QNA
Doha
Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) reviewed new programmes to stimulate innovation based on technology development, in accordance with the Qatar National Vision 2030.
The Council meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs HE Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al Attiyah, chairman of QRDI, and in the presence of the members of the Council Minister of Public Health HE Dr Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, Minister of Commerce and Industry HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Qassim Al Thani, Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, Minister of Environment and Climate Change HE Sheikh Dr Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani, CEO of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) Mansour Ibrahim Al Mahmoud, President of Qatar University Dr Hassan Rashid Al Derham and Secretary-General of the Council Engineer Omar Ali Al Ansari.
Dr Attiyah inaugurated the meeting by welcoming the newly joined members of the Council and praised the distinguished efforts of Vice-Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation (QF) HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, and vice-president of the Council, regarding the development of the national operating model that supports innovation and the implementation of Qatar’s strategy for research, development and innovation, as it is one of the important pillars of Qatar’s future economy based on innovation and knowledge.
Dr Attiyah also thanked the members of the Council for their constructive cooperation and effective participation in implementing and supporting the programmes and initiatives approved by the Council within the framework of the first phase 2022-2024 of the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Strategy 2030 implementation plan.
During the meeting, the Council discussed the progress made in implementing the 2022 Business Plan, and Secretary-General of the Council Engineer Ansari gave a visual presentation in which he addressed the new package of programmes to stimulate innovation based on technology development in Qatar, which was started to be implemented through the launch of a programme Qatar Open Innovation, in which technology development companies compete locally and globally to devise technological solutions to the opportunities available in national institutions represented by major companies and government agencies.
Qatar Open Innovation Programme, in its first edition for 2022, presented broad prospects for a group of national institutions towards benefiting from the early adoption of innovative technology on the land of Qatar in order to develop their operational efficiency and enhance their competitiveness regionally and globally.
The council also reviewed the innovation opportunities that were announced, the beneficiaries, the most important local and international technology development companies, and the future steps for joint cooperation projects ready for implementation.
The Council discussed the importance of stimulating the building of a promising market for opportunities for early adoption of the developed technology in Qatar, in a manner that enhances the demand for innovation and scientific research system in Qatar, and stimulates the participation of local companies based on research and experimental development, as well as support for startups incubated by local universities.
The Council also discussed the process of developing scientific research support programmes, which aimed to enhance the link between ministries and government agencies and their benefit from scientific research outputs in developing policies and working methods.
Academic research programs directed towards supporting research excellence in order to create and develop knowledge, enhance scientific concepts, and develop academic research talent and competencies were also reviewed.
The Council also reviewed the launch of a package of capacity-building programmes in the national system for innovation and scientific research, which included the Qatar Innovation Leaders Programme, which aims to build and employ innovation management competencies for the growth and increase competitiveness of major national companies.
The Council also discussed the readiness to issue the annual national performance report for innovation and scientific research, which will include the publication of a performance indicator dashboard at the national level with the aim of promoting strategic directions towards building an economy based on innovation and knowledge.
The Council approved a business plan for the year 2023, which aims to expand innovation and scientific research programmes for the stage 2022-2024, in addition to developing an operating model that supports innovation in Qatar.