Qatar and Volkswagen to Intensify Cooperation
15 March 2010
The Emirate of Qatar, the Volkswagen Group, Porsche Automobil Holding SE and the State of Lower Saxony expressed an interest in strengthening their cooperation, particularly in the fields of research, development and education. Possible topics include research cooperation into new materials, energy production and storage, fuel economy optimization in engines, and the medium-term openings for establishing a vehicle materials test laboratory.
This was agreed on the occasion of a visit to Qatar, when the Crown Prince and Personal Representative of the Emir, His Highness Sheik Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, received a delegation of representatives from the Supervisory Board and Board of Management of Volkswagen AG and Porsche Automobil Holding SE and from the State of Lower Saxony. The delegation included Prof. Dr. Ferdinand K. Piëch, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn and Prime Minister Christian Wulff, and was accompanied by the German Ambassador Dr. Dirk Baumgartner.
All the parties expressed an interest in cooperation with the Qatar Foundation regarding vocational training and further study courses at Qatar University and the AutoUni in Wolfsburg.
The development of modern and resource-efficient vehicles increasingly calls for interdisciplinary cooperation in such diverse fields as electronics and materials science. Our plans to establish a test laboratory will put us in a position to test new materials under very challenging climatic conditions, thereby extending our leading position in research and development.
—Prof. Dr. Winterkorn
Qatar Holding LLC is one of Volkswagen AG’s major shareholders alongside the State of Lower Saxony and Porsche SE. The shareholding is the Emirate’s largest single investment to date.
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