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One of the questions I have made a point of asking postgraduate students since I began supervising academic theses is: “What will remain after the thesis defense is over?"

Earning a master's or doctoral degree is not the end of the journey; rather, it should be the beginning of a new one—one in which knowledge is transformed into value, research into impact, and innovation into a product that addresses the needs of society.

I have always believed that university theses should not remain confined to library shelves or electronic databases. Instead, they should move into the real world, contribute to solving problems, developing services, and improving quality of life. This is at the heart of the global philosophy known today as “From Lab to Market"—the process of taking innovation from the laboratory into society and the marketplace.

I was delighted to see this philosophy put into practice in one of the master's theses I supervised. The researcher did not simply conduct a scientific study on the effectiveness of an electronic application; she personally designed and fully developed the Arabic-language application from scratch. She then field-tested its effectiveness among third-grade students with visual impairments, specifically those with low vision, using a rigorous scientific methodology that demonstrated its positive impact on developing reading skills.

The true value of this work lies not only in the findings of the study, but also in the fact that it produced both a knowledge asset and a digital product that can be further developed and invested in, potentially becoming an educational tool that benefits students, teachers, and families across the Arab world.

In collaboration with the Arab Open University, I aspire for this project to mark the beginning of a broader pathway for adopting similar outputs and transforming them into educational products that can be further developed and brought to market. Such an approach would strengthen the university's role as an institution that does not merely produce knowledge, but actively works to put that knowledge to use in the service of society.

Today, leading universities are increasingly measured by their ability to produce innovation, not merely research. I believe that our responsibility as supervisors extends beyond ensuring the quality of scientific methodology. It also includes guiding students to think about the future impact of their research and how their ideas can be transformed into entrepreneurial ventures, applications, software, services, or startups.

My message to postgraduate students is simple:

Do not begin your research by asking, “What will I write?" Instead, begin by asking, “What problem will I solve?"

When the goal is to create impact, a thesis becomes more than an academic requirement; it becomes a project for change.

I encourage every postgraduate student to think from day one about the possibility of turning their research project into an applicable product, a technology that can be further developed, or a service that can benefit society. With this mindset, we can build a truly knowledge-based economy and make the university a genuine partner in development and innovation.

Finally, this achievement is not merely the success of a dedicated student. It is evidence that the Arab Open University possesses an academic environment that empowers its students to transform knowledge into innovation, and innovation into tangible impact. I hope that in the coming years we will see more university theses that do not end in the thesis defense room, but rather begin there.