CNA goes global for applied research opportunities
1/29/2010 1:16:51 PM
College of the North Atlantic (CNA), through its campus in the Middle East State of Qatar, is hoping to share substantial partnering opportunities with its Canadian college and university counterparts by initiating a roundtable discussion on applied research with stakeholders in Qatar.
Qatar and Canada: Creating Solutions through Applied Research Partnerships, is bringing together leading officials from local industry and educational institutions in Qatar with representatives from some of Canada’s finest research institutions and organizations. They will meet February 1 and 2 at College of the North Atlantic-Qatar (CNA-Qatar) in Doha, Qatar’s capital city, to explore ways to tap into research and funding opportunities for Canadian institutions.
“Given the combined strengths in oil and gas technologies, engineering, health and medicine, and educational innovation of Canada and Qatar, we are confident very fruitful discussions will occur,” says CNA President Jean Madill.
“These partnerships can create a vehicle through which Canadian colleges and universities will be able to access substantial funding for applied research.”
Since opening CNA-Qatar in 2002, the college has availed of research funding through the Qatar Foundation’s National Research Fund for several projects including the creation of an innovated intelligent Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) machine employing a computer vision system, the development of new aluminum alloys and advanced recycling technologies, and Green Home: Sustainable Energy Management and Home Automation.
The Qatar Foundation, chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, aims to enhance the lives of Qataris through initiatives focused on education, scientific research and community development. The foundation’s Research Division endeavors to diversify the economy and build a strong research base by building Qatar’s innovation and technology capacity.
“The Qatar National Research Fund is a catalyst for change in the country. It assesses research proposals from around the world that will advance human knowledge and benefit the State of Qatar,” states the foundation’s website.
Currently, there are 11 educational research partners in Qatar, including CNA-Qatar. By partnering with CNA, Canadian institutions will avail of the opportunities open to these 11 institutions.
“All stakeholders can expand their research capacity and benefit in many ways,” says Brian Tobin, director of Academic Programs and Institutional Research at CNA.
“We would benefit from intellectual property and the generation of patents that would come from research projects, and we would be collectively creating solutions for industry in both countries and between institutions through the exchange of expertise with these partners.”
Invited Canadian delegates include representatives from the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium, Springboard Atlantic, the University of New Brunswick, the University of Prince Edward Island, Dalhousie University, Memorial University, and Saint Mary’s University.
Next week’s roundtable will encourage dialogue between Canadian educational institutions and Qatari representatives; the two-day event will take place at CNA-Qatar and includes a tour of the campus’ state-of-the-art facility, addresses from several stakeholders and the signing of a formalized Intent to Partner Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between parties.
“We will see the signing of an MOU with a substantial Canadian delegation and highly reputable institutions and organizations that represent those in Qatar,” says President Madill.
“This agreement will open the door for historical partnerships and what will surely be unprecedented growth in research and development in Canada and Qatar over the next three years.”
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For media inquiries contact:
Tanya Alexander
Public Relations Specialist, Qatar Project
709.643.0811
Tanya.alexander@cna.nl.ca
Or
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.7938
Roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca