KFAS bonds with American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) has taken a stride in its scientific and research services joining hands with internationally renowned American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), with a landmark cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties Thursday at a ceremony held at the AAAS Headquarters in Washington, DC.
The MoU, marking a major leap for Kuwait at these levels, was signed by AAAS Chief Executive Officer Dr. Rush D. Holt and KFAS Director General Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin.
KFAS, Kuwait's advocate of innovation, technology and science, aspires through this cooperation, to enrich its expertise, scientific innovations and education for the service of the Kuwaiti community and humanity.
During the ceremony, Dr. Shihab-Eldin stressed upon KFAS's pioneering mission to stimulate, support and invest in initiatives and human resources that contribute to the building of a strong research culture, knowledge-based economy and sustainable future for the State of Kuwait.
KFAS and AAAS will coordinate on basis of shared values for advancing science, engineering and innovation for the benefit of society. They will set up mechanisms for expertise exchange, personnel interaction and the transfer of knowledge, he added.
The agreement will be valid for three years and aims to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) awareness, and STEM education, for Kuwaiti families, build competitive research capacity in the Kuwait research community, support technology and knowledge transfer and catalyzing research for economic development in Kuwait. It also aims to enhance capacity for research management and oversight in Kuwait institutions, connect research to enterprise and boost the research and innovation environment in the private sector.
Moreover, they will work together to facilitate networks of expertise that include researchers from all areas of sciences and technology, persons specialized in product development and technology transfer, innovators and entrepreneurs from all fields, organize workshops, symposiums and targeted expert advice.
The AAAS, founded in 1848, is the world's largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. The non-profit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more.
The AAAS is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the betterment of all humanity. It is the world's largest general scientific society, with 126,995 individual and institutional members (at the end of 2008), and it is the publisher of the well-known scientific journal Science, which has a weekly circulation of 138,549.
Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), a non-profit organization established by an Amiri Decree, has been providing sustained support to the progress and advancement of science and technology for the last 40 years. H.H. The Amir of the State of Kuwait chairs the Foundation's Board of Directors. Private sector companies contribute 1% of their annual net profits to the Foundation.
The main objective of KFAS is to stimulate creative initiatives and human potentials that promote building a solid scientific and technological base and facilitate an enabling environment of innovation and culture. Initiatives include developing public awareness of science, strengthening the success factors of innovations, and enhancing innovative and research capacities. KFAS also aims to support the talented and the gifted and to transform knowledge into tangible and practical innovations and to build a foundation for a knowledge-based national economy through supporting scientific, innovative and technological capacity in the private sector.
KFAS aims to support efforts for modernization and scientific development within Kuwait by sponsoring basic and applied research, awarding grants to support and encourage research, prizes and recognition to enhance intellectual development. It also grants scholarships and fellowships for academic or training purposes, holds symposia and scientific conferences and encourages, supports and develops research projects and scientific programs (end) yt.rk