RasGas' Qatar Helium Initiative Draws Wide Student Participation

Doha, October 11 (QNA) - RasGas Company Limited's (RasGas) Qatar Helium educational initiative has proven to be enormously successful with students for the third consecutive year, with close to 5,000 local scholars and 100 schools participating in the popular "Energizing Education" competition, the company said Wednesday in a press release. The competition, which was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, aims to inspire and strengthen students' knowledge and research in science and technology, and is part of RasGas' corporate social responsibility program, linking the education sector and Qatar's energy industry. "I am proud to meet another group of promising students who have embraced the importance of innovation in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics STEM subjects," RasGas' Chief Executive Officer Hamad Mubarak Al Muhannadi said at an event held to recognize participants. "At RasGas, we believe that it is vital to encourage students to undertake research projects at an early age to enhance their academic knowledge with practical application, encourage critical thinking, and position them to succeed in a competitive global environment." Students worked in teams to undertake research projects based on helium's scientific and industrial uses, providing insight into Qatar's natural resources and the significance of sustainable practices. In support, RasGas engineers delivered a helium workshop to local teachers, while the company's Helium book and eight short films have been used as educational resources in the secondary school science curriculum since 2015. For her part, Fawzia Al Khater, director of Education Institute at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, said the ministry is pleased to work with RasGas on the Qatar Helium project for the third consecutive year. "The most significant achievements of the project have been the application of learning-based projects supporting 21st century skills, integration among subjects, especially science, mathematics and technology, and the application of engineering design in executing student projects. "We thank RasGas for their huge support of outstanding educational projects that recognize a large number of students and teachers, reflecting our joint commitment to achieve the Qatar National Vision," Al Khater added. (QNA)