A driving force for building knowledge-A driving force for building knowledge-based economy in Islamic worldbased economy in Islamic world

Prof. Wagdy SawahelProf. Wagdy SawahelFormer IDB scholarFormer IDB scholarMember of the general committee for IDB Merit scholarship Member of the general committee for IDB Merit scholarship programmeprogrammeGeneral coordinator, IDB science development networkGeneral coordinator, IDB science development networkNational research center, Cairo, EgyptNational research center, Cairo, Egypt

Religious duty Advancing science and technology Promoting knowledge-based development in

IDB member countries

We have a religion that encourages scientific researches. In fact, Islamic medicine and science produced by Moslem scientists led the world for centuries while Europe stagnated in the Dark Ages. 

The first verse of the Quran that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was, “Iqra!” “Read in the name of thy Lord who creates.” This is in fact the beginning of the quest for knowledge, which emphasized the importance of learning in human life.

"The acquiring of knowledge as bounden duties of each Muslim from the cradle to the grave" and that

"The quest for knowledge and science is obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman." 

Moslem holy book exhort believers to study nature, to reflect, and to make the best use of reason in their search for the ultimate truth.

We have a historical record in science and technology achievements

The Muslim World made remarkable contributions to science. Muslims introduced new methods of experiment, observation, and measurement. To name but a few:

  Al-Khwarizmi invented algebra (an Arabic

word) and the word algorithm is derived from his name;

Ibn al-Haytham wrote the laws of the reflection and refraction of light and expounded the principles of inertia (long before Isaac Newton formulated his theories);

Ibn Sina (born in what is now modern-day Uzbekistan) wrote the Canon of Medicine, a 318-page medical text that was the basis for all medical teaching in Europe and the Middle East for hundreds of years.

The science historian, George Sarton

Abdus Salam, a Pakistani (Physics, 1979) Ahmed Zewail, an Egyptian (Chemistry,

1999).

A number of Muslim scientists of international repute are scattered in and outside IDB member countries. (See: Islamic Talent Pool at SDN website)

According to 2007 academic ranking of the world universities, 2 universities from Islamic world that are listed in the top 500 universities are the following:

World rank

Institutions

Region regional rank

Country national rank

402-508 Univ. Asia-Pac 65-99 Turkey 1

http://www.istanbul.edu.tr/english/ 402-508 Cairo Univ. Africa 3 Egypt 1

http://www.cu.edu.eg/english/

According to 2007 The Times Higher Education Supplement 'QS World University Rankings', below are the Muslim universities mentioned in the list of top 400 universities.

Rank                          institutions                                

Country

307 University Sains Malaysia

309 University Kebangsaan Malaysia

304 University Putra Malaysia

369 institute of technology Indonesia

390 Technical university Turkey

395 University of Indonesia Indonesia

Some examples for science capacity in IDB member countries

Asian institute for scientific research and technology

Saudi Arabia ranked 7th in higher education Malaysia to lead South-South collaboration Libya….and ground water research. 'Higher education city' in Bahrain … a boost

for Middle East science The Dubai International Academic City Foundation to narrow 'Arab knowledge gap'

Iran stands 11, 13, 15, 19, 22 and 32 in the world rankings of the scientific fields of math, mechanic, polymer, chemistry, chemical engineering and physics, respectively. Iran published 9,000 ISI papers in international scientific journals in 2007, showing a 17% growth rate.

Iran in cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) plans to set up an UNIDO center for South-South Industrial Co-operation in Tehran.

The center will promote south-south cooperation in science, manufacturing, technology, and industrial innovation as well as providing assistance to developing countries in their efforts to strengthen their scientific, technological and innovative capacities.

The proposed institute will be responsible for identifying technological, research and scientific capacities of Asian countries and collecting and disseminating information in this respect. It will also hold seminars and conferences and establish inter-governmental joint research centers with the participation of Asian countries in proportion to their capacities. Iran has proposed the establishment of an Asian scientific, research.

British magazine The Economist has placed Saudi Arabia on seventh place ahead of France, Russia, Italy, Spain, Malaysia and many other countries in the field of higher education and scientific research.

Several factors helped in enabling the Kingdom to occupy this position. The amount spent on each student in the field of higher education, the percentage of allocations for higher education in the general budget, the total number of external students,

and the number of business administration institutes were among the other criteria for making the Kingdom occupy top position.

Another significant initiative is the launch in Fall 2009 of a graduate university in Saudi Arabia, The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), which will have a US $ 10 billion endowment – the sixth largest in the world.

