Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), a member of Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R&D), has announced the winners of the 18th cycle of its Undergraduate Research Experience
Programme (UREP).
Out of 139 research proposals submitted by student teams from seven universities across Qatar, 37 were awarded grants. This latest UREP cycle will engage a total of 125 undergraduate students and 68 faculty members. Among the 37 awarded proposals, 24 went to Qatar University, eight to Texas A&M University at Qatar, two grants to Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar and one each to Weill Cornell Medicine Qatar, Ahmed Bin Mohammed Military College and University of
Calgary in Qatar.
By investing in this ‘learning-by-doing’ programme, QNRF continues to build Qatar’s innovation and technology capacity and, through Qatar Foundation’s science and research pillar, QF R&D, helps the nation develop into a global research hub.
The remaining grants awarded under the 18th UREP cycle address the various pillars of the Qatar National Research Strategy (QNRS) as follows, 18 in energy and environment, 10 in social sciences, arts and humanities, five in health, and four in computer science and information and
communication technology.
Dr Abdul Sattar al-Taie, executive director of QNRF, said: “With each cycle of UREP, QNRF continues to instil a research culture into the country and we can see how the progress of faculty-mentored undergraduates is making an impact on Qatar’s journey towards a knowledge-based economy. UREP continues to improve the quality of participating students’ education; giving them valuable practical collaborative experience, and inspiring them to continue their studies at the graduate level.”
First launched in 2006, UREP is QNRF’s longest running programme, with two cycles per year. To date, more than 2,700 students have taken part in UREP, with teams of students from universities across Qatar conducting research under the mentorship of their
professors.

Qatar to present working papers
at GCC eGovernment exhibition

The Qatar Digital Government (QDG) programme is the main topic on Qatar’s agenda during its participation in the fourth GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition in Bahrain.
The two-day event, being held under the patronage of Bahrain’s Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifah, begins tomorrow.
Led by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR), which oversees QDG application nationwide, the Qatari delegation also includes representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Economy and Commerce and Administrative Development, as well as the Supreme Education Council and Public Prosecution.
At the conference, Qatar will present two working papers featuring the benefits of government shared services and the Government Human Resources Management System, Mawared.
The first paper revolves around Qatar’s government shared services such as government cloud computing and how it reflects on government performance. By definition, integrated shared services exponentially lead to more efficiency across government sectors while keeping operational costs at a minimum.
The Mawared working paper will be presented by the Ministry of Administrative Development. Mawared is a comprehensive, integrated HR management scheme dedicated to government personnel, covering all functional areas necessary to meet the requirements of public administrations and state agencies in terms of public servant management.
A key component of QDG, Mawared is a modular solution covering core human resources, the public payroll, talent management, time and attendance management and workforce planning and analytics.
At the exhibition, a number of QDG implementers will display their experience and exchange expertise and success stories with other GCC exhibitors in the field of online services. The aim is to help further improve e-government performance in all GCC member states.
The GCC eGovernment Award, Conference and Exhibition occurs once every two years. The first three editions were held in Oman in 2009, Kuwait in 2011 and the UAE in 2013.

Spotlight on sustainable development as CSR Qatar kicks off today

The third annual CSR Qatar, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and in co-operation with Qatar Chamber, opens at Hilton Doha today with a focus on innovative approaches to corporate social responsibility that contribute to a more sustainable and socially responsible economy.
The two-day conference brings together Qatar’s top business and community leaders and academics to explore new trends and practices in CSR and discuss notable examples of community initiatives.
This year’s conference is being held under the theme “Transforming CSR to Support a Socially Responsible and Sustainable Economy in Qatar”.
Hoda Abdelhay, conference director of CSR Qatar 2015, said: “CSR Qatar 2015 aims to pave the way for decision-makers across various fields to engage in meaningful dialogue around CSR issues and drive the sustainability agenda forward.”
Following a series of pre-conference workshops and masterclass sessions, CSR Qatar 2015 will officially open today morning to set the stage for two days of keynote presentations, panel discussions and case studies.
The sessions kick off with a panel discussion titled “From CSR to Sustainability”, which will address how Qatari businesses are transforming from a short-term philanthropy mindset to a more strategic, sustainable CSR approach.
This will be followed by the opening keynote address from the Ministry of Economy and Commerce. More panel discussions will take place in the afternoon session, alongside a number of best-practice case studies.
This year’s conference marks the launch of the CSR Qatar Awards, which will be hosted today.

HEC Paris to showcase
Executive Education programmes at fair

HEC Paris will highlight its HEC Executive MBA programme and Executive Education expertise at the Access MBA Fair taking place tomorrow at La Cigale Hotel in Doha.
The Access MBA Fair offers aspiring business executives and students in Qatar the chance to meet some of the most respected business schools in the world.
At the event, HEC Paris will hold one-to-one meetings and provide insights on how the HEC Executive MBA programme can enhance their business knowledge and skills, and prepare them for strong future career growth, according to a statement.
“The HEC Paris Executive MBA is a practical and intense programme developed to provide executives with an understanding of the social, economic and environmental aspects of international business, as well as the skills needed to put their vision into action,” the statement explains.