Qatar's fast-evolving society has a severe shortage of certain specialized skills. In the short term, it can buy services from outside as they are required, but this will not build the local expertise the country needs to reach a state of sustainability.

In order to develop these sectors within the country, Qatar Foundation has entered into joint venture arrangements with a number of partners. New companies are set up in Qatar, operating on a commercial basis, in which ownership is shared by Qatar Foundation and its partner.

Under the arrangements, Qatar Foundation provides premises and the partners provide the experienced professionals who can get locally-based enterprises off the ground. The joint ventures will in time recruit and train increasing numbers of talented Qataris, and in this way the skills will transfer to the local population.

The first joint venture to be created was the RAND-Qatar Policy Institute, a think tank that is providing public policy and management consultancy services in Qatar and the region. The partner is the RAND Corporation, based in Santa Monica in California.

FITCH Qatar is a design studio that specializes in strategic branding - a very new industry in Qatar. FITCH London, established in 1972, operates design studios across the world using a similar consumer-focused philosophy.

The Qatar MICE (Meetings, Incentive, Conferences, Exhibitions) Development Institute is a joint venture with Singex Global, a Singaporean company with a strong reputation in this field, which has been identified for major development in Qatar.

Profits generated by the joint ventures are shared by both parties, and go to support Qatar Foundation's core not-for-profit activities.