Manama: Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D) has urged the local and international research community to address Qatar’s research challenges, ranging from water security to cyber security.
The call was issued as the Foundation announced that it would hold its scientific conference on November 24-25 in the Qatari capital Doha.
The Qatar Foundation Annual Research Conference (QF-ARC) 2013, a keystone event for research and development in Qatar, will be under the theme “Qatar’s Cross-cutting Research Grand Challenges” and follows on from a series of high-level engagements with academia, government, industry and research institutes across the country to identify the grand challenges fundamental to implementing the Qatar National Research Strategy.
“This conference builds upon nationwide efforts to advance Qatar’s ambitious research agenda,” Faisal M. Al Suwaidi, President of Research and Development at Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, said. “It provides a unique platform to activate the multidisciplinary collaboration needed to tackle the most pressing national challenges in research. We must also ensure that Qatar’s resources are being used wisely to solve real issues that affect Qatar, the region and the world,” he said in remarks e-mailed to Gulf News.
The conference brings together researchers and leaders from Qatar as well as speakers from science and research institutions worldwide, to discuss and debate latest developments, transfer knowledge, and build relationships for future collaboration. It also aims to connect the international research community with Qatar’s research grand challenges, and to advance QF R&D’s objectives towards developing and implementing solutions.
The two-day conference will engage international and local experts through a series of presentations and parallel panel discussions within each thematic pillar. Interactive debates among the experts are a new feature and highlight of the conference. They will aim at drawing out the challenges within each pillar and exchanging opinions on the best ways to move forward through research.
QF-ARC will focus on pressing research challenges, including protecting Qatar’s cyber infrastructure, water reuse and desalination, developing and deploying solar energy solutions, ensuring sustainable food supply, sustainable urbanisation, mobility and road safety, human capacity development, integrated health management systems, and supporting Arabic culture, arts, heritage, media and language.
Formerly known as the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum, the conference was launched in 2010 as a venue to support and highlight Qatar’s research capabilities and further the country’s vision to become a leading international centre for research and development excellence and innovation.
