H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser with the Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and his wife Jenni Haukio at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki.Maher Attar
DOHA: Qatar’s ambitious plan to develop a knowledge-based economy has got a major boost with the visit of H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser to Finland and Norway to exchange views and expertise in research and innovation.
The Qatar Foundation, chaired by Sheikha Moza, is seeking partnership with these two countries in Research and Development (R&D) while discussions in Norway explored potential ways of cooperation in renewable energy.
At present, solar technology is a relatively new industry in Qatar, but one with enormous potential. Demand for solar applications and technologies is continuously growing and mutually beneficial agreements are encouraged with suitable partners.
“Qatar Foundation would be delighted to work alongside reputable research centres who share a common vision for solar development and integration,” said Faisal M. Alsuwaidi, President of Research and Development at Qatar Foundation, at the end of the visit.
A Qatari delegation, led by Sheikha Moza yesterday attended a high-level roundtable meeting about innovation and entrepreneurship with government officials, academics and businessmen in Helsinki.
The agenda included a comprehensive discussion of how Finland’s strategic initiatives have directly contributed to its economic and technological advancement.
The event was hosted by the Confederation of Finnish Industries, the leading business organisation in Finland, which represents the entire private sector.
Like Qatar, Finland is pursuing a knowledge-based economy through research and development (R&D).
Alsuwaidi stressed the significance of strong international cooperation and knowledge sharing with industry leaders to further enhance the R&D sector in Qatar.
“Although Qatar is gaining a strong reputation in research, the roundtable meeting gave us an opportunity to appreciate the ways in which Finland has fostered entrepreneurship, and to learn from the complex challenges it has faced in creating favourable conditions for the commercialisation of innovation,” he said.
Funding for R&D has remained consistently high in Finland. Key research projects are often undertaken as joint ventures between the public and private sectors, with roughly two-thirds of overall capital provided by the private sector. The government and local entrepreneurs are also focused on all aspects of clean technology, including renewable energy and green transportation.
Earlier on Monday, Sheikha Moza and the accompanying delegation attended a meeting at the Research Council of Norway in Oslo to explore potential avenues for collaboration in renewable energy.
Both Norway and Qatar are major producers and exporters of oil and gas, and have also heavily invested in developing alternative energy solutions.
The Council has been tasked with setting and implementing the country’s research strategy, boosting its knowledge base, and promoting applied innovation through targeted investments. It also works actively to encourage international research cooperation.
Delegates noted that Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), a member of Qatar Foundation, shares a similar mandate to the Research Council.
The participants explored possible avenues for the exchange of innovation with the Research Council and focused on ways that funding could be utilised to increase competitiveness and productivity in select industries. Following the meeting, delegates were presented with a brief overview of the relevant activities and advances related to the field of oil and gas, as well as environment-friendly energy, in Norway.
Representatives from the two countries expressed a desire to work together on research and development initiatives, with the aim of applying such technology to commercial and industrial practices. Arvid Hallén, Director General of the Research Council of Norway said: “We find that there are many common points of interest in the research, development and implementation of environment-friendly energy technologies and petroleum between Qatar and Norway. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with Qatar in the future.” The Qatari delegation visited the Norwegian Research Centre for Solar Cell Technology, where they received a demonstration of solar cell manufacturing and silicon production.
The team also included Dr Abdulla Al Kubaisi, Director of Her Highness’ Office; Dr Dirar Khoury, Acting Executive Director of the Research Division at Qatar Foundation; Dr Nabeel Al Salem, Deputy Executive Director of Qatar National Research Fund; and Hamad Al Kuwari, Managing Director of Qatar Science and Technology Park.
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