Vice President: There’s growing need to connect research with nation-building

Vice President Faisal Naseem said Monday that as politics and policies backed by proper scientific research yield better results, there is a growing need to connect research with nation-building.

He made these remarks while speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate the Theveli International Conference 2022.

The fifth edition of the conference, organized by the Research Development Office of the Maldives National University (MNU), is themed around "research for nation building."

In his speech, Faisal highlighted on how research contributes to national development, in aiding in decision-making and in seeking ways to address the plight of the people.

He said that research helps solve long-standing issues like poverty, unemployment, and inequality while constructing economies, industries, and societies, and helps people understand the intricate science that governs the world and helps people make informed decisions.

"Research is paramount to achieving meaningful development, without which our developmental efforts will be baseless," he said. "And the knowledge we gain from research is what makes the cornerstones of our nation-building efforts."

He added that research led Maldives to become a civilized society.

“…and equipped us with the knowledge and tools to move forward and to learn more, so we can do more."

The two-day conference will see the presentation of papers on a broad spectrum, ranging from technical topics such as housing and infrastructure, computers and technology, health and medicine, to more abstract issues such as gender and human rights, history and culture, as well as journalism and social media.

Faisal said he hoped to hear solutions at the conference which governments worldwide may employ to improve and elevate their policies.

He also shared his hopes that the discussions at the conference would help develop innovative solutions required for nation-building and enhance the quality of life.

The conference features four keynote speeches and over 70 presentations and is attended by around 200 participants.

It will be held at the MNU from August 22-23.