(MENAFN- The Peninsula) DOHA: The Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) will soon begin a research project on Qatar";s foreign aid to developing countries to develop a knowledge base in the country";s international affairs.
It will also contribute to the development of public policy, governance and regulation as these relate to effective Qatari foreign aid management, according to Dr Hasan Mahmud, Assistant Professor of Sociology, NU-Q, who will be the principal investigator.
'It will also provide theoretical and empirical knowledge and hands-on training to student researchers and contribute to enhancing the existing research capacity in social science, arts and humanities in Qatar,” he said.
Dr Anto Mohsin, Assistant Professor of Science and Technology Studies, NU-Q, has received a grant for a study on cultivating a science-based community and scientific culture in Qatar. Dr. Mohsin, working in collaboration with Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI), will oversee the project.
'Receiving the grant will allow me to involve student researchers in the project and expand its scope. One of the hopes we have for the study is to use QEERI";s Science Majlis to understand the drivers and challenges of cultivating a culture of scientific learning in Qatar. I also hope that we can raise more awareness that studying science does not have to be only in a formal academic setting such as taking science courses in schools and universities. Equally important is to develop a culture of inquiry and a ‘spirit of curiosity"; to understand nature and how things work,” he said.
Grants were awarded by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), a member of Qatar Foundation Research and Development (QF R & D).
'The grants reflect the creative work of our faculty and play an integral role in NU-Q";s development as a hub of research excellence and innovation in Education City,” said Dean and CEO Everette E. Dennis.
The goal of Undergraduate Research Experience Programme (UREP) funding is to foster and develop a culture of research as methods of enhancing undergraduate education. Students and mentors have the ability to build their research and experience portfolio through such programmes.
NU-Q";s newest UREP proposals will engage research mentors and undergraduate students.
In the past 19 cycles of the UREP Programme, NU-Q has been awarded nine grant projects, which have offered its students and faculty the opportunity to immerse in similar innovative pedagogical methods, and produce widely published journals and reports.
The Peninsula