A delegation led by Sweden’s Minister for Higher Education and Research Helene Hellmark Knutsson arrived in Doha yesterday on a state visit.
She is accompanied by 21 high-level representatives from top-ranked Swedish universities such as the Karolinska Institute, the Lund University, the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), and the Chalmers University, as well as presidents of several Swedish national agencies for higher education and research.
In a press statement, Sweden’s Ambassador to Qatar Ewa Polano said the two-day visit aims to promote, encourage and develop direct co-operation between governmental agencies, institutes, and universities in Qatar and Sweden in the fields of higher education and research.
“This is one of the most important official visits from Sweden to Qatar during this year,” the Swedish ambassador stressed. “The timing is excellent because there is a big interest in Qatar at the moment to create partnerships with countries like Sweden.”
Polano said that the key message from Minister Knutsson and the Swedish government during the visit would be: “Could Sweden be a role model for Qatar in the ongoing paradigm shift in the country away from oil and gas towards a knowledge-based society, where innovation and entrepreneurship are key factors to a continued prosperous future in Qatar?”
According to the envoy, Sweden is highly ranked in global indexes on research and development, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Polano noted that the World Economic Forum also ranks Sweden at number one in the field of “Creative Economy”.
“These are highly relevant topics for both our countries, and I look forward to fruitful bilateral discussion during the visit of Minister Hellmark Knutsson to Doha,” the ambassador said.
The Swedish minister will be meeting Qatar University president Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham and Minister of Education and Higher Education HE Dr Mohammed Abdul Wahed Ali al-Hammadi today.
Knutsson will also meet with various officials at the Qatar Foundation (QF), the Qatar National Research Fund and universities in the country.
She is also expected to attend the inauguration of “The House of Sweden” exhibition at Hamad Bin Khalifa Student Centre.
The Swedish delegation will also take part in a brainstorming discussion with key representatives from the Qatar government, QF, universities, and the private sector at Katara – the Cultural Village, on “Innovation Entrepreneurship” and “How to Create Strategic Partnerships”.