GCC region attractive for ‘S&T-based businesses’

The Qatar Science and Technology Park (right) is gearing up for the IASP’s 31st Annual World Conference to be held from October 19 to 22 at the QNCC, says al-Kuwari.

By Peter Alagos/Business Reporter

The strong emphasis placed by most countries in the GCC region on science and technology (S&T) has made the Gulf area an attractive venue for S&T-based businesses, an official of the Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) said.

“The whole GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) region is booming when it comes to science and technology and it has placed emphasis on this by dedicating resources into S&T. So, this is an attractive area not just for conventional business, but rather S&T-based businesses,” QSTP managing director Hamad al-Kuwari said.

Al-Kuwari spoke to Gulf Times on QSTP’s preparations for the upcoming 31st Annual World Conference of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) to be held from October 19 to 22 at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).

He noted that the hosting of this year’s IASP world conference would be the first of its kind to be held in an Arab country after Qatar won the bid in 2012.

“When Qatar Science and Technology Park won the bid last year, we saw it as an opportunity to further the global discussion about how we support great thinkers in our communities. This certainly adds to Qatar’s portfolio of hosting world-class, high-quality content events.” al-Kuwari explained.

Al-Kuwari also noted that aside from the abstracts submitted by QSTP tenants, there is a strong interest from several countries in the Arab region. By far, the IASP steering committee has already received 138 abstracts, of which 33 will be presented during the four-day event.

“The interest from the Arab region was impressive given the fact that the concept of science parks is new to the entire region. People are very interested and supportive and they all want to participate [in the conference],” al-Kuwari said, adding that Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait were on the top list countries that have submitted abstracts to QSTP.

Over the last four years, al-Kuwari said this was the highest participation for an IASP annual world conference in terms of numbers of submitted abstracts.

Al-Kuwari said this year’s conference agenda is founded on three basic themes: the role of S&T parks as technology development catalyst, future models of collaboration among sectors, and the role that S&T parks can or should play, and S&T parks and their resident companies.

He explained that the first theme will specifically revolve around the role of the Arab world as a catalyst for economic change, while the second theme will delve on how to bridge the gap between academia and the industry sector, and the last topic will expound on S&T park tenants.

Al-Kuwari further explained that the conference will also illustrate the importance of science parks and what they can do, the various models for science parks, and how a science park can become self-sustaining, among others.

“The IASP conference will delve on how science parks can provide the right environment and how to provide the right programmes both for companies and science park tenants. It will also discuss the measures science parks can provide to support innovators and how to support the creative minds of the youth,” al-Kuwari added.