“The progress of a nation is measured by the status of its science progress and its citizens' scientific readiness,” Sheikh Tariq Bin Faisal Al- Qassimi, EIG chairman, said at the three-day 2008 International Workshop on Signal Processing and its Applications (WoSPA) that starts on Tuesday. Emirates Investment Group (EIG) is sponsoring the workshop being held at the Sharjah University. WoSPA is organized under the auspices of Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al- Qassimi, ruler of Sharjah and member of the UAE Supreme Council. “And due to the fact that modern sciences are the basic pillar of a solid project, it has become incumbent on all generations to spare no effort to enhance their nation's scientific competitiveness and consequently leverage its position among other nations,” Sheikh Tariq added. EIG's sponsorship of the big event is part of the company's commitment to the furtherance of the joint cooperation between the two parties and is part of the group's efforts to boost various scientific activities, particularly those that fit within the country's aggressive plans for ensuring a well-integrated, knowledge-intensive economy. “Our country is on its way to reap the dividends of the colossal efforts exerted by its own people to apply the international standards criteria that must be implemented by any modern nation. And our sponsorship of the WoSPA forms part of our efforts to attain this noble end. By sponsoring this major gathering, we follow in the footsteps of our great leaders ... and emulate their commitment to fostering scientific, literary, intellectual, artistic and cultural gatherings,” he further said. The conference is of paramount importance for signal processing theory and its applications, said professor Boualem Boashash, dean of the University of Sharjah's Engineering College. “It's part of a series of scientific researches conducted on the development of world economies, where the Digital Revolution serves as the main catalyst of a robust economic development,” he added. The gathering, organized by the College's Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, is in line with the methodology envisaged by HH Dr Sheikh Sultan to strengthen the country's scientific potential and provide the best possible means for Sharjah to become a sought-after destination for scientists and researchers from different countries and with varied specializations, he noted. The conference features 13 workshops where 100 leading specialists in the field will participate, including scientists, researchers and representatives of Arab, regional and global scientific associations and universities interested in signal processing and its applications. The WoSPA is part of a series of workshops dedicated to signal processing theory and applications. __