The UN has announced an international centre for South-South cooperation in science, technology and innovation based in Malaysia.

The plan was approved by the executive board of UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) on 24 April 2007.

The centre will seek to create a network of national centres of excellence. This will promote research collaboration, technology transfer and the development of industries in fields such as information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology.

  It will also offer fellowships to scientists,

institution managers and policy makers to attend training in science policy making.

UNESCO has also agreed to establish a centre in Libya to encourage networking and the transfer of knowledge between scientists from Africa and the Middle East.

The centre will promote scientific research, education, and sustainable development in the region. In particular, it will help develop policies to promote and coordinate cooperative research on technology to access shared groundwater. 

Bahrain has announced plans for a centre to promote science, technology and innovation in the Middle East.

The facility, to open by early 2010, will eventually include laboratories, an international centre for research, a specialist academy as well as a branch of a United States-based university.

  It would provide students with the engineering

skills needed to serve the energy and key economic sectors, as well as offer much needed courses in the business and science disciplines.

It will comprise universities and research and development centres from developing countries, such as India, Iran and Pakistan, as well as industrialized countries, such as Australia, Belgium and the United Kingdom.

Plans for a science 'plaza' in Abu Dhabi. The Plaza of Intelligence and Innovation City will promote science-related activities and include a research centre for space sciences, a space and science museum and an academy for maths and science teachers.

The prime minister of the United Arab Emirates has announced the creation of a US$10 billion foundation to narrow the gap in scientific knowledge between Arab states and the developed world.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation will be based in the United Arab Emirates.

Starting later this year, the foundation will establish scientific research centres in Arab universities, offer research grants to Arab researchers and from 2008 will provide scholarships to students.

  It will undertake concrete initiatives to

encourage innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the region, thus creating significant new employment opportunities and providing hope for the region's youth.

We have a religion that encourages scientific researches.

We have a historical record in science and technology achievements

We have a good present record of science and technology investment

We have been blessed with enormous natural resources like: fertile lands, water, gold, oil, uranium, and minerals.

So, why IDB member countries are a group of developing countries?

How we can become knowledge-based societies?

IT IS IDB SCHOLRAS ROLE TO PLAY

The 57 predominantly Muslim countries have about 23 % of the world's total population but less than 1% of its scientists who generate less than 5 % of its science and make barely 0.1 % of the world's original research discoveries each year. The Islamic countries have a negligible percentage of patent registrations in US, Europe and Japan. Even more serious is the fact that the Research and Development manpower of Muslim countries is only 1.18% of the total science and technology manpower.

Be committed to your religion and act as a competent professional.

Be a good ambassador to your country, your Ummah and your religion.

In this increasingly globalized world, knowledge is fast replacing physical resources and cheap labor as the driver of growth…..

  Acquire as much knowledge as you can but

don't forget the problems that your ummah is facing.

"Muslims must learn to innovate or be left behind" ABDULLAH Bin Ahmad Badawi, Malaysia's prime minister.

The shortcomings of science education systems in IDB member countries have been highlighted by the lack of entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.

Of the top 15 countries which have submitted international applications under the patent cooperation treaty, not one of them are Muslim country.

For innovation to take root, the 'golden triangle' of academic institutions, governments and the private sector must cooperate in doing business

Learn how you develop ideas into successful new products or services within existing companies, large or small, and to spawn new commercial enterprises.

Learn and practice new ways to effectively commercialize new technologies.

Acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to transform technical expertise into commercial success.

The Islamic Development Bank announced a new policy in 1426H (2005), under which will consider approving at least 10 percent of a member country’s annual programme in the science and technology sector. IDB Science and technology programmeIDB prizes for science and technologyCenters of excellence cooperation schemeScience and technology expatriate nationals' schemeSupporting scientific projects, conferences, and workshops.

QW project "achieving science and technology academic excellence for development …..Under the new IDB vision.

Present Development & Future Prospectswww.sciencedev.net

“To set up the Islamic community of science and technology professionals for the promotion of technology-based socio-economic development in IDB member countries”

“To assist Moslem scientists to play their role in the development of science and technology for the benefit of the Ummah, and to function as the Islamic Science Brain Trust ”

To promote networking and cooperation between scientists in scientific research and development programmes.◦ To share scientific information with more focus on

applications in industrial development in the IDB Member countries.

◦ To promote the opportunities for training and development of scientific and technological human resources.

