The Lamad Technology Showcase event on Food Technology organized by the Innovation & Technology Transfer Center of the Deanship of Research at Sultan Qaboos University was held on 20 March 2019 under the patronage of H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulla Zaher Al Hinai, State Advisor. SQU hosted the Lamad event by gathering key players from the government, industry and academia to discuss a specific technological field. Eventually, this will establish an academic-government-industry partnership that will lead to identify comprehensive strategic visions for all three sectors: governance, economic and research sectors to align with the national strategies.

The Lamad Food Technology event displayed the academic capabilities and industry challenges in the field of technology. The objective of the event is to formulate a synergy between the academic government and industry sectors to establish a dialogue to share and thus expand their views about the technology that will assist in creating short-term and long-term collaboration.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rahma Ibrahim Al Mahrooqi, SQU Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies & Research observed that food technology is an area that is assuming greater importance as the demands placed on global food production by a number of factors. These include a burgeoning world population and the effects of climate change that continue to affect the level of access communities around the world have to safe, affordable and sufficient supplies of food. Advances in food technology improve the safety and availability of food products, including by making food resistant to numerous natural threats posed by disease and climatic events”, she said.

Dr. Rahma further said that the Lamad Food Technology Forum would provide an opportunity to learn more about how research in food technology is helping improve food supply in various settings around the world, including Oman, and how it can contribute to healthier populations with ready access to a plentiful supply of affordable, nutritious and safe food. “This forum would also focus on the integration between academia and all the research that takes place in it with the industry that benefits from this research output. This integration is essential to create research impact and added value into the industry. This integration will help in creating new products, preserving food in new ways and increasing the nutritional value and safety of food. All of this will help in creating a vibrant food industry that will add to the diversification of the economy and will ensure food security and safety in the country”, the Deputy Vice Chancellor said.

Dr. Sheetal Guleria, Director, IP Services at Clarivate Analytics, delivered the keynote speech on global innovation trends in food technology. She spoke about the importance of patent registration and commercialization of ideas that are new, industrially applicable and that involves an innovative step. “Every year around 3 million new patents are filed globally. Patent data analytics plays a key role in taking the right decision on commercializing research and patent registration. Patenting in food technology has increased fivefold in the last five years across the world. China leads the race with 77% of the total patents registered in this sector”, Dr. Guleria said. Pointing out the food technology sector, she said that 24% of the innovations come from the academia. “Right decision has to be made on where a particular patent has to be registered: globally or in the home country. She underscored the need for more awareness and practice on global patent filing strategy among the academia.