Young innovative award in water research launched

Dec. 5: The Ministry of Education (MoE) has launched the Research and Innovation Award in the field of water (the young innovative). The implementation of the Award comes in the light of the His Majesty Sultan Qaboos’ approval of the operational plan for the recommendations of the Third scientific Symposium for Chair Sultan Qaboos Chairs that was held at the University of Tokyo, Japan, under the title (management of water resources for sustainable development).

Saud al Balushi, Undersecretary for Educational Planning and Human Resources Development, said, “It is a joint award between the Ministry of Education and the Scientific Research Council and the Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science. The committee has approved the announcement of the research and innovation award in the field of water so that it includes innovations of the young to encourage students to invent and innovate. The management and evaluation of competitive procedures are done through the cognitive development programme at the Ministry of Education, annually.

He added, “The award is targeting students from the tenth to twelfth grades in all the Sultanate’s schools and aims to instill awareness among students of the importance of water, its conservation, development of its sources, and the formation of the culture of innovation special to water, whether the innovations are ideas, hardware or software done by the students. It also aims to promote innovation and the scientific research role in finding solutions to the issues of water and to raise awareness of water resources management”.

Students wishing to participate and compete for the award are required to apply during the months of December and January. The end of January is set to be the date for submission of their outputs to the organizing committee, and during the coming March, the winning students will be honoured in the Sultanate’s celebration of World water Day.

He explained that this award includes five centres to be competed for, the first place winner will receive a cash prize of RO 1,200 cash prize, while the second place winner will receive a cash prize of RO 100, and the third place winner will receive a cash amount of RO 800. The fourth and fifth places will receive a cash prize of RO 500.