On Thursday, Sweden’s Ericsson and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) announced a three-year R&D partnership. According to a press release, the partnership will focus on the next generations of 5G and 6G.
Magnus Frodigh, Vice President & Head of Ericsson Research, commented that the company promotes “regional innovation by funding local research projects. We are delighted to partner with KAUST as we believe an ecosystem of strong collaborative partnerships is important in enhancing communications networks,” he said.
Three research projects are at the core of the partnership, focusing on:
- Machine learning for frequency-selective wireless channels.
- Terahertz (THz) and free-space optical communications.
- Transparent and flexible intelligent surfaces.
The projects will involve an exchange program between students (KAUST) and researchers (Ericsson Research, Sweden) to support Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Vision 2030 aims to provide future-proof, high-quality networks and solutions that will prove vital to Saudi Arabia.
Ericsson and KAUST’s research will be a crucial enabler to government-sponsored innovative digital initiatives. It will also lay the groundwork for research into the future of communication, helping the Kingdom become an engine of innovation and creativity, according to the parties.
Commenting on achieving the Saudi Vision 2030 through collaborations, Emad Alaoudah, Procurement and Support Services Vice President at Saudi Telecom Company, said, “Our partners and institutions play an important role in creating world-class networks for now and the future with a key role in empowering Saudi capabilities and development of local high-tech industry.”
KAUST and Ericsson believe that the research output will vastly contribute to developing next-generation 5G and 6G networks and the ICT research ecosystem. The partners also plan to publish findings in top-tier journals. Additionally, the exchange of students and researchers will allow for an enhanced transfer of knowledge, education, and training, according to the release.
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