Qatar University will be provided with an annual fund in the amount of QAR 750,000 for three years, a total of about QAR 3.2 million or approximately USD 0.9 million. The main objective is to provide assistance to the institution in order to train qualified Qatari nationals to work in the aluminium industry.

According to the agreement, the Qatalum/Hydro faculty chair of aluminium production will develop applied research programs related to aluminium production and the needs of the two companies.

Additionally, the faculty chair will help to train qualified technical students by teaching courses and supervising senior projects in the department of mechanical and industrial engineering and/or chemical engineering.

The responsibilities of the faculty chair include the coordination of summer training programs and assignment of Qatar University students to Qatalum and Hydro for training. The faculty chair will also be required to provide technical consultation to the companies as well as conduct specialized workshops, short courses or seminars for their personnel.

“It is important for Hydro to establish a good relationship with local universities in order to attract and develop young talent to ensure recruitment of qualified resources for our global operations," says Jan Arve Haugan, head of the Technology and Part-owned Smelters sector in Hydro.

"Establishing the faculty chair at Qatar University will link the institution to an academic network established by Hydro in order to build competence for solving important challenges for the aluminium industry on important issues like energy saving/recovery, CO2-capturing, environmental friendly technology and operational health care,” he added.

“Our ambition is to strive for environmental integrity and operational excellence. This can only be achieved by an organization trained to utilize best available technologies and with the competence to look for continuous improvements. We see the cooperation between Qatar University, Hydro and Qatalum in this context,” states Truls Gautesen, head of the Qatalum aluminium plant now being built i Qatar.