The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF) is extending the application deadline for the Mohammed Bin Rashid Knowledge Award 2017 (MBRKA) until the end of August.

Held under the patronage of MBRF chairman HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the award seeks to honour individuals and institutions who have made significant contributions to the knowledge sector and to science-based sustainable economies, said a statement from the foundation.

The decision to extend the submission deadline came in response to demand from knowledge experts and professionals – individuals and organisations – from all around the world, it said.

The foundation – a member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives – will continue to accept entries submitted through the website www.knowledgeaward.com in an effort to increase competition and allow the largest number of qualified contestants to apply for the award, it added.

MBRF’s CEO Jamal bin Huwaireb said: “We were delighted with the extensive and positive interaction exhibited by the global knowledge community during the application period.”

“Applicants are reaching out to us from far beyond our borders and our region, which reaffirms that the UAE has become an influential player in the global knowledge sector, a beacon of science and thought, and a magnet for intellectuals and innovators,” he said.

The award honours success in several knowledge-related categories, including development, innovation, leadership and creativity, the development of educational institutions, scientific research, communication technology, literature, publishing and printing, paper and electronic documentation, and many other sectors identified by the MBRKA Board of Trustees.

This year, candidates can be individuals, Emirati or foreign, from any nationality, gender, race or religion, as well as local, regional or international organisations, such as academic institutions, government entities, corporations or NGOs.

Huwaireb added: “The award is a platform that supports Arab and international talent. It sheds light on the influential role that thought and knowledge can play in the advancement of human societies, in the hopes of encouraging innovation and creativity.”

“By recognising success in the field of knowledge, the foundation hopes to inspire future generations to seek and produce knowledge, and embrace scientific and academic research,” he said.

To be eligible for nomination for the MBRKA, applicants must have made outstanding contributions towards producing and distributing knowledge. In addition, the application must be accompanied by the candidate’s CV (not exceeding 1,000 words), as well as letters of reference from legal persons with relations to the category said candidate is applying for.

Candidates can also include any supporting documents pertaining to their achievement or contribution, the impact of that contribution and their reasons for entering the contest.

Candidates may be nominated for more than one category of the award, but may not be nominated by the same nominator for more than one idea in any field. Applications can be submitted in Arabic or English, and candidates may nominate themselves or be nominated by others – posthumous nominations, however, are not permitted.

Applications that do not meet all the requirements will not be accepted, and MBRKA’s Board of Trustees is entitled to withdraw the award from any party in the event of breach of the conditions, or of scientific research standards, ethics, scientific integrity, intellectual property, or any other breach the Board deems substantial and significant.

Applications should be submitted through the Award’s website www.knowledgeaward.com, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service