THE DEVELOPMENT OF Qatar?s research vision reached a new phase with the inauguration of Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), Qatar Foundation?s research accelerator, in a memorable ceremony on March 16.
His Highness The Amir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani and Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, officially inaugurated QSTP in front of 1,200 leaders of science, business and government from Qatar and around the world.
The ceremony took place beneath the iconic roofline of QSTP?s awardwinning architecture. In his speech, His Highness the Amir said: ?As we have planned for our national vision by the year 2030, we are confident that QSTP as a component of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, will be a tributary for human development, an incubator of creativity and innovation, a safe haven for free scientific research, a magnet for national and international expertise, and a space where cultures and ethnicities integrate?.
In his welcome address,Dr. Fathy Saoud, President of Qatar Foundation, described QSTP as a vital component of Qatar Foundation?s master plan. ?Since the inception of Qatar Foundation, we have seen the building blocks of a knowledgebased society emerge at our pioneering project: Education City.
We have now begun to fulfill the second element of our mission ? science ? by creating in Qatar an entire, full-fledged research environment,? he said. Dr. Tidu Maini, Executive Chairman of QSTP, said that QSTP was delivering a ?unique approach to accelerating research, in a nation where education and healthcare are the centerpiece of a clear national strategy.? Maini said: ?QSTP is an engine that drives forward applied research and technology development in Qatar. We are creating an environment and the means to build human capital and spawn new technology-based industries; the building blocks of the government?s long-term vision to create a post-carbon economy.?
