Event celebrates Newton-Khalidi Fund’s achievements in promoting int’l research

AMMAN — Under the patronage of HRH Princess Sumaya, president of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS), the British embassy in Amman, through its Newton-Khalidi Fund in-country team, convened a celebratory event hosted by the RSS titled “Enhancing the Impact of Newton-Khalidi Fund Programmes — The Way Forward”.

Princess Sumaya delivered the keynote address, celebrating the role of the Newton-Khalidi Fund as an enabler of science across continents and a visionary tool of real and meaningful science diplomacy, according to an RSS statement.

“The innovative programmes that continue to emerge from this wonderful partnership are helping to unlock talent through engagement, collaboration and mentorship,” said the princess. 

“It is a model that truly unites those from differing social and cultural backgrounds through the common language of science,” the statement quoted her as saying.

The event, which was hosted by the RSS, was attended by Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research Muhyiddine Touq and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation Wissam Rabadi in addition to representatives of the Newton-Khalidi Fund partners: The Higher Council for Science and Technology (HCST), the implementing body on behalf of the Government of Jordan for which the RSS acts as the technical arm, as well as scientific research deanships from various Jordanian universities and the awardees of Newton-Khalidi Fund Programmes.

 The daughter and granddaughter of the late Usama Al Khalidi were special guests at the event. The Newton Fund in Jordan is named in honour of Dr Usama, the statement said. 

The Newton-Khalidi Fund is underpinned by an agreement between the Ministry of Planning and the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, according to the statement.

Princess Sumaya acknowledged both Khaled El Shuraydeh, former Secretary General of the Higher Council for Science and Technology and Ambassador Edward Oakden for their efforts during the past two years in co-chairing the steering committee of the fund, the statement said.

The fund was launched at the 8th World Science Forum hosted by the RSS at the Dead Sea in November 2017.  It is designed to promote economic development and social cohesion in Jordan by supporting research collaboration between Jordanian and UK-educated and trained scientists, researchers and engineers, according to the statement. 

The fund’s ethos is that international partnerships bring together the brightest thinkers and innovators to solve key global challenges and change lives now and for generations to come, read the statement.

Presentations at the event included an update on current Newton-Khalidi Fund programmes, a brief on upcoming opportunities and a discussion on how to maximise the fund’s impact. 

Gayathri Warnasuriya, Newton-Khalidi Fund manager at the British embassy, announced that the Newton Prize 2020 will open on March 10, 2020 to recipients of Newton funding in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Kenya and South Africa. 

The annual £1 million Newton Prize was created to celebrate and further encourage the partnerships that UK researchers have forged with their colleagues in Newton Fund partner countries, including Jordan, the statement concluded.