SHARJAH, November 28, 2024: The West Asia and North Africa (WANA) division of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) brought to the fore key trends in innovation technology transfer at the Innovation Technology Transfer Forum hosted by the Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTI Park).

This year’s theme was “The Golden Triangle: The Anchor of Government, Academia, and Industry,” which highlighted commitment to fostering a vibrant environment for technology innovation across government, industry, and academia.

In his welcome address, Hussain Al Mahmoudi, CEO of SRTI Park, said: “As the Regional Director of the IASP WANA, I am privileged to witness how science and technology parks across the region are fostering solutions that not only advance industries but also enhance lives. It is great to see that the IASP is turning its attention to this part of the globe where innovation is being given huge importance, particularly in the UAE. The IASP functions as a ‘global network for science parks and areas of innovation’. It hosts over 40 world conferences and 180 regional events. SRTI Park is pleased to host this event in Sharjah.”

“I would like to acknowledge IASP's role in fostering innovation parks globally among the community of science parks. We, at SRTI Park, are proud to be associated with the IASP, and we share its innovation drive, as we continue to wield growing influence in this region. And we are confident we will benefit from IASP’s expertise,” he added. 

Al Mahmoudi hailed the UAE for framing progressive policies to support IP, encouraging innovators to confidently bring their ideas to market globally. He also lauded the role of institutions like the American University of Sharjah and the University of Sharjah in the success of SRTI Park.

Ebba Lund CEO of IASP, in her opening address, traced the growth of IASP which completed 40 years this year, and said the organization now has 6 regional divisions, over 300 members, and 100,000 companies in 76 countries, a testimony to the power of sciences parks and innovation hubs. She described the organization as a platform for knowledge sharing and networking, serving as a global observatory for members by gathering valid data and being the voice of members around the world.

The keynote address was delivered by Maj. Gen. Dr. Abdel Qudous Razzak Al-Obaidli, Chairman of Emirates Intellectual Property Association.

The forum featured four panel discussions.

The panel on Triple Helix Collaboration Framework discussed how partnerships between academia, industry and government support IP generation, registration, protection, and commercialization, driving economic growth.

The second panel titled Managing Innovations threw light on the role of technology transfer offices in facilitating collaborations across sectors and optimizing innovation.

The discussion on Global Policies for Emerging Technologies delved into challenges in international IP protection and policy support.

The closing panel was on Commercializing Innovation, and discussed effective strategies for bringing innovations to market.

The event featured a companion exhibition which featured emerging technologies -- such as 3D modelling and high computing -- including those developed at SRTI Park. The participants included SOILAB (Sharjah Open Innovation Lab), American University of Sharjah, MAAHR, Cyber Eagle Eye, Qamia, Diabetic Retinopathy and Samsung Enterprise Business.

Yacoub Al Tahtamouni
Public Relations Specialist
Mobile: +971.56.5396566
Email: yaltahtamouni@srtip.ae
PO Box: 66636 Sharjah UAE
SRTI Park Office Location