(MENAFN- QNA) HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani opened the 5th Middle East and North Africa Professional Leaders in Education Conference and Exhibition (QS-MAPLE) at Grand Hyatt Doha on Tuesday morning.
Addressing the opening of the Conference, HE the Prime Minister underlined that the development of education in the State of Qatar is a key pillar of the country's modern renaissance and represents one of the main objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030, which seeks to enable the country, with all power, to reach a knowledge-based economy.
"In order to reach a knowledge-based economy, we need to build a strong scientific and research base in the State of Qatar, mainly the higher education. All efforts - academic institutions, government and private sectors, and mainly the industry sector, must be combined in order to achieve this goal," HE the Premier said.
The wise leadership of Qatar has already realized the importance of scientific research, HE the Premier said, adding that Qatar was one of the few countries that allocate part of its budget for scientific research.
"Scientific research is the clear way to build a Qatari scientific base that contributes to build our knowledge-based economy. We aspire to reflect that on the world, to make it a safer place," HE the Premier said.
HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister pointed to the challenges which faced the development process of education in the State of Qatar, whether general education or higher education, such as fulfilling the needs of a growing labor market with a small population base, and adherence to the international standards which enable the country to provide quality education to present and future generations.
He noted that the government and various academic institutions, mainly Qatar University, conducted numerous studies, through which the State of Qatar introduced to the latest conclusions reached by the developed world academically, and got inspired by the experiences of others. "We made creativity and innovation the cornerstones of our decisions, sometimes we succeeded dramatically, and sometimes we reconsidered some educational policies, and that is normal in any dynamic society that seeks to launch with full force into the future, without stopping at the interim challenges," HE the Prime Minister said.
"Among other challenges that must be taken into account is how to deal with our civilization and cultural heritage, which we consider to be the basis for our past, our present and our future. This heritage has always been an engine and a motivation for us. It defines the way parameters for us in a world that is fraught of ideas and social revolutions, at the same time, we have to be modern and in harmony with 21st century without abandoning our values and our constants," HE the Premier added.
Concluding, HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister expressed hope that the QS-MAPLE Conference would address the reality and prospects of higher education in the MENA region and would answer all queries and issues raised, saying that the future starts from education, which is considered a fundamental and major human rights. (MORE)
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.