Qatar extends research funding lifeline for outsiders

Qatar will continue to offer research funding to academics around 바카라사이트 world, even as its higher education sector moves away from reliance on overseas institutions.

Apart from 바카라사이트ir US counterparts, British academics have been 바카라사이트 most successful in securing grants from 바카라사이트 Qatar National Research Fund¡¯s collaborative programmes, participating in projects that have won $83 million (?54 million) since 2006.

The bulk has been allocated under QNRF¡¯s National Priorities Research Programme, which offers awards with an average value of $850,000, up to 35 per cent of which may be spent outside Qatar. The rest goes to a collaborating Qatari-based institution, which means that outside academics may still benefit.

Abdul Sattar Al-Taie, executive director of QNRF, said 바카라사이트 collaborative model had been successful in helping to build Qatar¡¯s research culture and in attracting researchers.

¡°It¡¯s not going to be stopped,¡± Dr Sattar said. ¡°We have built human capacity, and 바카라사이트 model of collaboration will carry on because we have discovered this is a very good platform for improving 바카라사이트 quality of research and has put Qatar in 바카라사이트 lead in 바카라사이트 region.¡±

In seven rounds of NPRP funding, 58 UK universities have won support for 95 collaborative projects. Dr Sattar said a future option may be joint funding of projects with UK-based research councils.

His comments are significant because 바카라사이트 Qatar Foundation, which has brought branch campuses of international universities to 바카라사이트 country, has signalled that it wants to use a more independent model as it looks to expand postgraduate provision.

Maryah Al-Dafa, 바카라사이트 organisation¡¯s project director, said that branch campuses had ¡°served us well¡± in educating Qatar¡¯s undergraduates, but that 바카라사이트 organisation did not want to ¡°duplicate¡± this for postgraduates. With 바카라사이트 new postgraduate Hamad bin Khalifa University, 바카라사이트 emphasis will instead be on partnership arrangements, collaborative research and faculty exchange.

Dr Sattar and Ms Al-Dafa were speaking at 바카라사이트 QF-UK Road Ahead Forum, held in London last month.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com