QRDI Council environment contributes to scientific research and innovation community: official

Qatar Research Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council secretary-general engineer Omar Ali al-Ansari has affirmed that the QRDI Council's mission lies in providing a fertile intellectual environment for the scientific research and innovation community in Qatar.
He said in an interview with the Qatar News Agency (QNA) that the Council endeavors to provide new opportunities for co-operation with the relevant authorities from various countries of the world, with the aim of exchanging information and expertise and promoting scientific and technological progress.
Al-Ansari said that the QRDI Council has adopted a unified national strategy for innovation and scientific research, to maximise the impact of the research and innovation sector on the future of the national economy.
He noted that the Council has launched the Qatar Strategy for Research, Development and Innovation 2030, which consists of seven strategic transformation axes.
The official stressed that the Council plays a key role in encouraging innovation by supporting the business sector to be more competitive, localising research, development and innovation activities for international companies, and transforming Qatar into a prestigious regional innovation center.
He added that the Council is about to launch a new initiative to support innovation in the private sector, as part of the third national development strategy.
Under this would be new platforms and programmes to explore innovation opportunities in a limited range of major national companies and some government agencies.
Al-Ansari said that the QRDI Council is currently studying projects submitted by companies based on technology development.
These projects relate to opportunities to expand and localise innovation centres for international companies in order to develop, adapt and test new technology in Qatar.
The official said that this development would create a unique market in the region, targeting early adoption of the technology developed in Qatar, and expanding the creation of new economic activities related to innovation in the business sector.
Al-Ansari indicated that the QRDI Portal is a source for all records of innovation and scientific research projects in the country.
According to the latest statistics in the first quarter of the year 2023, the portal contains 2,863 projects, 11,869 research publications, 266 new facilities, 4,273 research devices, and 268 research services.
The portal also connects more than 51 government entities, companies, universities, institutes, research laboratories, and others.
Al-Ansari added that the QRDI Council has launched a number of initiatives within the framework of innovation programmes, among them the Qatar Open Innovation (QOI) programme, which aims to support large companies and government institutions to find innovative solutions provided by a group of local and international innovators.
He said that the QOI programme has received, since its launch, more than 400 submissions from innovators across Qatar and the world.
Al-Ansari also cited the Product Development Management Programme, which is being implemented in co-operation with the Qatar Development Bank, and has attracted 25 participants from 11 small and medium local companies.
He also mentioned the Government Innovation Leadership Programme, which has seen the participation of 30 senior government employees (directors and heads of departments) from 10 ministries.