Under the theme of “University of the Future: Re-Imagining Research and Higher Education”, Qatar University hosted The Qatar University Annual Research Forum and Exhibition (QUARFE) 2020 on October 27 and was organized by Office of Research and Graduate Studies at QU.

QUARFE creates a platform for students, researchers and academics from the University’s colleges, centres, and institutes, including partners and stakeholders, to assess and review the institution’s research enterprise.

To meet health and safety requirements in the context of COVID-19, the forum activities were launched remotely through the electronic platform WebEx, with the participation of many QU employees and others.

This year’s event focused on the “University of the Future”, a university playing its role in sustainable development, despite the current regional and international challenges. The event exhibited new tools or reports on implementing new programs, collaborations, innovations, and other relevant projects that take bearing from the Qatar University (QU) Research Roadmap 2018-2022, Qatar National Research Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030. Moreover, over 300 research from various fields in collaboration with local and global partners have been presented this year.

Dr Hassan Rashid Al-Derham, Qatar University’s President

Opened by Dr Hassan Rashid Al-Derham, Qatar University’s President, the research forum promoted the exchange of opinions and ideas by participants and researchers on the prospects of the upcoming transformations and future innovations from universities, with emphasis on the urgent need of developing global cooperation in the field of research, in order to be able to achieve a successful transformation and effectively address the expected and growing needs of society.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, HE Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, explained the importance holding the Forum and shedding light on the great and rapid changes in the world, which necessitate the need to adopt innovative programs and policies to keep pace with these transformations. To strengthen the role of universities to face future challenges, including the importance of global communication and strengthening the dialogue of different civilizations to achieve human progress, enabling researchers to interact with global issues.

HE Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh Al Nuaimi, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education

Moreover, Dr Al-Nuaimi stressed on the importance of the forum which strengthens efforts to build a society and acknowledge economy in light of the rational policy of HH the Emir of the country, which provided all the inputs at the academic level, and according to which Qatar has become an oasis of knowledge and an incubator of the largest leading research and academic institutions in the world to play its role in producing knowledge, indigenizing it, and employing its data in sustainable development in its economic, social, environmental and cultural dimensions.

According to Prof. Mariaam Al-Maasees, Vice President for Reasexh and Postgraduate Studies, “Excellence in research and education is one of the most important objectives of Qatar University’s vision and mission and its new strategic plan to move from Reform is transforming, and the research and graduate studies sector at the university has sought to establish a research base capable of conducting high-level intermediate research, centred on national priorities in the fields of energy, environment, health, technology, human and social sciences, and has made a big positive difference in the field of innovative research.”

Dr Al-Maadeed touched on the new research achievements attained between the successful 2019 exhibition and the forum for this year. Furthermore, she highlighted the protection of intellectual property, academic freedom, and patents, and the continuation of Qatar University in ensuring the sustainability and diversification of resources and funding through new internal and external grants promising rentier projects that enhance cooperation with industry and society.

The virtual event witnessed the participation and attendance of several universities from around the world and concluded with award prizes for the distinguished researchers who have exerted research efforts and achieved achievements that Qatar University is proud of.

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