IASP 2014 Organising Committee Head and Qatar Science and Technology Park Managing Director Hamad Al Kuwari invites delegates to Doha for the 2014 World Conference.
Doha: Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) has been selected to host International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation’s (IASP) 31st Annual World Conference.
Having won the bid to host the conference last year, IASP 2014 Doha will be the first IASP world conference in the Arab world.
IASP 2014 Organising Committee Head and QSTP Managing Director Hamad Al Kuwari addressed delegates at the closing ceremony of this year’s IASP World Conference in Brazil.
He launched official preparations for IASP 2014 Doha and vowed to lead a robust discussion in the coming year among entrepreneurs, science parks, academia and industry on how technology works in science parks to create knowledge and commercial opportunities.
QSTP invited science parks, national development agencies, industry groups, venture capitalists and others to submit abstracts for the conference, focusing on the expanding role of science and technology parks and the future of cross-sector collaboration.
Citing Qatar’s commitment to research and development — 2.8 percent of GDP — and the visionary leadership of Qatar Foundation Research and Development, Al Kuwari expressed eagerness to share Qatar’s vision with IASP delegates and underscored the role played by science and technology parks in incubating viable, home-grown technology businesses. “Our challenge is not just to keep pace with the world’s most empowered generation of innovators, but to support and empower them further,” said Al Kuwari.
“To do this, we must be the bridge between academia and industry — the space where technology goes to work to be commercialised for the marketplace, for individuals and for organisations.”
In Arab states in particular, effective incubation of science and technology-focused enterprises is critical for creating economic opportunity and diversification into knowledge sectors. IASP 2014 Doha will be held from October 19 to 22 at the Qatar National Convention Centre.
The Peninsula
