The Society of Engineers in the UAE, SOE–UAE, will host the ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress, the world's leading tunnelling event, bringing together tunnel and underground space experts and professionals from all around the world, at the Dubai World Trade Centre from 21st to 26th April, 2018.

The World Tunnel Congress will be held under the theme "The Role of Underground Space in Future Sustainable Cities."

The SOE–UAE is preparing to host this event, which will be held for the first time in the Middle East, with a number of mega-tunnel projects, which had become a witness to the renaissance and development in the fledgling emirates. They will review some of these projects to get to know them closely.

The construction of tunnels and underground structures is growing worldwide. The global yearly market is over US$100 bn.

However, with planned growth of urban population worldwide expected to reach 80 percent, it is necessary to double the urban infrastructure within the next three decades and notably many of them being built underground.

The representatives of owners, financing institutions, engineering companies and contractors will share with the audience the good examples of contractual practices for the challenges ahead.

Moe than 2,000 engineers and professionals will exchange the latest trends and innovations, learn from case studies, and discuss how tunnels will support future sustainable cities.

Topics will include multi-utility tunnels the ultimate solution; the right tunnelling construction method for the right application; review of current tunnel design methods for mined tunnelling methods; innovation in tunnelling technologies; smart city how can underground space contribute, and life safety for underground structures.