Tech News
Msheireb Museums Announces Participation in Major Grant Collaboration with HBKU on QRDI-Funded Digital Citizenship Project
International Museums Day panel discussion explores the role of museums in academic research
Msheireb Museums and Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) announced their partnership on a pioneering research project funded by the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) to champion responsible digital citizenship and constructive online community engagement. The collaboration was announced to mark this year’s International Museums Day in line with the “Museums for Education and Research” theme that encourages a more conscious, sustainable, and inclusive world.
Msheireb Museums is joining the four-year “Future of Digital Citizenship in Qatar: A Socio-Technical Approach” project, supported by QRDI’s National Priorities Research Programme-Cluster (NPRP-C), as part of its commitment to preserve and promote cultural heritage while addressing the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.
Abdulla Al Naama, General Manager of Msheireb Museums, said, “As a vanguard institution committed to documenting and advancing societal progress, Msheireb Museums is honoured to join forces with a consortium of leading researchers and innovators to showcase the wealth of knowledge museums have to offer. It is apt for our collaboration to come on the heels of International Museum Day as we rethink how knowledge and education can be shared – a topic explored by ICOM during this year’s International Museums Day.”
The research project, titled ‘The Future of Digital Citizenship in Qatar: A Socio-Technical Approach,’ brings together 10 national and international entities from academia and industry, led by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU). IT encompasses six sub-projects focused on synthesising social media discourse, developing web-based tools, creating educational resources, and investigating digital literacy and well-being, gender equality, social inclusion, and behavior-based approaches to online security. Final research findings will be used to enhance the digital experience for users in the Arab world and GCC area through a focus on diversity and inclusion.
The six sub-projects are:
− MARSAD Social Media Observatory, led by Dr. Wajdi Zaghouani, HBKU.
− Digital Critical Literacy & Propaganda Detection, led by Dr. Firoj Alam, HBKU.
− Digital Wellbeing, led by Dr. Raian Ali, HBKU.
− Security and Safety as Behavior, led by Dr. Khaled Khan, Qatar University.
− Gender Equality and Social Inclusion on Social Media, led by Dr. Osama Halabi, Qatar University.
− Digital Citizenship Ambassador Program, led by Dr. Eddy Borges-Rey, Northwestern University in Qatar.
Msheireb Museum’s Abdulla Al Naama added, “We are eager to facilitate the robust evolution of digital citizenship in Qatar and beyond by leaning into our expertise in cultural heritage, community outreach, and education. Msheireb Museums is offering the researchers access to our heritage houses, collections and exhibitions as a platform to investigate opportunities for public engagements on issues relating to digital citizenship.”
Dr. Raian Ali, Professor in Information and Computing Technology at HBKU and one of the research leads, commented on Msheireb Museums joining the collaboration, “As we navigate the complexities of the digital age, it’s imperative to elevate our understanding and engagement with the concept of digital citizenship. We are grateful to Msheireb Museums for serving as platform for this important research cluster. As a narrative museum, filled with thoughtful digital exhibits, Msheireb Museums offers a dynamic backdrop for exploring this crucial topic.”
Situated in Msheireb Downtown Doha and developed by Msheireb Properties, Msheireb Museums offer a compelling narrative of Qatar’s evolution in the context of the country’s oldest city center. Comprising Bin Jelmood House, Radwani House, Company House, and Mohammed Bin Jassim House, the museums serve as a repository of social history, documenting and promoting societal and cultural progress.
Shedding light on common human heritage and cultural diversity has become the hallmark of Msheireb Museums. One of its heritage house sites, Bin Jelmood House, pays tribute to and acknowledges the social, cultural, and economic contribution of formerly enslaved people to the growth of human civilisations.
“This year’s International Museums Day theme, ‘Museums for Education and Research,’ resonates deeply with the core mission of cultural institutions worldwide. It underscores the pivotal role museums play in supporting education through ongoing research and exploration. We whole-heartedly support a future where knowledge knows no bounds with the help of advancements in technology and research practices,” said Dr. Hafiz Al Abdulla, Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Msheireb Properties and ICOM Qatar Board Member.
