Dubai, UAE, August 29, 2016:  Canadian University Dubai (CUD) has signed a landmark partnership agreement with leading US university Georgia Tech, seeking to set up the region’s first research lab focused on development of the Physical Internet.

The new collaboration will bring together high-level researchers from the UAE and the international community to help establish cutting-edge systems and technologies that will support the development of the Physical Internet.

The research will be focussed on hyper-connected logistics and supply chain design, modelling, simulation, management, sustainability, and mass customization, leading to a transformation in the way global supply chains function. The first step will be the creation of a specialized Hyper-connected Healthcare Lab, hosted by CUD.

The Physical Internet initiative is generating global interest because the way physical objects are currently supplied and transported around the world is becoming unsustainable, both economically and environmentally. The system provides a universal logistics model based on the interconnection of networks through a standardized set of protocols and interfaces.

Ranked among the top ten public universities in the US, Georgia Tech is renowned as a leader in developing revolutionary technologies, and the collaboration with be supported by its existing network of research labs in other global logistics hubs, including Singapore, Panama and the Netherlands.

The partnership was initiated at the International Conference on Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, hosted by CUD, where Professor Benoit Montreuil, leader of the International Physical Internet Initiative, delivered a keynote address. The agreement comes as CUD gears to launch of undergraduate and graduate programs in supply chain management.

Speaking about the new lab, Professor Montreuil said, “We are very pleased to be embarking on this endeavor with CUD to establish the first Physical Internet research initiative in the Middle East. Our aim is to draw upon the context of Dubai and, in doing so, target key sectors such as healthcare. A hyper-connected healthcare system within Dubai could act as a hub for labs across the entire region.”

Heading up the initiative on behalf of CUD is graduate studies director, Dr. Marc Poulin, who said, “As an important logistics hub and a supporter of bold and visionary initiatives, we believe that Dubai is the ideal location to establish this lab. We are delighted that Georgia Tech has chosen to partner with CUD in this initiative and look forward to contributing to both academia and industry, by developing world-class research and bringing forward innovative methods in the management of logistics.”