Qatar defies crisis, invests in knowledge
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Ekrem Ekici
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mart 17, 2009 00:00
DOHA - Qatar, home to the world's third-largest natural gas reserves, is undergoing an ambitious cultural and economic evolution by unifying prosperity -- stemming from its natural resources -- with the power of knowledge.
The Qatar Science and Technology Park, or QSTP, on Sunday opened its doors, aiming to carry the country along the path of sustainable development and to transform Qatar into a "knowledge hub" for the region.
Despite hard times, the country is still investing in knowledge, relying on an in-depth epistemological approach to the "world of facts."
Establishing Doha branches of six prominent United States-based universities in the "Education City" under the patronage of the Qatar Foundation, a nonprofit royal organization founded in 1995, the country celebrated the first graduates of these colleges with a grandiose ceremony last year.
Virginia Commonwealth University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University and Northwestern University are operating today in Doha, the country’s capital.
Policy of diversification
Despite the current global crisis, Qatar’s rulers are determined to invest further. "Our primary aim is to diversify our economy into a knowledge economy," Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, secretary general of the General Secretariat for Development Planning, or GSDP, told journalists in Doha on Sunday.
"We are focusing on regulating and directing our prosperity coming from the oil and gas resources to intellectualize our country with the power of scientific knowledge," Al Ibrahim said.
The QSTP will be a platform for interaction between academics, researchers, industry partners and the branch campuses of the universities in the education city, said Qatar Foundation President Mohamed Fathy Saoud, adding that the opening of the QSTP represents an important cycle in the Qatar Foundation's master plan for the country's future.
Operating in four key areas Ğ energy, information technologies, environment and health care Ğ the QSTP aims to be a home for advanced scientific research and development studies, hosting the world's leading enterprises in each segment.
Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total in energy; Microsoft, Cisco and local Meeza in information technology; and Virgin Health Bank, Germany’s Smard and Qatar Robotic Surgery in healthcare are among the enterprises that have already launched their research and development operations in the QSTP. The Qatar Foundation and its 21 partner organizations have invested $850 million in the facility as well as in specific projects and support programs.
Despite hard times, the country is still investing in knowledge, relying on an in-depth epistemological approach to the "world of facts."
Establishing Doha branches of six prominent United States-based universities in the "Education City" under the patronage of the Qatar Foundation, a nonprofit royal organization founded in 1995, the country celebrated the first graduates of these colleges with a grandiose ceremony last year.
Virginia Commonwealth University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Texas A&M University, Carnegie Mellon University, Georgetown University and Northwestern University are operating today in Doha, the country’s capital.
Policy of diversification
Despite the current global crisis, Qatar’s rulers are determined to invest further. "Our primary aim is to diversify our economy into a knowledge economy," Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, secretary general of the General Secretariat for Development Planning, or GSDP, told journalists in Doha on Sunday.
"We are focusing on regulating and directing our prosperity coming from the oil and gas resources to intellectualize our country with the power of scientific knowledge," Al Ibrahim said.
The QSTP will be a platform for interaction between academics, researchers, industry partners and the branch campuses of the universities in the education city, said Qatar Foundation President Mohamed Fathy Saoud, adding that the opening of the QSTP represents an important cycle in the Qatar Foundation's master plan for the country's future.
Operating in four key areas Ğ energy, information technologies, environment and health care Ğ the QSTP aims to be a home for advanced scientific research and development studies, hosting the world's leading enterprises in each segment.
Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total in energy; Microsoft, Cisco and local Meeza in information technology; and Virgin Health Bank, Germany’s Smard and Qatar Robotic Surgery in healthcare are among the enterprises that have already launched their research and development operations in the QSTP. The Qatar Foundation and its 21 partner organizations have invested $850 million in the facility as well as in specific projects and support programs.