As Msheireb Museums continues to collaborate on groundbreaking research projects and engage with the community, it remains dedicated to its role as a social history museum that observes, documents, and encourages societal and cultural development in Qatar.
Tech News
ATERMES and IEC secure Landmark Contract to Deploy AI-Powered Bird Repelling System at Lahore Airport
ATERMES, a French leader in advanced surveillance and security solutions, announces in partnership with The Imperial Electric Company (IEC), the award of a major contract by the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) for the deployment of a state-of-the-art Bird Repelling System (BRS) at Lahore International Airport.
This milestone project represents a first-of-its-kind integrated solution combining SURICATE, ATERMES’ advanced AI-enabled multi-sensor surveillance system, with acoustic and laser deterrence technologies. The system delivers a fully automated, intelligent, and environmentally friendly approach to mitigating bird-strike risks; one of aviation’s most persistent safety challenges.
The SURICATE system, developed by ATERMES in France, brings together cutting-edge optronics, embedded AI, and edge computing to continuously monitor airfields, identify potential avian threats in real time, and automatically activate deterrence mechanisms.
Once a bird threat is detected by the system’s deep-learning algorithms, SURICATE autonomously triggers the surrounding acoustic and laser repellers, driving the birds away from critical flight zones such as runways and taxiways.
This unique synergy between AI-based detection and automated multi-modal deterrence marks a turning point in airport security and environmental protection. Unlike traditional manual or time-based repelling systems, the BRS for Lahore Airport operates only when necessary, optimizing energy use and minimizing disturbance to the surrounding ecosystem.
Lionel Thomas, Chairman of ATERMES, stated: “This project is not just about technology; it’s about redefining how airports ensure safety through intelligence. By merging AI, optics, and deterrence, we’re transforming bird control into a predictive, autonomous, and eco-responsible process.”
Sajid Jamal, Executive Director of The Imperial Electric Company, added: “Our partnership with ATERMES reflects Pakistan’s growing commitment to embracing advanced, AI-driven safety systems. Lahore will become the first airport in the region equipped with such an integrated and intelligent Bird Repelling System.”
The project underscores a strong collaboration between France and Pakistan in technological innovation. ATERMES will provide the detection and control systems, while IEC, a key player in Pakistan’s engineering and infrastructure sectors, will oversee integration, installation, and local support. Together, they will ensure the delivery of a robust, scalable, and sustainable system that sets a benchmark for other international airports in the region.
Tech News
Ramco Systems Celebrates 20 Years in the Middle East, Unveils Vision for the Future at Milestone Event
Doubles down on AI-native applications and localized innovation to shape enterprise technology in the region
Ramco Systems, aglobal enterprise software company offering next-generation SaaS-enabled platforms and products, celebrated two decades of powering enterprise transformation in the Middle East. To mark this milestone, Ramco hosted Ramco@20 – Experience That Matters, a full-day event in Dubai designed to showcase its regional journey, highlight cutting-edge innovations, and bring customers and industry leaders together for forward-looking discussions.
The first half of Ramco@20 convened senior HR and payroll leaders from across the region for a thought leadership forum on the future of employee experience. Industry leaders discussed how enterprises in the Middle East are moving beyond traditional HR process optimization toward more intelligent, intuitive, and employee-centric models of workforce management. Conversations explored balancing automation with empathy, using AI thoughtfully, and elevating payroll as a trust-building touchpoint.
The second half welcomed a large gathering of customers across business units – Global Payroll, Aviation MRO, ERP, Services Resource Planning and Logistics – along with partners, and industry influencers, for a celebration honouring the relationships that have defined Ramco’s two-decade journey. Ramco’s leadership unveiled its technology vision: shifting from Systems of Record to Systems of Intelligence through AI-native applications, agentic workflows, and conversational UX. The leadership’s address also emphasized its investments in platform modernization and localized initiatives, while outlining a roadmap to further strengthen Ramco’s focus for the next 20 years.
