Qatar University College of Arts and Sciences (QU-CAS) inaugurated yesterday the First World Congress on Undergraduate Research 2016 (WorldCUR2016).
The event is held in collaboration with the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) - US, the British Conference of Undergraduate Research and the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research.
The three-day forum engages students from QU and numerous higher education institutions from all over the world. It has brought together undergraduate researchers, scholars and administrators to share their research outcomes and explore collaboration opportunities in the field of research.
Keynote speaker Dr Julio Rivera, Professor of Management & Marketing and Geospatial Science at Carthage College and CUR former Provost and Emeritus President, made a presentation on “The Ordinary and Extraordinary of Undergraduate Research”.
The programme agenda featured students’ thematic working seminars, specially designed to discuss the main themes highlighted at the World Congress such as climate change, environment and sustainability, global health, war and peace in the 21st century.
It also included a panel discussion delivered by Dr Adnan Mahmoud Salim Abu-Surrah (QU), Noor al-Merekhi (Qatar Foundation) and Dr Abdallah Badahdah (Doha International Family Institute). They highlighted Qatar’s national research strategy and priorities, and provided an overview on QU research international collaborations and funding opportunities.
Also on the agenda were discussions on “Research in Qatar, international collaboration and funding opportunities” and “Application of Research to Solve World Problems”, as well as poster and oral sessions.
The inaugural session was attended by QU president Dr Hassan al-Derham, CAS associate deans Prof Hala Sultan al-Essa (Research and Graduate Studies) and Dr Hassan Abdel Aziz (Academic Affairs), CAS associate professor at the Department of Social Sciences and conference chair Dr Maher Khalifa, CAS head of Social Sciences Department Dr Abdel Nasser al-Yafei, CUR executive officer Dr Elizabeth L Ambos, Professor of Shakespeare Studies and Research-Informed Teaching and director of Research at University of Central Lancashire Preston Dr Stuart Hampton  and Professor at Macquarie University Dr Angela Brew, as well as QU students and faculty.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr al-Derham said 62 QU students are participating along with 150 students from institutions around the world. “This event reflects the university’s commitment to promote high-quality research that underpins a wide range of cutting-edge inventions.”
Dr Khalifa described the event as ‘an excellent opportunity for undergraduate researchers from 11 countries and 55 prestigious universities to meet with their peers and share their research discoveries and experiences.’
“The congress is also a forum for national undergraduate research organisations and representatives of international universities to share best practices, work together to generate ideas that promote undergraduate research, and create a momentum for a sustainable undergraduate research across the world.”
Dr Ambos said: “CUR is a vibrant and fast-growing organisation that welcomes all disciplines and institutions, and that provides programmes to students, faculty and administrators. We also offer students a free online registry which allows them to post information on their academic preparation for the subscription in graduate programmes.”
CAS dean Dr Rashid al-Kuwari said: “By hosting the first World Congress on Undergraduate Research, CAS is demonstrating its strategic goal to provide its students with a stimulating environment that helps them build their academic capabilities.”