US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT4623

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004623 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/PPD (CWHITTLESEY), NEA/ARP (DBERNS), NEA/PI 
(CBOURGEOIS), ECA/A/E (JSEDLINS), CA/VO/I (JJACOBS) 
AMMAN FOR ECON (JWHITTLESEY) 
MUSCAT FOR EST OFFICER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, ECON, OEXC, XF, KU 
SUBJECT: RESEARCH LINKS WITH THE U.S. - THE KUWAIT FUND FOR 
THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE 
 
1.  SUMMARY: On October 19, 2005, the Ambassador met with 
the Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the 
Advancement of Science (KFAS).  KFAS is a non-profit, non- 
governmental research funding entity chaired by the Emir of 
Kuwait, and supported by nearly 900 Kuwaiti companies that 
annually donate one percent of their profits.  The 
discussion focused on KFAS's linkages with U.S. 
institutions, including Harvard, MIT, Rice University, and 
George Washington University, as well as funding of 
projects in the Gulf region.  The Mission hopes to revive a 
pre-September 11, 2001, KFAS initiative to send the top 
five percent of Kuwaiti high school graduates to the U.S. 
for summer study and tourism that was postponed due to 
perceived visa and travel complications.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Kuwaiti Business Funds Science Research 
--------------------------------------- 
 
2.  During a call on Dr. Ali A. Al-Shamlan, the Director 
General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of 
Science (KFAS) the Ambassador, accompanied by the CAO and 
EST Officer, learned that the organization was founded in 
1976 by the future Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Jabir Al-Ahmad 
Al-Sabah.  Joined by 40 Kuwaiti firms that each donated 
1,500 Kuwaiti Dinars as seed money, KFAS was established 
with the U.S. National Science Foundation as a model, 
primarily to serve as a non-profit, non-governmental 
organization that funds research both in Kuwait and abroad. 
 
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Well-Funded by Local Firms 
-------------------------- 
 
3.  Approximately 900 companies listed in the Kuwait Stock 
Exchange contribute one per cent of their profits to KFAS. 
This funding mechanism is regulated by an "informal 
agreement."  Until 1998, the rate of funding was at the 
level of five per cent.  The contribution dropped to two 
percent 1998 to 2002.  Nominally, the KFAS Board is chaired 
by the Amir, but with the decline of his active 
participation in the Board, the KFAS Director General 
described difficulties in charting the organization's 
future. 
 
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Strong Links to U.S. Universities 
--------------------------------- 
 
4.  KFAS has established ties with several prestigious 
universities in the U.S. and in the U.K.: 
 
Kuwait-MIT Center for Natural Resources and the Environment 
--------------------------------------------- -------------- 
 
a. On May 12, 2005, KFAS and Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology announced the creation of a research-and- 
education center devoted to progress on key environmental, 
hydrologic and energy resource goals. The foundation will 
fund the center at the level of $11 million over 10 years. 
The Kuwait-MIT Center for Natural Resources and the 
Environment will be based at MIT.  This organization, whose 
core staff is MIT faculty in the sciences, engineering and 
policy studies, will promote interdisciplinary work by 
those investigators, by MIT students, and by Kuwaiti 
researchers and students. 
 
The Kuwait Chair at George Washington University 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
b. In July, 2005, KFAS funded a Chair at the George 
Washington University (GWU).  GWU will receive more than 
$3.3 million (1 million Kuwaiti Dinars) from KFAS to fund 
the Kuwait Chair for Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs 
(also known as "The Kuwait Chair") at GWU's Elliott School 
of International Affairs.  This endowment provides the 
Elliott School with a faculty member (currently Ambassador- 
retired Edward "Skip" Gnehm) to focus on the Gulf region 
and give students the resources and expertise needed to 
understand the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula accurately. 
 
Harvard's Kuwait Program 
------------------------ 
 
c. KFAS created the Kuwait Program Research Fund at Harvard 
 
KUWAIT 00004623  002 OF 002 
 
 
University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 
January 2001.  This program aims to build engagements, 
partnerships, and intellectual exchanges between Harvard 
University, Kuwait, and other states of the Gulf 
Cooperation Council.  The fund complements and reinforces 
Kuwait's independent efforts and progress toward meeting 
global and regional public policy challenges.  Consisting 
of an endowed professorship, specially designed Executive 
Programs, sponsored research focusing on public policy and 
security in Kuwait and throughout the Gulf, the program 
includes an annual academic meeting in May at Harvard. 
 
Rice University's Arab Studies Chair 
------------------------------------ 
 
d.  In 1995, KFAS contributed to the establishment of an 
endowed Chair in Arab Studies and supports the Baker 
Institute for Public Policy, both at Rice University. 
 
George H. W. Bush Presidential Library 
-------------------------------------- 
 
e.  At Texas A&M, KFAS financially supported the George H. 
W. Bush Presidential Library. 
 
Cambridge and Oxford 
-------------------- 
 
f.  In the United Kingdom, KFAS funds Kuwait Foundation 
Lectures at the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. 
 
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Center for Diabetes Research 
---------------------------- 
 
5.  In Kuwait, KFAS has constructed a new Center for 
Diabetes Research that has not yet begun operations due to 
an internal debate over which entity, KFAS or the Health 
Ministry, would manage the Diabetes Center.  KFAS intends 
to run the facility and hire either the Miami University 
Diabetes Center or the U.K. firm Interhealth to administer 
the center during its initial years of operation.  KFAS 
also seeks cooperation with the Forsyth Institute of Boston 
on issues pertaining to diabetic oral health care. 
 
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Finding Water in the Desert 
--------------------------- 
 
6.  KFAS's main client is the Kuwait Institute for 
Scientific Research (KISR).  Among other research fields, 
KFAS funds research on the development of water resources. 
Regionally, KFAS supports the research conducted by the 
Middle East Desalination Resource Center in Oman. 
 
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Summer Student Program in the U.S. 
---------------------------------- 
 
7.  Prior to 9/11, KFAS planned to send the top five 
percent of Kuwaiti high school graduates to the U.S. during 
the summer for study programs and tourism.  The project 
stalled due to perceived visa and travel difficulties. 
 
8.  The Mission plans to continue discussions with KFAS 
with the intention of reviving the idea to send fresh 
Kuwaiti high school graduates to the U.S. for summer study 
and travel programs.  Such a program would be an 
exceptional partnership furthering the Mission's public 
diplomacy goals through educational exchanges. 
 
LEBARON