Hamad al-Kuwari (second left) and other QSTP officials at the IASP 29th World Conference in Tallinn, Estonia
Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation, has won the bid to host the 31st International Association of Science Parks (IASP) World Conference in 2014. 
The voting in this regard took place on Tuesday during the IASP 29th World Conference in Tallinn, Estonia. QSTP received as much as 70% of the IASP member votes.
The deciding factor in selecting QSTP to host the event was the integral role it plays in the wider dynamic scientific environment created by Qatar Foundation to support economic and human development in Qatar.
This significant milestone introduces Qatar as a nation on a clear path to an advanced society through science, research and education, creating an ideal setting for hosting the IASP World Conference in 2014.
This will also be the first time an IASP World Conference is held in the Middle East.
Hamad al-Kuwari, managing director of QSTP, expressed his excitement in being able to welcome distinguished colleagues from science and technology organisations from around the globe to Qatar and demonstrate how QSTP has been able to make contribution to Qatar’s journey from a carbon based to a knowledge based economy in a relatively short period of time since its inauguration in 2009.
“I wish to congratulate the QSTP team for all their hard work in the past several months. Without their enthusiasm and dedicated effort, this great moment wouldn’t be possible.”
Qatar, through QSTP, ran against the Pomeranian Science & Technology Park from Poland and JSC Technopark Sistema-Sarov from Russia.
The final phase of the bid process was held in Tallinn on Tuesday, where the three bidding nations had the final opportunity to pitch their file to the IASP General Assembly.
The QSTP candidature was backed by an innovative multimedia campaign targeted at all 388 IASP member organisations to gain their support for the candidacy.
The IASP World Conference will take place at the Qatar National Convention Centre, which is adjacently located to QSTP, Doha’s new cutting-edge green facility in 2014.
The IASP is a worldwide network of Science and Technology Parks that connects professionals from across the globe and provides a number of services to its members.
This year’s World Conference, entitled “Science and Technology Parks: Serving the Companies and the Innovation Community” brought together more than 500 delegates from 60 countries.
Experts from Science and Technology Parks, academia, public and private sectors engaged in discussions on the trends in STPs, their management and development.