Doha, Qatar: Oman is set to deepen its research collaborations with Qatari institutions, as said by Dr. Sulaiman Al Sabei, Assistant Dean of the Deanship of Research at Sultan Qaboos University.
The announcement coincided with Oman being the guest of honour at the recently concluded 33rd Doha International Book Fair.
Dr. Al Sabei highlighted the potential for increased collaboration in academic and literary fields. “If you visit the exhibition, you’ll notice numerous books on Oman’s history authored by non-Omanis, including scholars from Bahrain and other Gulf countries,” he said. “This opens opportunities for partnerships. At Sultan Qaboos University, we welcome international researchers and collaborations from various countries, especially Qatar, to contribute to book writing across different sectors,” he told The Peninsula.
Regarding the collaboration with Qatar National Library, Dr. Al Sabei detailed several joint initiatives. “We have special collaborations with Qatar at various stages, including the international co-funding programme. This programme supports researchers from both University of Qatar and Sultan Qaboos University to work on joint projects, resulting in publications in scientific journals and books presented at exhibitions,” he explained.
Additionally, Oman and Qatar have been organising seminars and workshops to increase academic exchange. “Last year, we co-hosted a conference on research and management in Muscat, in collaboration with Qatar. These events facilitate joint research and publication efforts, leading to the production of books displayed in both Oman and Qatar libraries,” Dr. Al Sabei noted.
Discussing the unique characteristics of Omani books, Dr. Al Sabei emphasised their diversity and openness. “If you read our books, you will find, and you can sense the diversity, you can sense also the openness to different cultures, for example you don’t select any book, you will find the opinion of the writer and also you will find the perspective from the international.
“The second one is most of the books that are presented go through rigorous process of peer review. So we have internal committees at institutional level and then goes for the external for review as well, just to make sure the presented material is very scientific and valid.”
The Doha International Book Fair this year had the theme “Knowledge Builds Civilizations,” and was held at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center. The DIBF was successful in drawing well-known figures, such as authors and philosophers, who appeared on stage at 47 different events, such as symposiums, and talk sessions.
In addition, 234 activities were held at the Cultural Salon, including debates, seminars, and the introduction of hundreds of new books, either at the said salon or at the locations of publishing houses.
