HH Sheikha Moza signs QF-Royal Society partnership agreement

Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, and Lord Martin Rees, President of The Royal Society, signed yesterday morning a Memorandum of Partnership between Qatar Foundation and The Royal Society.

With the signing of the memorandum, Qatar Foundation becomes a leading partner in preparing the Atlas of the Islamic World Science and Innovation, a project led by the Royal Society.

Following the signing ceremony, Her Highness said, “We just signed a Memorandum of Partnership between Qatar Foundation and The Royal Society; I signed it myself to send a signal to the Arab world and the Islamic world about the importance of science. In order for us to enjoy a renaissance in this field, we need to send this message to leaders, particularly to academic leaders, and social leaders, about the importance of science.”

The Royal Society, in partnership with the Organisation of Islamic Conference, is the driving force behind this ambitious project aimed at exploring the transformations taking place in the Islamic world in the fields of sciences, scientific research, higher education and innovation. The Atlas project will study the status of 15 Islamic countries including Qatar, outlining past, present and future developments in the areas of education, sciences and technological advances.

Through this partnership, these important developments will be documented by the collaboration between the Faculty of Islamic Studies, Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) and Qatar Foundation’s Research Division.

The relationship between the Royal Society and Qatar Foundation began with Her Highness's visit in 2007 which was followed by the signing of a memorandum of understanding in the next year, resulting in Qatar Foundation becoming one of the international partners of the Royal Society.

It was also agreed that the partnership with the Royal Society be extended to encompass an invitation of the Royal Society’s fellows to participate in a series of distinguished lectures taking place at the Foundation for more than three years and which will start with the participation of Lord Martin Rees in the lecture organised by Qatar Foundation towards the end of 2010.

An initial approval was also agreed, enabling the Foundation’s Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) to host the international conference organised by the Royal Society towards the end of 2011 or the beginning of 2012 to officially launch the overview report and full findings of The Atlas of the Islamic World Science and Innovation.