Highlighting the importance of ongoing research projects and initiatives at the Education City, H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, inaugurated the Qatar Foundation’s first Annual Research Forum, here yesterday. Addressing an audience of Nobel Laureates, experts and researchers, Sheikha Moza called for a new era of partnership and equality in research and for a democratisation of scientific research.
“We want an innovative and a creative forum, specialising in offering solutions and alternatives and building partnerships. We want our research projects to assist developing societies to access the ‘research club’ with a full membership, not just with an honorary membership or as an observer,” she said.
“Just as education should develop in the local environment instead of being imported or imposed, scientific research should be based on local knowledge requirements and on meeting the needs of society,” she said
During the forum 46 research works will be orally presented, while 96 poster presentations by a selection of researchers who have been granted funds under various research mechanisms of QF Research centers and research partners will be exhibited.
Three Qatar Research Institutes are being established in partnership with different national stakeholders. Qatar Biomedical Research institute, Qatar Computing Research Institute and Qatar Energy and Environment Research Institute will form a network of centers to address the national needs.
Speaking at the forum Dr Abdelali Haoudi, Vice President for Research, Qatar Foundation said, “Through these three institutes, Qatar Foundation’s Research Division is making progress in assessing and monitoring research at Education City, working with national and international partners to join research efforts on projects that will make a difference in shaping Qatar’s future.”
Yesterday’s plenary session was devoted to biomedical research. Speaking on the subject ‘Current trends and challenges in bio medical research, Dr Elias Zerhouni, Former Director, US National Institute of Health, explained, inflectional diseases are no longer challenging the world population but coronial diseases have increased dues to increasing elderly population, depression, allergy and obesity.
Research excellence awards will be presented today for Best Biomedical Research of The Year, Best Energy and Environment Research of The Year, Best Computing Research of The Year and Best Humanities, Social Science and Islamic Studies of the Year as well as for best student researches.
http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/135527-democratise-research-sheikha-moza.html
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