General Atomics

Cranfield partners with ADI

The Academy of Defense Industries (ADI) and Cranfield University have signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Human Capability Initiative event to advance collaborative research and teaching and to build skills in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.



Above: Mark Threlfall, Director of Executive Development for Cranfield University with Fahad Alharbi, CEO of the Academy of Defense Industries (ADI).
Courtesy Cranfield University


The partnership is launching several postgraduate executive development courses in defence through ADI, including Logistics and Supply Chain Management, Management for Technology and Defence Resource Management in Saudi Arabia. The Academy of Defense Industries (ADI) aims to develop human resources in specialised areas related to defence industries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The establishment of ADI is one of the national initiatives of the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI).

The CEO of ADI, Mr Fahad Alharbi commented: “The collaboration with Cranfield University is major milestone for ADI and our vision to be a world-class training Academy. Together, we will fulfil the human capital needs of the Kingdom and be seen as a global training entity.”

Professor Dame Helen Atkinson DBE FREng, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said: “For many decades Cranfield University’s expertise, specialist facilities and world-leading research has supported defence and security sector needs. I’m pleased we can extend this with ADI in Saudi Arabia, supporting the Kingdom’s ambitious vision for its future.”

The Human Capability Initiative conference took place in Saudi Arabia on 13th-14th April coincided with a Great Futures UK mission led by the Department for Business and Trade. Mark Threlfall, Director of Cranfield Executive Development, attended with UK partners and government representatives, supporting the UK’s Industrial Strategy and the Saudi Vision 2030.

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