G-TEC group to set up centre of excellence in Dubai for AI and drone tech

G-TEC group, the Kerala-based international education and training network major, plans to set up a centre of excellence in Dubai to impart advanced training in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology, according to the firm's top executive.

The Singapore-headquartered group, which already runs computer and other technical training and certification centres in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, is currently scouting for a local partner in the UAE for the proposed project.

“We plan to set up the proposed skill development centre in Dubai as a centre of excellence for frontier technologies such as AI and drone as per advanced global standards,” Mehroof Manalody, chairman and managing director of G-TEC Group, told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview.

“Towards this objective, we plan to bring in highly reputed international faculty in these technology areas to run the proposed centre,” Manalody said.

​Industry sources said G-TEC will be able to attract reputed international faculty for the Dubai project, considering the fact that it currently serves as the training and certification partner for global tech companies including Microsoft, SAP, IBM, Adobe, EC Council, IAB (UK), BCS (UK), Edexcel, Interlinguae (Italy), in addition to government entities in India such as the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).

G-TEC has also sought support for the centre from the UAE government by way of help in getting land and other infrastructure facilities.

“Considering the importance and scale of our proposed centre of excellence to the UAE, we are sure the UAE government would extend necessary support to our project,” Manalody said.

Manalody is understood to have discussed the project with the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, who visited Kerala last week.

Additionally, Manalody said he would also look for possible funding options in the UAE for the project, as it is being conceived as a mega project of international scale and will require significant levels of capital.

He, however, declined to disclose the cost of the Dubai project “as it is still in the finalisation stage”.

G-TEC Education, which conducts training and certification programmes in various segments including ICT, academic programmes, ITeS, corporate training, skills and vocational training, currently runs a network of over 500 centres spread over 15 countries.

Besides India and several countries in the Middle East, the group also operates in the United States, UK, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Africa.

G-TEC Education currently runs its operations under three subsidiaries – G-TEC Computer Education, G-TEC College of Advanced Studies and G-TEC Gensmart Academy.