MERID project team in Palestine participated in the Research Week, which was organized at the Islamic University in Gaza from 16-18 April 2016. The Week aimed to promote research in the Palestinian community and strengthen research ethics among Palestinian university teachers and students. It also sought to showcase the most important research output by researchers and students at the Islamic University and the Palestinian universities in the Gaza Strip. In addition, this Week aimed to strengthen relations and cooperation between the academic institutions and the private sector in Palestine, which would contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. As part of the Week’s events, an exhibition was held for the most important research, scientific and applied results for entrepreneurs, researchers and graduate students at the Islamic University and the Palestinian universities in the Gaza Strip as well as the most important projects by the private sector institutions, especially projects related to the areas of energy and water.

During this Research Week, MERID project team introduced the MERID project and its aims in addition to the most important expected outcomes of the project and its role in promoting cooperation between European universities with Middle Eastern universities.

In this respect, Prof. Mohammed M. Shabat – MERID project coordinator in Palestine – thanks the organizers of the Research Week highlighting the Week’s importance in promoting scholarly research and innovation in the Palestinian universities, especially encouraging cooperation between universities and the private sector, which falls within the interests of MERID project.

Prof. Shabat called on the Palestinian universities to guide and encourage researchers to participate in the Horizon 2020 calls for proposals and programmes, which cover various scientific and humanitarian spheres as well as important issues in the Palestinian context, noting that the MERID project is funded by Horizon 2020 programme.

It is worth noting the Middle East Desalination Research Center MEDRC participated in the Research Week’s events in addition to a number of international researchers and experts in several scientific fields.