Scientific Research

Over the last decade, Qatar has built strength in education and has owned a leading role in scientific research in the region, developing a number of world-class facilities and institutions including: the first national competitive research funding agency in the Middle East—the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF); research institutes with state-of-the-art infrastructure such as the Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI), Qatar Energy and Environment Research Institute (QEERI), Qatar Biomedical Research Institute (QBRI), and Qatar University’s research centres; multiple research hospitals, including Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medicine and Aspetar, as well as Qatar Biobank and the Qatar Genome Programme. Qatar is also home to branch campuses of several top global universities while its homegrown Qatar University is ranked among the top five in the Arab world. At the same time, Qatar provides local opportunities toward post-graduate degrees through Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s expanded offerings of master and doctoral programs.

QRDI 2030 establishes scientific research as a core element of the Qatari RDI ecosystem. Nation-wide scientific research is essential to expanding the frontiers of knowledge by contributing and building upon outputs such as publications with high field-weighted citation impact, intellectual property (IP), patents and proofs of concept. Scientific research can also can also be directed towards Qatar’s addressing national priorities, improving products and services, as well as policies and processes that can allow government to implement better public services and businesses to adapt or deploy new technology that meets market needs. A flourishing scientific research community, comprised of both local and international talent, creates the foundation for growth in Qatar’s RDI talent pool and supports Qatar’s overarching goal of becoming a knowledge-based economy. 
    
QRDI 2030 marks a pivotal opportunity for Qatar to leverage its best-in-class facilities and create the right dynamics across institutions to drive RDI efforts with the aim of significantly improving the way we live, work and interact as a society. QRDI 2030 calls for the continued development and support of scientific research which includes basic research, applied research and experimental development activities. Qatar’s national RDI strategy encourages investigator-led research projects through collaboration with government and industry, the launch of academic centres-of-excellence in RDI priority areas which provide essential research services, output and infrastructure to other national RDI actors in industry and government, and the development of government-led research labs and institutes to serve specific needs related to Qatar’s national priority areas.   

QRDI 2030 supports investigators in academic institutions to conduct scientific research that is primarily aimed at generating new knowledge and furthering scientific understanding in Qatar’s RDI priority areas. These activities will allow for generating new knowledge and technologies and educating the next generation of scientists and engineers.

QRDI 2030 establishes a dedicated investigator-led scientific research fund to provide financial support for academic research projects. 

QRDI 2030 will enable and support dedicated, national scientific research groups to pursue research opportunities within Qatar’s RDI priority areas, as well as to build research service capabilities and infrastructure that support other RDI actors in these priority areas. Research opportunities include: 

• Strategic research opportunities identified by national advisory boards mandated with establishing roadmaps, allocating resources, reviewing business plans and research agendas within the priority areas; 
• Specific research projects commissioned and funded by government ministries to address research needs within ministries
• Research services to support projects commissioned and funded by industry to address specific scientific needs within the RDI priority areas

QRDI 2030 establishes a dedicated national research fund to provide financial support for national research groups and services.