QF staff taking part in various activities during the I AM QF event. Pic: Baher Amin/The Peninsula
In a quest to make Qatar a leading hub for learning, research, innovation and by keeping tradition and heritage, Qatar Foundation (QF) has built several pioneering initiatives that are triggering transformative change across the nation, the region, and the world at large.
This was reflected during different sessions of talks by experts during the QF Talks held as part of ‘I AM QF’ celebrations held at the Qatar National Convention Centre, yesterday.
‘How R&D can create a lasting legacy for Qatar’ was discussed by Dr Richard O’Kennedy, Vice President for Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) at QF.
He highlighted on the importance of focusing on important areas creating the right mindset for R&D.
“Biggest challenge is that Qatar is an oil and gas economy. We need to build on our successes and ensure that we are world leaders in maintaining focus, building our future and expertise around priorities. We need to create a flexible and supportive environment. It is important to bring all RDI actors, agencies and the government together,” he said.
He said that QFRDI’s focus is on policy building, strategy, planning, industry development, IP and commercialization and partnerships.
“I’m a Liverpool fan and they’re going to win the Premier League and RDI is going to be the Liverpool for Qatar,” said Dr O’Kennedy.
Nur Alah Abdelzayed Valdeolmillos, a senior architect at QF’s capital projects directorate, in a talk on ‘Exploring the heritage sites at Education City,’ emphasised that QF is dedicated to protecting Qatari heritage and enriching cultural life in the country.
“QF is working to foster a progressive society, to enhance Qatar’s cultural life and protect its heritage, and to address immediate social needs, both in-country and abroad,” said Nur.
The discussion on ‘TBZ – bringing one of Qatar’s oldest schools to QF’ shed light on how Tariq Bin Ziad School in Doha, under the umbrella of QF’s Pre-University Education (PUE) catering to developing students as global citizens while preserving the local identity.
The school has evolved from a local curriculum to an International Baccalaureate curriculum, which is a dual language immersive program.
Maha Al Romaihi, Director, Tariq Bin Ziad School and her colleague Dalal Ahmed discussed how the system at school strives to achieve a balance between traditions and an international curriculum.
“Some of the skills that Tariq Bin Ziad wants to instill to its student is developing positive thinking, increasing cultural literacy, cognitive development, creative thinking and being better problem solvers. These skills will help these students in the future be more compatible in the job market, as they are desired,” they said.
Tariq Bin Ziad is a sustainable school, it raises the concept of sustainability and its part of the eco schools which falls under Qatar Green Building Council and QF.
Building on that concept, the schools runs itself from the revenue it has, there are staff members who have more than one role in one position such as (PR and administration). It is a no paper school and its all electronic.
