DOHA: Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development renewed intention to continue its relentless pursuit to support of the development process in the State of Qatar through the launch of human potentials.
Expressing confidence in the ability of the Qatari citizens to attain the finest levels in science and work.
Marking Qatar's National Day, Qatar Foundation issued a statement to shed light on its scientific achievements during the past year.
The Foundation said that since its establishment in 1995 at the initiative of HH the Father Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.
It has been working under the leadership of HH the Chairperson of Qatar Foundation Sheikha Moza bint Nasser to support the development process in the State of Qatar, with an aim to transform of its carbon-based economy into a knowledge-based economy, through the launch of human potentials, to serve the State of Qatar, and the whole world.
Qatar Foundation underlined its commitment to achieve its overall strategic mission for education, research, science and community development.
Through the establishment of an education sector that attracts the finest universities in the world to the State of Qatar, in order to enable young people to acquire the skills and behaviors necessary for the a knowledge-based economy.
The Foundation also highlighted its commitment to support innovation and technology, to create a developed society, promote cultural life, preserve heritage; and meet the immediate needs of the community.
In May 2013, Qatar Foundation celebrated the graduation of 437 students of different nationalities.
The new graduates supplied the local labor market with 35 doctors and 115 engineers, among them was the Palestinian Iqbal Assaad, who is one of the youngest doctors in the world, began her college aged 13 years, and ended her study in the Weill Cornell in Qatar at the age of 19 years.
In September 2013, HH Sheikha Moza inaugurated the University College London (ULC), the first ever campus to be set up in the Education City by a UK university.
In October, HH Sheikha Moza opened the 5th edition of the World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE).
Held this year under the theme "Reinventing Education for Life" with participation of more than 1,200 prominent education, corporate, political and social leaders from over 100 countries.
Also in October, Qatar Foundation launched its first ever PhD program, entitled "Qatar Foundation Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Energy Sciences" (QF IDPES).
This competitive doctoral program is a collaboration between Qatar Foundation Research and Development and Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), the first university to join the program, and will provide its graduates with an excellent starting platform for a successful career in the field of energy sciences.
Qatar Foundation was keen to cooperate with local authorities and councils in the State to disseminate experience and interest in the community.
Therefore, Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D) a number of workshops, including a workshop titled "Scientific Research and Skills and Engineering Design".
High school teachers and scientific specialists attended the event, which was hosted by trainers from the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), a competition for school students to showcase research projects.
It also held training courses to enhance the knowledge of the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Aimed to provide scientific materials with a new test manner that contains a lot of fun and interest to the students with the participation of more than 90 teachers from 50 elementary and preparatory schools.
In the field of scientific researches, Qatar Foundation sponsored several promising scientific research programs.
In January 2013, fine detail about the wind and wave conditions around the coast of Qatar has been recorded for the first time.
By arranging the most sophisticated equipment available on the edge of a 500-meter pier extending into the Gulf.
A research team at Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) has collected detailed readings of air and wave currents around the peninsula.
Their findings highlight a dearth of information on coastal conditions that have the potential to offer vital insights into many sectors.
In June, scientists at Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, in collaboration with researchers at Imperial College London, made a potentially significant breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes.
The team has discovered a new way to instruct isolated stem cells in a laboratory setting to secrete insulin when it is needed to maintain the correct sugar level in the body’s circulation.
Qatar Foundation Research and Development also held "Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum", this year titled ‘Qatar’s Cross-Cutting Research Grand Challenges’.
The forum 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.
Qatar Foundation signed several partnership agreements in 2013.
Including a Memorandum of Understanding with the British Cultural Council and the British government to develop areas of collaboration in science, technology and education; and promote the Arabic language, culture and civilization. (QNA)
