Makkah's Umm Al-Qura University claims it has launched the first innovation incubator for geographical information systems with the objective of encouraging patents and technological innovations from both university students and teachers.
University president Bakri Assas opened the ambitious project at a ceremony held in the university campus on Sunday.
Several prominent figures, including Nabeel Koshak, undersecretary for business & knowledge innovation at the university, Osama Al-Amri, dean of the Haj and Umrah Research Institute, Khaled Al-Matrafi, director of business & knowledge innovation, and other university officials attended the function, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The university's Business & Knowledge Innovation Agency set up the incubator in cooperation with the departments of computer science, geography and engineering and the Haj and Umrah Research Institute.
Speaking on the occasion, Assas said the incubator is the first in a chain of innovation incubators that are going to be established at the university. He highlighted the keenness and support being given by the rulers for a much-anticipated transition into a knowledge-based economy.
"This support has contributed substantially to an accelerated growth in the field of knowledge, especially science, in a way keeping pace with technological advancements," he said.
Assas commended the contributions of the Business & Knowledge Innovation Agency in supporting and strengthening the roles of its branch agencies for the university's advancement in the knowledge, economic and innovation fields.
Addressing the gathering, Nabeel Koshak said the Makkah Techno Valley Company, whose establishment the Council of Ministers recently approved, would concentrate on developing a knowledge-based economy at the university.
Last year, the university announced its decision to establish a techno valley scheme with the objective of facilitating the Kingdom's transition to a knowledge-based economy by establishing cooperation between research institutes, organizations and investors.
Koshak said the new company would establish technological incubators in addition to making investments in a variety of knowledge-based financial and industrial projects.
According to Koshak, the innovation incubator would carry out studies and practical research with the active participation of students and teachers. "The incubator system, which is based on knowledge-economy and innovations, would enable students to set up commercial projects that will generate job opportunities for young Saudis. The ambitious project would even enable these students to seek employees for their firms or companies," he said.
Apart from facilitating the establishment of innovation and business incubators, Koshak said the company would also set up knowledge parks in collaboration with local and international industrial companies.
"Efforts are underway to establish an incubator for manufacturing with the support of computers and another one related to sustainable energy. These incubators will be funded by leading industrial companies," he said, adding that the newly launched incubator would take up three research projects funded by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.
The incubators are also designed to obtain financial benefits from the university's research campaigns and transform technological innovations into profitable products, in addition to developing technologies linked to improving Haj and Umrah services.
© Arab News 2012
