WITH the country still dependent on the oil economy as a source of revenue, it is natural that both the government and the oil and gas industry are keen to train engineers locally to the highest global standards.
A key step is a programme in engineering and applied sciences that will produce a competent workforce to support and advance the human resource needs of the petroleum and the broader energy industries. To fulfill this need the Petroleum Institute (PI) was founded in 2000 under the direction of H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), amongst the world's leading companies with access to 90 per cent of the UAE's oil and gas reserves, is the prime sponsor of the Institute. Other sponsors include four major, internationally recognized, oil companies, namely Shell, BP, Total, and Japan Oil Development Company.
Providing a world-class education in engineering and applied sciences in order to support and advance the petroleum and energy industries, PI boasts an impressive campus in the Sas al Nakhl area of Abu Dhabi with modern and well-equipped buildings for administration, academics, library, recreation, dining facilities, and student accommodation facilities.
Since 2006, women have entered the fray with a separate facility so that a well rounded centre for learning committed to academic excellence, and the creation of an intellectual environment that leads to the development of its graduates as the future leaders in their respective fields of expertise in the UAE and beyond.
PI provides excellent instructional programmes for those aiming to achieve baccalaureate degrees. Since inception, close to one thousands students have joined the Petroleum Institute and bene provided with the opportunity to accessed the skills, knowledge, and competencies that meet the needs of ADNOC and other sponsors. By maintaining the highest standards of health, safety and environmental awareness, PI students carry this way of life with them in their work environment as for the long term.
PI networks globally with industrial constituents, educational partners and professional societies and thereby enhancing its education, research and professional services worldwide. This practical service - catering to needs of the industry as and when they occur - is at the root of the PI mission, vision and strategy.
Research is an ongoing process and PI works tirelessly towards new advances in technology across various frontiers. Research is leveraged by close cooperation with industry stakeholders through the ADNOC group operating companies, the international partners, and with participatiofrom selected foreign universities. It envisions major research centres focusing on petroleum and gas exploration and development (upstream process), petrochemicals and the refining process, as well as the remaining supporting areas of significance to the energy industry in the near future.
PI has begun work to develop a modern research centre with the latest state of the art, advanced equipment. This will enhance a world class educational environment where study programmes for post graduates are designed to foster knowledge dissemination pertinent to the requirements of the industry as it evolves.
Students at PI realize that technologies, economies and societies are in a state of flux and are therefore trained in lifelong learning, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership skills. This gives them the ability to span several disciplines making them well-equipped to apply scientific and engineering principles in solving a wide variety of technical problems.
Modern engineering is a global venture with exciting ramifications. The key is to ensure that borders do not become barriers; so that respect of diverse cultures is fostered in all students. This gives them sensitivity for the community at large no matter where they go in the future. Communication is what bridges this gap and that's why students are trained to be proficient in verbal, written and graphical communication with the confident use of information technologies where required.
Professional integrity, sound ethics and values help students make the best decisions for themselves and for their employers. This reflects in the way they relate to society, corporate operations, technology and the environment too.
With its more than 150 highly qualified faculty, PI is all set to ride the high wave of success by intelligently tackling the energy needs of the world. It has envisioned the future and is boldly stepping across milestones to establish itself as the hub of energy technology training not just in the UAE further afield.