Abinav Raja, Managing Director, Ramco Systems, said, “The Middle East has been a cornerstone of Ramco’s growth story for two decades and has shaped our thinking in profound ways. The region’s appetite for transformation has inspired us to design solutions that combine global best practices with local relevance. This milestone is built on the trust and partnership of our customers, and our commitment is clear: double down on AI-native, API-first applications that incorporate special features aligned with the region, platform modernization, and customer-centricity. We are shaping the future of enterprise technology with solutions enabling businesses to focus on what truly matters: growth and people.”
Sandesh Bilagi, Chief Operating Officer, Ramco Systems, said, “Our presence in the Middle East has been built on strong partnerships and a commitment to delivering outcomes. This region is not merely a market for us, but also a proving ground for ideas that redefine global enterprise technology. The presence of all our business units in this region makes the Middle East a key pillar and reflects the confidence our customers have placed in us for twenty years.“
“Our investments in agentic AI, conversational UX, and platform innovation are designed to deliver enterprise applications that are intuitive, secure, scalable and integrate regional nuances,” Bilagi added. “We also focus on customer-focused initiatives like local deployment and training because every digital journey is, at its core, a human journey. The region is setting global benchmarks, and we are proud partners of the next era of enterprise innovation.”
Over the past two decades, Ramco has partnered with leading enterprises across the region, enabling digital transformation through innovative solutions. Its work in the Middle East has been shaped by sectors and functions that demand precision at scale – payroll, aviation, manufacturing, conglomerates, trading, infrastructure, professional services and logistics – giving Ramco an execution depth that continues to define its competitiveness in the region.
Tech News
Vertiv and Caterpillar announce Energy Optimization Collaboration to Expand End-to-End Power and Cooling Offerings for AI Data Centers
Vertiv, a global leader in critical digital infrastructure, and Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), a global leader in power systems, today announced the signing of a strategic undertaking to collaborate on advanced energy optimization solutions for data centers. This initiative will integrate Vertiv’s power distribution and cooling portfolio with Caterpillar’s, and its subsidiary Solar Turbines’, product and expertise in power generation and CCHP (Combined Cooling, Heat and Power) to deliver pre-designed architectures that simplify deployment, accelerate time-to-power and optimize performance for data center operations.
A Powerful Collaboration:
This collaboration directly addresses the growing demand for on-site energy solutions that deliver reliable power and cooling. Together, the companies are able to offer a fully integrated solution with validated interfaces and performance, enabling customers to accelerate design, installation and deployment.
- Caterpillar and Solar Turbines will supply power generation solutions, such as natural gas turbines and reciprocating engines, to deliver dependable, scalable electric power and thermal energy for CCHP.
- Vertiv will provide a complete portfolio of power and cooling solutions and services, packaged as modular, pre-designed blocks, to shorten design cycles and standardize deployment.
The Customer Advantages:
- Accelerates Time-to-Power – by utilizing predesigned, modular reference architectures to speed up deployment time.
- Lowers PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) – enables improved energy efficiency and carbon footprint because the system is optimized end-to-end: power, cooling, distribution and dynamic load management, compared to traditional design.
- Global lifecycle support – the offering is backed by the trusted, global service and support networks of both Vertiv and Caterpillar.
“This collaboration with Caterpillar and Solar Turbines is a cornerstone of our Bring Your Own Power & Cooling (BYOP&C) strategy and aligns seamlessly with our grid-to-chip framework by offering resilient, on-site power generation solutions. This is optimal for customers looking to reduce or eliminate grid dependence,” said Gio Albertazzi, CEO, at Vertiv. “By combining our complementary technologies, portfolios and expertise, we are enabling coordinated integration. Our pre-engineered, interoperability-tested building blocks let customers execute design, build and deploy concurrently, with predictable system performance.”
“As AI-driven workloads continue to accelerate, the demand for robust and scalable power infrastructure and cooling is becoming increasingly critical,” said Jason Kaiser, group president of Caterpillar Power & Energy. “Our collaboration with Vertiv will enable us to deliver integrated, on-site energy solutions that lower PUE and meet customers’ evolving needs.”
This initiative directly addresses the growing demand for on-site energy solutions and offers a coordinated, customer-first approach to solution design and implementation. The Vertiv and Caterpillar Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) represents a pivotal step in further refining this ecosystem, enabling customers to overcome energy constraints and deploy optimized AI centers.
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