DOHA: Qatar University (QU), in collaboration with eight GCC universities, has announced the ‘GCC-wide Universities Funding Programme’.
The programme aims at fostering collaboration between GCC higher education institutions, facilitating researcher and student exchange and providing an easily, accessible platform for research training to graduate students and PhD holders.
It also aims at breaking down barriers, creating a genuine single market for GCC grant challenges, generating more research capabilities and expertise within the bloc and further enhancing regional research networking. With up to four projects expected to be funded annually, researchers from institutions in the region are encouraged to submit applications that align with GCC research priorities, including basic and applied research. Four priority areas have been outlined for the first round of collaborative proposals — Energy, Environment & Resources Sustainability; Social Change and Identity; Population, Health & Wellness; and Information and Communication Technology covering sciences, arts and humanities.
Dr Hassan Rashid Al Derham, President, QU, said, “We have taken the initiative to expand our leadership role among GCC universities as knowledge and expertise-sharing is fundamental to solving regional problems and challenges as we aspire towards a knowledge-based society. The programme seeks to build national human capital in GCC; establish and enhance research collaboration among GCC universities and institutions; foster collaboration between researchers; develop research networks; optimally utilise resources, infrastructure and expertise to the joint advantage of the region; build trust; develop relationships across institutions; learn from each other’s experiences; and help the region advance scientifically in a concerted manner to fulfil the aspiration for a knowledge-based economy. It will also provide opportunity for collaboration among outstanding researchers and research institutions in the GCC and a cross-pollination research platform to students and researchers by creating exchange opportunities. QU hosted the inaugural meeting on the initiative during which University of Nizwa; American University of Sharjah; and Sultan Qaboos University signed up. Others include King Saud University; King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Kuwait University; University of Bahrain; and DARIS Centre for Scientific Research and Technology Development.
The Peninsula
