Post the remarkable success of the mutual cooperation between Palestinian and Quebecer researchers, the journalist science writer for the Quebec Science magazine, Ms. Melissa Guillemette, in collaboration with the Fonds de Recherche du Quebec (FRQ), visited Palestine (19-29 November 2019). She will include a research paper about Palestine-Quebec Science Bridge in the Quebec Science magazine in February 2020. Ms. Guillemette participated in several meetings during the visit of the high-level Palestinian Delegation to Quebec in 8-10 October 2019. This visit was the first step in FRQ-PALAST agreement to establish a sustainable mobility program for Palestinian researchers in Québec teams, it was a great opportunity for the Palestinian delegation and the various representatives of Québec, ministries and universities to meet and discuss the outcomes of the PQSB and its future prospective.

To date, nearly sixty Palestinian researchers have conducted their research visits in a number of Québec universities in multidisciplinary research fields, such as engineering, medicine, natural sciences, art, economic, social sciences and humanities. The FRQ was proud of the success of the first two calls, and working to enhance more success after launching the third call, especially after all Quebec universities and research institutions expressed their interest in partnership with the Palestinian universities and researchers through the PQSB. They offered to work closely on joint research projects, workshops, summer and winter schools, funding Palestinian researchers, graduate and postgraduate scholarships and many more.

Therefore, Ms. Guillemette met with several Palestinian researchers during their research mission in Quebec, Quebecer scientists, and Palestinian researchers in their home universities in Palestine. The interviews focused mainly on the joint research projects and the extent of the existing cooperation between both sides, the impact of such cooperation on their research work at their Universities, and further information about their experience in the PQSB. All to measure the impact of this mutual collaboration, that will contribute to the development and strengthening of existing cooperation and its sustainability. Also she had a meeting with HE Minister of education, Prof. Marwan Awartani, Palestinian University Presidents and members from the PQSB Advisory and Steering Committee, and interviewed them about their vision and impressions of the PQSB about the bridge. At the same time, she interviewed Quebecer scientists for further information about their experience in the PQSB.

For information in Arabic, please check our Facebook page