International law firm Pinsent Masons has announced that its infrastructure partner Bill Smith acted as a key advisor to the University of South Wales (USW) aerospace academy, which recently opened in Dubai South.

Smith advised USW on the development of the new campus, said a statement.

The new specialist aerospace engineering education facility was inaugurated last month by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman, Dubai Aviation City Corporation, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), chairman and chief executive at Emirates Airline and Group, chairman Dubai Airports; Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance; and USW vice-chancellor Professor Julie Lydon OBE.

Bill Smith, partner at Pinsent Masons, said: “We are deeply committed to working in alignment with the Dubai and UAE Governments’ visions to diversify the economy and create a thriving knowledge-based society with a key focus on STEM education.”

“The development of a strong aerospace sector will enable the UAE to become an international hub for aviation and aerospace is an extremely important part of this vision,” he said.

“USW’s new academy will provide the next generation of young, talented Emiratis with the skills and experience that they need to directly contribute to this vision. Our firm is delighted to have acted as the legal partner in the delivery of this important project which further serves to cement the UAE’s reputation as a centre of excellence in the aerospace field,” he added.

The purpose-built 3,000-sq-m specialist centre offers a number of foundation level and degree programmes elating to aircraft maintenance engineering.  The facility which is strategically located at Dubai South Business Park - close to Dubai International Airport, provides state of the art learning and teaching space, including an EASA/GCAA accredited workshop with an aircraft and CFM56-3 jet engine.  

The centre also features mechanical principles laboratories, soundproofed maintenance areas, a dedicated laboratory space for electronic practical tasks and avionics systems to provide hands-on practical experience for students and composite-based equipment to produce sample materials.

Pinsent Masons has deep experience in advising globally-recognised universities and schools in the Middle East and connecting them with a network of experts for successful project delivery, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service