QU's new MoUs with Japanese groups to boost academic research

Qatar University (QU) has signed agreements with three Japanese organizations during the Qatar-Japan Economic Forum, the university said Sunday.
QU President Professor Sheikha Abdulla Al Misnad led a delegation from the university comprising Associate Vice President for Research Operations and Director of Social and Economic Survey Research Institute Dr. Darwish Abdulrahman Al Emadi, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Dr Eiman Mustafawi, and CAS Associate Dean for Research Dr. Mohammed Ahmedna.
The agreements with Osaka University (OU), the Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization (IDE-JETRO), and the Japan Institute for Energy Economics (IEEJ) were signed on February 20, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, Qatar Minister of Economy and Commerce HE Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani and his counterpart Japan Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Yoichi Miyazawa, OU President Dr. Toshio Hirano and Executive Vice-President Yasuyuki Okamura, IDE-JETRO President Dr. Takashi Shiraishi, and IEEJ Chairman and CEO Masakazu Toyoda.
The agreements will serve to promote university-wide joint academic, research and cultural exchanges and activities in general and CAS Gulf Studies Center (GSC) in particular, QU said.
Under the terms of the agreement signed with OU, both institutions will respectively organize summer school programmes, develop a student exchange program, establish a visiting professor scheme, and host student interns and/or research assistants.
Both parties will also organize and participate in joint academic activities, exchange academic information and materials, facilitate and promote joint research projects and publish output, and supervise graduate students.
The agreement also includes the reservation of five places annually for OU students to pursue courses at CAS' Arabic for Non-Native Speakers' Center.
The agreement with IDE-JETRO will support research at GSC and will contribute to demonstrating how economic development in the Gulf region can be achieved in the context of reliance on revenue from hydrocarbon exports.
 The CAS-IEEJ agreement will facilitate a number of joint research activities in the Gulf region which will include academic exchanges, among other areas of cooperation.
Commenting on the agreements Prof Al-Misnad said, "In partnering with OU, IDE-JETRO and IEEJ, we are bringing together students, faculty and researchers from these prestigious organizations to exchange experiences and knowledge that will add value to their academic and research goals.
"Against a background of cultural diversity, and with economic and cultural bilateral relations already well-established, these agreements will serve to further enhance the spirit of goodwill that Qatar and Japan have long shared." Dr. Hirano said, "It is truly an honor to sign an inter-university academic exchange agreement with such a prestigious institution as Qatar University. We anticipate this agreement will result in further active, meaningful cooperation between our institutions, building on the success of our Coupling Internship (CIS) programme." Dr. Hiratsuka said, "The collaboration with Qatar University is a wonderful opportunity for IDE-JETRO. The university’s Gulf Studies Center will become a wide-open window for us to get into the Middle East more deeply than ever. My research staff is excited about the conclusion of this MoU." Dr. Mustafawi said, "These partnerships add to CAS' ever-growing research portfolio and demonstrate our commitment to QU’s mission to build inter-disciplinary collaboration with organizations, nationally, regionally and internationally." GSC Director Dr. Abdullah Baabood said, "GSC has entered into various strategic arrangements and concluded a number of MoUs with leading universities and specialized research centers and think-tanks around the world. These newly-signed agreements will add another dimension to our efforts in collaborating with like-minded organizations and will add value to our respective research capabilities."