Wednesday, 08 May 2013
DOHA: The Gulf Organization for Research and Development (Gord), a leading Qatari organisation in research and consultation, in cooperation with Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco), has launched its Bright Minds Program, supported by the Supreme Education Council.
The programme is the first of its kind in the country, as it nurtures budding talents through the organisation's excellence center, Gord Academy.
Targeting Qatari secondary school students aged 15-16 years and interested in scientific and engineering disciplines, the programme mainly aims at enhancing students' knowledge and improving their skills, while encouraging them to convert their creative thinking into innovative practical projects. This comes as part of a series of various activities conducted by Gord Academy to spread knowledge and nurture innovation, to become a path towards sustainability in all aspects.
Dr Yousef Mohammad Al Horr, Founding Chairman of Gord said: "The launch of Bright Minds Program came to reinforce Gord's efforts to support Qatar's National Vision 2030, with specific attention to the human pillar. According to latest international research, creativity depends largely on the proper environment and systematic training, and helping the young generation at such an early age provides the perfect opportunity to create a generation of innovators who will contribute to further development of the country."
Al Horr explained that it would cover various scientific and technical subjects in the fields of electronic, electric and mechanical engineering, as well as engineering sciences, where students will be asked to present a graduation project to be offered participation certificates as follows:
- Level (I) Innovation Certificate: Students will be awarded this certificate to be qualified for next advanced courses.
- CAS Certificate: A Community Service certificate will be provided for participants upon the end of the programme.
The one-year programme encompasses weekly three-hour workshops, where students will be working at Gord's research laboratory at the Qatar Science and Technology Park, with supervision and guidance by the organisation's experts, in addition to attending group workshops and other activities including lectures, field trips and laboratory visits.
The programme also seeks to advance creative thinking from an early age, such as thinking outside the box and troubleshooting problems that never existed before, with a main purpose of achieving change towards a better future. This does not only require improving the students' skills and increasing their productivity, but also includes widening their horizons to inquire, analyse and investigate discoveries in various research and scientific fields.
The project also promotes hands-on and practical experience, with students using their hands as an effective tool during the secondary grades.
Participants acquire their first practical experience through the programme when presenting their graduation project, which paves their way to the next stages of college years.
© The Peninsula 2013
