The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), one of the most prestigious research universities in the Middle East, and Fincantieri, one of the leading shipbuilding complexes in the world, through their Foundation (Fincantieri Foundation), have jointly decided to establish a scholarship dedicated to supporting young researchers in the fields of maritime security, cyber-resilience, and new technologies applied to navigation.
This initiative follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding last January and reflects the shared commitment of both organizations to promote excellence in training and technology transfer, in line with Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision. The scholarship will allow talented young researchers to develop innovative solutions to combat new navigation threats, such as recent cases of AIS and GPS spoofing, which can alter the position of ships and compromise the security of maritime routes.
The program will focus on three strategic areas: advanced AIS signal authentication to prevent manipulations; opportunistic detection of GPS spoofing through intelligent analysis of satellite data; and star-based position verification, enhanced by machine learning algorithms.
The goal is to develop an operational software platform that can be integrated into on-board digital systems, strengthening collaboration between university and industry and contributing to the growth of the Fincantieri Digital Ecosystem (FDE).
Source: Fincantieri
Photo credit: @King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST)
