Bangkok: Saudi Arabia participated today in the 14th Annual Meeting of the Global Research Council (GRC), held in Bangkok, through a joint delegation from the Research, Development and Innovation Authority (RDIA) and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).

According to Saudi Press Agency, the delegation was headed by President of KACST, Acting Governor of RDIA, and Vice-Chair of the GRC Governing Board Dr. Munir Eldesouki. The opening keynote speech was delivered by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research, and Innovation of Thailand, Professor Yodchanan Wongsawat, who welcomed participants and underscored the importance of the meeting in strengthening international cooperation and exchanging expertise among research councils and funding institutions worldwide.

During the meeting, Dr. Eldesouki emphasized the importance of open science in enhancing access to knowledge and building a more inclusive research system. He noted that open science contributes to developing a research ecosystem that respects linguistic and cultural diversity while providing local expertise with broader opportunities to contribute to global knowledge production.

He also highlighted that the Kingdom's experience in open science demonstrates the importance of aligning global principles with local realities and the needs of research communities. The Global Research Council serves as an international platform bringing together research councils and institutions funding research and development activities from around the world. The council aims to strengthen communication and collaboration, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices, support high-quality research collaboration, and enable scientific and research institutions to develop capabilities in line with international best practices.