Abu Dhabi-UAE: The UAE Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT) on Thursday concluded the first session of the ITTI Global Assessor Training Program, hosting 22 participants from nine countries to boost 4IR adoption across the region.
Over three days, representatives from government entities, regional bodies and private companies learnt about the Industrial Technology Transformation Index (ITTI) framework and how to conduct assessments under the ITTI framework. ITTI is the region’s first digital maturity index, launched by MoIAT to drive the adoption of 4IR solutions and sustainable practices in the industrial ecosystem.
The aim of the ITTI Global Assessor Training Program is to promote the internationalization of the ITTI framework by certifying assessors abroad to become ambassadors of the ITTI. It also aims to foster knowledge exchange and drive industrial excellence and innovation across the region.
MoIAT launched the ITTI in 2023 under the Technology Transformation Program and as a cornerstone of Operation 300bn, which aims to increase manufacturing value added (MVA) to AED 300 billion by 2031 while supporting the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.
The ITTI is a comprehensive tool for assessing digital maturity and sustainable practices in the manufacturing ecosystem. It was built to enhance industrial productivity, efficiency, flexibility and sustainability through enabling advanced technology adoption and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) solutions. From an international perspective, the tool aims to function as a global standard for measuring technological maturity in the industrial sector and for guiding manufacturers and other industrial ecosystem partners to define approaches to design effective digital transformation initiatives.
Her Excellency Sarah Al Amiri, Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology, said: “4IR has the potential to transform industry into a key growth engine. But many industrial companies are still in their digital infancy and lack the awareness, knowledge, or capital to raise digital maturity. The ITTI enables these companies by creating a technology transformation roadmap and has proved highly successful since launching. Consequently, MoIAT is now working to internationalize the ITTI framework and foster knowledge exchange on 4IR best practices globally .
“The aim of this program is to train accredited ITTI assessors abroad to standardize assessment practices in line with global benchmarks and to develop I4.0 ambassadors globally to promote international collaboration and dialogue on global I4.0 transformation. This approach falls under MoIAT’s commitment to working with international partners to drive sustainable industrial development in line with the UAE’s position as a key member of the global industrial community.”
To date, more than 400 companies in the UAE have been assessed by over 40 local and international assessors to date. Together, these companies in 2023 have committed to investing AED 600 million in technology adoption. The ITTI Industry 4.0 Pulse Report for 2023 launched at the Make it in the Emirates Forum highlighted strong progress. Last year, under the ITTI program, 650 I4.0 projects were implemented, with 75 percent of assessed companies creating a digital transformation roadmap. Companies assessed under the ITTI typically realize a 15 percent improvement in key KPIs and are 1.7 times more likely to target sustainability dimensions.
Participants in the Global Assessor Training Program reviewed many elements of ITTI, including I4.0 strategy and governance, in addition to case studies to learn how ITTI is driving sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness across the industrial value chain. The participants came from GCC countries as well as Egypt, Rwanda, India and Malaysia.