18 August 2014
MUSCAT -- The Innovation Park Muscat (IPM), an ambitious national project considered to be an addition to the region's Science and Technology Parks (STP), is expected to play a major role in transforming the country to a knowledge-based society, according to The Research Council (TRC).
The first multi-sectorial STP in the Sultanate, which is being built next to the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), will be operational by the end of 2015. The IPM will be a powerhouse of state-of-the-art research and development facility while maintaining strong links with academia, business and the industry in the country. Additionally, a plethora of international research institutes will be located at the heart of the park with meeting rooms and auditorium as part of the facility.
As a boost to the start-ups and SMEs in the country, they will be provided with a range of business support programmes while a number of attractive packages will be designed for R&D centres supported by government.
Speaking to the Observer, Osama al Lawati, marketing specialist who is all set to present his paper at the IASP (International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation), at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) in Doha from October 19 to 22, 2014, said the IPM will be a milestone in the history of the Sultanate.
"The IPM, an addition to the regional science parks and a milestone in Oman's history, will be the most ambitious science and technology development in the Sultanate. It is projected to have a strong collaboration between IPM and academic institutes like Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Sohar University (SU), University of Nizwa (UoN) and Dhofar University (DU)", said Osama.
This is touted to be TRC's major initiatives designed to nurture and develop research talent in order to power innovation and create economic benefit for Oman and help ensure national prosperity and international competitiveness. It also forms the central part of TRC's National Research Strategy which is linked to the Sultanate's development plan -- Vision 2020.
IPM will focus on four specialisations namely, energy, food & bio technology, water & environment and health science. It is projected to have phase one ready by the middle of 2015. They have been selected based on the national economic needs of Oman.
"IPM will undoubtedly help enhance the Sultanate's economic, entrepreneurial and research wealth by supporting the growth of Oman-based innovative and research-driven companies in the fields of oil recovery, renewable energy, food and biotechnology, water and environment, and health science.
Additionally, IPM will also create an aspiring environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to develop extraordinary ideas and companies", he further added. Representing the country in general and TRC in particular, Osama will be presenting a paper titled "Role of STPs as Technology development Catalyst" at the IASP 2014.
"My paper at the IASP 2014 will primarily focus on Oman's initiatives in transforming our society to a more knowledgeable population with special focus on the IPM whose physical environment has addressed the challenge of having the right balance between technology and business development by having the right mix of tenants", Osama said.
This year's IASP conference titled "Science Parks: where technology goes to work" aims at showing the development in the nature of work that should currently be adopted by science parks. A wide range of international experts on the related topics are expected to share their thoughts and launch brainstorming sessions on the same during the four-day conference and workshop.
MUSCAT -- The Innovation Park Muscat (IPM), an ambitious national project considered to be an addition to the region's Science and Technology Parks (STP), is expected to play a major role in transforming the country to a knowledge-based society, according to The Research Council (TRC).
The first multi-sectorial STP in the Sultanate, which is being built next to the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), will be operational by the end of 2015. The IPM will be a powerhouse of state-of-the-art research and development facility while maintaining strong links with academia, business and the industry in the country. Additionally, a plethora of international research institutes will be located at the heart of the park with meeting rooms and auditorium as part of the facility.
As a boost to the start-ups and SMEs in the country, they will be provided with a range of business support programmes while a number of attractive packages will be designed for R&D centres supported by government.
Speaking to the Observer, Osama al Lawati, marketing specialist who is all set to present his paper at the IASP (International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation), at the Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) in Doha from October 19 to 22, 2014, said the IPM will be a milestone in the history of the Sultanate.
"The IPM, an addition to the regional science parks and a milestone in Oman's history, will be the most ambitious science and technology development in the Sultanate. It is projected to have a strong collaboration between IPM and academic institutes like Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Sohar University (SU), University of Nizwa (UoN) and Dhofar University (DU)", said Osama.
This is touted to be TRC's major initiatives designed to nurture and develop research talent in order to power innovation and create economic benefit for Oman and help ensure national prosperity and international competitiveness. It also forms the central part of TRC's National Research Strategy which is linked to the Sultanate's development plan -- Vision 2020.
IPM will focus on four specialisations namely, energy, food & bio technology, water & environment and health science. It is projected to have phase one ready by the middle of 2015. They have been selected based on the national economic needs of Oman.
"IPM will undoubtedly help enhance the Sultanate's economic, entrepreneurial and research wealth by supporting the growth of Oman-based innovative and research-driven companies in the fields of oil recovery, renewable energy, food and biotechnology, water and environment, and health science.
Additionally, IPM will also create an aspiring environment for innovators and entrepreneurs to develop extraordinary ideas and companies", he further added. Representing the country in general and TRC in particular, Osama will be presenting a paper titled "Role of STPs as Technology development Catalyst" at the IASP 2014.
"My paper at the IASP 2014 will primarily focus on Oman's initiatives in transforming our society to a more knowledgeable population with special focus on the IPM whose physical environment has addressed the challenge of having the right balance between technology and business development by having the right mix of tenants", Osama said.
This year's IASP conference titled "Science Parks: where technology goes to work" aims at showing the development in the nature of work that should currently be adopted by science parks. A wide range of international experts on the related topics are expected to share their thoughts and launch brainstorming sessions on the same during the four-day conference and workshop.
© Oman Daily Observer 2014
