DUBAI // Lack of collaboration between universities, domestically and internationally, remains a major barrier to the UAE’s progress in academic and scientific research.
Dr Fatme Al Anouti, associate professor of chemistry at Zayed University, said that collaboration was crucial in science-based research for many reasons, not least saving time and money and, in the UAE, because of a shortage of dedicated researchers.
In addition, collaboration at an international level gives more validity to research and brings more recognition to the country and researchers.
There were barriers to overcome, Dr Al Anouti said. “Many scientists here have a different image of collaboration because they think of it as some kind of a competition and are often hesitant to collaborate with others. This needs to change.”
Many projects depend on collaboration, especially lab-based experimental science, which is much more long term than the likes of social science research.
Dr Al Anouti, who has been working for two years with geneticist Dr Habiba Al Safar, at Khalifa University, investigating diabetes and vitamin D deficiency, said: “Results might take one or two years to be verified, sometimes even more, and this is why communicating with other researchers to share data and feedback is so important, because it will shorten the time needed to complete the study.
“Collaboration will also save money because it will compensate for a lack, or shortage of, equipment or even research assistants. In addition, with several efforts being consolidated, the research will gain momentum.”
The president of Khalifa University, Prof Tod Laursen, said his institution had collaborations in the likes of nuclear engineering and semiconductor research. “Both in starting up the nuclear engineering programme, and now as we expand our research, collaborations with international partners have been important,” he said.
“Sometimes it is because we are seeking countries or universities who have research reactors, which the UAE doesn’t at this time. Sometimes, particularly when we were still building our own labs, we took teams of graduate students to locations for things we couldn’t provide.”
With resources “thin” at most UAE institutions, Prof Laursen said incentivising collaboration was “absolutely vital”.
“I think as a policy matter the Government could think about making research resources available in a manner that specifically targets groups of institutions or researchers collaborating on problems of national interest,” he said. “Influential science or technological development just can’t be done in isolation, at least in a scalable way. Technologies move so fast that economies and researchers need to be up to date on the most recent developments.”
Mr Leland Blank, dean of engineering at the American University of Sharjah, agreed and said the major barrier to collaboration was the lack of a centralised research fund.
“It [collaboration] would happen much more often were there a national research fund that promoted the exchange in science, engineering, the arts and design that the UAE does not have at this time,” he said. “This a well-known deficiency in the UAE that must be faced in the near future.”
Some efforts to collaborate have not been successful. The University Leadership Council, which was set up six years ago between leading institutions such as UAE University, American University of Sharjah and Khalifa University, aimed to bridge such gaps, pushing for collaboration but, for the past two years, it has been defunct.
Heriot-Watt University’s Dubai campus is one of several institutions in Dubai coming together to form a research steering committee.
“Universities should get together to explore opportunities for sharing expensive resources, which would automatically encourage research collaboration,” said Prof Ammar Kaka, the campus director. This is very much what we in HWU are looking to do.”
mswan@thenational.ae
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
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Director: Janeen Damian
Stars: Lindsay Lohan, Chord Overstreet, Jack Wagner, Aliana Lohan
Rating: 1/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
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THE SPECS
Engine: 3-litre V6
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 424hp
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1
Director: Rick Famuyiwa
Stars: Pedro Pascal and Katee Sackhoff
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
J Street Polling Results
97% of Jewish-Americans are concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism
76% of US Jewish voters believe Donald Trump and his allies in the Republican Party are responsible for a rise in anti-Semitism
74% of American Jews agreed that “Trump and the Maga movement are a threat to Jews in America"
Trippier bio
Date of birth September 19, 1990
Place of birth Bury, United Kingdom
Age 26
Height 1.74 metres
Nationality England
Position Right-back
Foot Right
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs
The specs: 2019 Audi Q8
Price, base: Dh315,000
Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 340hp @ 3,500rpm
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1 Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2 Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
3 Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
4 Max Verstappen, Red Bull
5 Kevin Magnussen, Haas
6 Romain Grosjean, Haas
7 Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
*8 Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
9 Carlos Sainz, Renault
10 Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
11 Fernando Alonso, McLaren
12 Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
13 Sergio Perez, Force India
14 Lance Stroll, Williams
15 Esteban Ocon, Force India
16 Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
17 Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
18 Charles Leclerc, Sauber
19 Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
20 Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
* Daniel Ricciardo qualified fifth but had a three-place grid penalty for speeding in red flag conditions during practice
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Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor
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Average amount of biofuel produced at DIC factory every month: Approximately 106,000 litres
Amount of biofuel produced from 1 litre of used cooking oil: 920ml (92%)
Time required for one full cycle of production from used cooking oil to biofuel: One day
Energy requirements for one cycle of production from 1,000 litres of used cooking oil:
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War
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How to become a Boglehead
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Pakistanis at the ILT20
The new UAE league has been boosted this season by the arrival of five Pakistanis, who were not released to play last year.
Shaheen Afridi (Desert Vipers)
Set for at least four matches, having arrived from New Zealand where he captained Pakistan in a series loss.
Shadab Khan (Desert Vipers)
The leg-spin bowling allrounder missed the tour of New Zealand after injuring an ankle when stepping on a ball.
Azam Khan (Desert Vipers)
Powerhouse wicketkeeper played three games for Pakistan on tour in New Zealand. He was the first Pakistani recruited to the ILT20.
Mohammed Amir (Desert Vipers)
Has made himself unavailable for national duty, meaning he will be available for the entire ILT20 campaign.
Imad Wasim (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders)
The left-handed allrounder, 35, retired from international cricket in November and was subsequently recruited by the Knight Riders.
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Biosafety Level 1
The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.
Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.
Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.
Used as teaching spaces.
Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.
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These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.
Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.
Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1
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These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.
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The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.
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Producers: KRTI Productions, T-Series
Director: Sree Narayan Singh
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, Divyenndu Sharma, Yami Gautam
Rating: 2/5
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