The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF, the sovereign wealth fund of the Russian Federation) and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) have announced a strategic partnership to support the development of the International STEM Research Center established by Skoltech and Nanjing University (China) in 2024. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF).

The STEM Center was created to advance interdisciplinary research in key areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, while also contributing to talent development and the formation of international research teams.

As part of the forum, one of the leading academic institutions in the Middle East — the University of Sharjah (UAE) — joined the STEM consortium. The university is recognized for its strong academic credentials and applied research capabilities.

RDIF, Skoltech, and their international partners will collaborate on joint academic programs, research initiatives, and education projects. Particular emphasis will be placed on advancing cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital healthcare, and engineering technologies.

Additionally, the University of Sharjah confirmed its accession to the BRICS+AI Alliance — an international platform launched by RDIF in 2024 to unite leading scientific and industrial expertise from BRICS countries in the field of artificial intelligence.

A key focus of the collaboration will be the development and commercialization of a joint AI-powered early disease detection system, co-patented by Skoltech and the University of Sharjah. The project has been initiated in a collaborative BIMAI Lab, established by both universities in 2023 to pursue research into biomedically informed artificial intelligence.