QRDI portal to promote connections across innovation community

Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council on Tuesday launched QRDI portal, an online, national platform that will facilitate strategic connections and collaborations across the innovation and research community making it easier for entities and experts to connect, develop partnerships and unlock various benefits from greater collaboration.

QRDI portal enables access to innovation-related resources and capabilities across Qatar, allowing key strategic connections to form across government, academia, research institutions and the private-sector. In this first phase, QRDI portal pools sophisticated facilities, equipment, and high-tech services found across Qatar’s leading institutions including universities, hospitals, labs, and workshops. Over the next five years, QRDI portal will see continued development to include additional functions, such as match-making, funding opportunities, and expert profiles. “As we emerge from the pandemic, innovation will be even more critical for Qatar’s economic growth,” explained Omar al-Ansari, secretary general of QRDI Council. “QRDI portal will easily connect experts and innovators from academia, industry, and government to provide opportunities to collaborate through innovation and R&D projects that both address challenges and stimulate commercial opportunities. This unique platform will provide an efficient way to navigate resources, technology, and innovation capabilities that exist across the Qatari ecosystem, leveraging years of investment committed by Qatar in building its assets in world-class infrastructure.” QRDI portal already features several entities across various sectors in its database spanning diverse disciplines, including health, engineering, design, and more, ready for collaboration. The entities are: Qatar University; Hamad Bin Khalifa University; Texas A&M University at Qatar; VCU School of the Arts in Qatar; Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar; Sidra Medicine; Equine Veterinary Medical Centre; Qatar Biobank; Anti Doping Lab Qatar; Hamad Medical Corporation; Qatar Scientific Club; Ministry of Municipality and Environment; Qatar General Organisation for Standardisation; The Interim Translational Research Institute; ConocoPhilips and TotalEnergies. Together, they list more than 2,000 pieces of equipment, 180 facilities and 200 services. These listings are expected to expand, as more entities within the innovation and research community provide their data.With a tagline to “Connect, Collaborate, Create,” QRDI portal emphasises an opportunity to foster connections and drive insight across the innovation and research community. Students or professionals, in Qatar and beyond, can tap into the infrastructure found on the portal to launch or fulfill studies, simultaneously partnering with others if needed. Multinationals or innovative start-ups can choose to locate their research and development (R&D) activities in Qatar due to the presence of such infrastructure. Businesses large and small can also collaborate with the technical experts and staff that manage these resources, leveraging world class equipment and services to pilot and test emerging technologies. In this way, QRDI portal enables multi-directional touchpoints and collaborations across government entities, academic institutions, and the private-sector. For entities that are enrolled, QRDI portal offers an opportunity to showcase their facilities, equipment and services to a wider audience. This can support future investment decisions and highlight the benefit of Qatar’s many years of investment in its innovation and research infrastructure. QRDI portal responds to the Second National Development Strategy which calls for the creation of a shared platform and mechanisms to optimise synergies and the use of resources across Qatar’s research entities. It also reflects the implementation of the national RDI strategy, QRDI 2030, developed by the Council. The 10-year strategy establishes RDI Information Systems as one of seven elements needed to transform the RDI ecosystem in Qatar, where open data and information are key.