Abu-Ghazaleh Sends a Message to Russia 'We Want to Work with you in Science, Research and Education'

Special to TAG Educa News Agency 

SAINT PETERSBURG - HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Global participated as a panelist in the "Mega Science Infrastructure to Create the Industry of the Future" session part of the 23rd St. Petersburg International Economic Forum which was held in Saint Petersburg in Russia.

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stressed that cooperation with Russia is a great opportunity.

"We are building a model for all countries in the region through our programs in various fields and in my capacity as chairman of the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN) which is under the umbrella of the League of Arab States we propose to link this research network with Russian counterparts," he said. 

"This is a message to Russia that we want to work with you in science, research and education and we want to be part of Russia's research centers," he added.

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh's proposal was received positively with the Russian counterpart saying that an invitation will be sent to Arabs to join the Russian research centers.

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stated that he is here as a Jordanian and an Arab "I am talking as a Jordanian and a representative of the Arab community, we have jointly with the EU developed a dedicated Internet line for research in education," giving Jordan as an example of a small country with big ambitions.

He made proposals for developing an online research line without having a huge infrastructure or toolkit saying: "Since we are the leading provider in our region for capacity building, I suggest having a close cooperation or sign an MoU as we have the only college in Jordan, Talal Abu-Ghazaleh College for Innovation, which does not graduate with exams but with innovation."

Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh stressed on the need to build academic cooperation with Talal Abu-Ghazaleh College for Innovation, a non-academic cooperation in training and capacity building programs and an online cooperation with Russian institutions and research centers which would be beneficial to countries in the region.  

"There are more open doors to cooperate than ever and teaching Russian to Arabs as we did with Chinese language is an excellent example and today we are here to do the same with Russian language and culture," he said.

The session focused on the competitiveness of science in Russia as a vital issue to ensure  the independence and global competitiveness of the country and that unique research and innovation centers and mega science facilities are needed to respond to the significant challenges laid out in the Scientific and Technological Development Strategy of the Russian Federation. 

These research centers will ensure the transition to a fundamentally new domestic economy. A synchrotron and neutron research program for 2019–2027 is currently being developed, with the aim of making a scientific breakthrough in this area.

In addition to Dr. Abu-Ghazaleh, HE Mr. Mikhail Kotyukov,  Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation,  HE Mr. Andrey Fursenko,  Aide to the President of the Russian Federation, Valery Buhtiyarov,  Director, Federal Research Center "Institute of Catalysis named after G.K. Boreskov of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences" , Aydar Ishmukhametov,  Director General, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune and Biological Products of the Russian Academy of Science, Alexey Rakhmanov,  President, United Shipbuilding Corporation  took part in the session.