Doha, Qatar -- December 13, 2010 -- A major reflection of Qatar's investment in and commitment to research took concrete form today when QScience.com, the digital publishing portal for research journals, was launched at the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum 2010. Developed by Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals (BQFJ), the scholarly publishing partnership between Qatar Foundation and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, QScience.com publishes peer-reviewed research papers using open access which makes the material freely available to all.

QScience.com initially hosts six scholarly journals covering the subject areas Cardiology, Information & Librarian Studies, Engineering, Education, Healthcare and Islamic Studies:
Aswan Heart Centre Science and Practice Series
Perspectives in International Librarianship
Sustainable Technologies Systems and Policies
Near and Middle Eastern Journal of Research in Education
Avicenna
Contemporary Islamic Studies

Other journals will be added in 2011. QScience.com's advanced technology makes research findings readily accessible and searchable using multimedia functionalities to support text, data, audio and video formats. It is also the first scholarly research platform to make journal abstracts available in both English and Arabic.

In an inspiring address to the 600 delegates attending the Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum, acclaimed space pioneer Buzz Aldrin emphasized the importance of worldwide knowledge dissemination through innovative publishing strategies and models.

The launch of QScience.com is a major milestone in Qatar Foundation's and BQFJ's mission to reflect the burgeoning research environment of Qatar to the wider world through a state-of-the-art publishing enterprise. President of Qatar Foundation, Dr. Fathy Saoud said today:  "QScience.com provides a high-quality publishing environment for researchers and scholars worldwide. It is part of Qatar Foundation's commitment to fostering top-quality research and attracting researchers of the best caliber in order to establish a knowledge-based society. " Arend Küster, Managing Director of BQFJ, said: "QScience.com adds invaluable momentum to our efforts to establish a leading research publishing program. It also supports Qatar Foundation's ongoing commitment to bring research from the region to the widest possible international audience and thus connect the global scientific community to one of the fastest growing research and development centers in the world."

Qatar Foundation - Unlocking Human Potential Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development is a private, non-profit organization that is supporting Qatar on its journey from carbon economy to knowledge economy by unlocking human potential for the benefit of not only Qatar, but the world. Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Amir of Qatar, QF is chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned.
 
QF carries out its mission through three strategic pillars: education, science and research, and community development.  QF's education pillar brings world-class universities to Qatar to help create an education sector in which young people can develop the attitudes and skills required for a knowledge economy.  Meanwhile, its science and research pillar builds Qatar's innovation and technology capacity by developing and commercialising solutions through key sciences.  Finally, its community development pillar helps foster a progressive society while also enhancing cultural life, protecting Qatar's heritage and addressing immediate social needs in the community.

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About Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals (BQFJ)
Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals (BQFJ), founded in 2009 as a unique collaboration between Qatar Foundation and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, focuses on fostering scholarly and research communication. BQFJ publishes a range of peer reviewed, high-quality, open access journals, databases and repositories which adhere to the highest scholarly publishing standards.
www.QScience.com  

About Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc is one of the world's leading independent publishers. BQFJ is its second partnership with Qatar Foundation, the first Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Publishing whose book publishing program was launched in April 2010 at a reception hosted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle which was attended by HH Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation.
www.bloomsbury.com  


For more information, please contact:
Arend Küster
Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation Journals (BQFJ)
Tel: +974 4454 2431
Fax:  +974 4454 2438
akuster@qf.org.qa  
www.QScience.com  

Riham M. El-Houshi
Qatar Foundation
Tel: +974 444 0967
Fax:  +974 44541047
relhoushi@qf.org.qa  
www.qf.org.qa  

© Press Release 2010