater innovations.”
Collaborative Research
Mashhour Al-Sudairy, Head of Local Content at Ericsson Saudi Arabia, remarked: “Our ongoing partnership with KAUST is a testament to Ericsson’s commitment to fostering innovation through collaborative research. The initial phase of our partnership yielded significant advancements in telecommunication technologies, crucial for pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the 5G and emerging 6G space. As we move into the next phase, our focus will remain on harnessing the full potential of next-generation technologies to further revolutionize connectivity and telecommunications.”
As Ericsson and KAUST embark on this extended journey, they reaffirm their commitment to driving innovation, enhancing local content development, and advancing the growth of the kingdom’s ICT sector.