◦ To exchange views and ideas towards the formulation of strategies for the development of science and technology for the Ummah

◦ To promote knowledge-based economy.

SDN (www.sciencedev.net) has already been recognized as a global scientific forum and become the world's leading online Islamic network of science and technology for development of the Ummah.

SDN has about 22.000 members including scientists, researchers, technologists, science policy makers, and educationalists, from almost all IDB member countries as well as Muslim scientists living in non-Muslim countries.  

SDN has also established itself as online knowledge transfer and dissemination clearinghouse "a repository of knowledge for science and technology in IDB member countries ". Since 2005, it has managed to transfer about million pages to its members.

Producing and distributing a monthly electronic bulletin entitled (Science and Development) that◦ Monitors science and technology development in

IDB member countries;◦ Provide Moslem scientists with up to date

information about new scientific reports as well as multimedia sources for use in science education;

◦ Presents information about conferences and scientific meetings in IDB member countries.

◦ Provide information about fellowships, award and funding opportunities that Moslem scientists are eligible to apply for;

◦ Provide information about academic job opportunities in Islamic countries; and

◦ Create a specific section for Moslem women in science.

Science and technology education observatory for sustainable development (STEOSD).◦ To help science education leaders, decisions-

makers and professional in IDB member countries to establish sustainable science and technology education system.

Making the science work for the Ummah`s need.◦ A database for scientific researches that is

relevant for socio-economic development in Islamic world.

Activities◦ Monitoring science education development in IDB

member countries.◦ Establishing a database for science education

strategies in IDB member countries. ◦ Setting up science education information center

that will contain reports and documents dealing with education development strategies

Aims ◦ increasing excess to scientific research results

related to industrial development that are originating from research centers in Islamic states, patents and scientific journals.

◦ Enhancing innovative research among Muslim scientific community.

◦ Encouraging private sector for investing in science and technology sector, which, in turn, will provide solutions for problem facing Islamic States, and help in improving the quality of life of the people…..

by establishing a mechanism for screening science and technology information and cooperate with the private sector to set up commercially viable projects in the area of technology as well as providing marketing support.

This initiative will be useful for the following: ◦ IDB scholars

It will help IDB scholars to work on innovative research relevant to the Ummah needs.

◦ Private sectorIt will provide investors with new opportunities for setting up new companies as well as upgrading their production processes

◦ Scientists and technologistsIt will provide Muslim researchers with the opportunity to transfer their ideas into products

This initiative will be useful for the following: ◦ IDB scholars

It will help IDB scholars to work on innovative research relevant to the Ummah needs.

◦ Private sectorIt will provide investors with new opportunities for setting up new companies as well as upgrading their production processes

◦ Scientists and technologistsIt will provide Muslim researchers with the opportunity to transfer their ideas into products

Sending e-cards to all members in Islamic occasions such as Eid el-fater, Eid Al-adha, Ramadan and Hijrah

Launching SDN campaigns in specific occasions◦ 2006 bird flu awareness campaign◦ 2007 hunger campaign

Ongoing programmes◦ Islamic Talent pool◦ Islamic directory of science and technology

institutions

the bird flu is rapidly spreading to birds and human across the Islamic world as in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Niger, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nigeria.

Thus, an information package including multimedia had been circulated to scientists across the Islamic world to help in raising awareness and taking precautions.

A database for Moslem scientists in the west is being developed to be used as a tool for the transfer of science and technology to IDB member countries.

A database for science and technology institutions in IDB member countries is being developed to be used as a step for the establishment of Islamic union for science and technology centers

It will be used for a number of purposes such as:◦ Choosing research institutions for IDB scholars.◦ Facilitating the scientific and technological

collaboration among IDB-member states for the development of knowledge-based economy.

Establishing online scientific library that will include the following:

Thesises, researcher papers, and research projects carried out by IDB scholars.

This will help achieving the following: Promoting science cooperation among Muslim

scientists. Promoting knowledge and technology transfer

among Muslim countries. Facilitating access to information as most of science

journals in Islamic countries are not available online.

Establishing online directory for center of excellence in IDB member countries.

This directory will include:◦ science and technology academic centers of

excellence in the 3 IDB regions (Arab, Africa and Asia regions) that have been mentioned in regional and international academic ranking,

◦ S&T parks, incubators, and cities in IDB member countries.

This will help IDB scholars in conducting their post-study activities and developing their research work into viable development projects.

It will also promote links between scientists at universities and R&D institutions and science parks in the region with the aim to facilitate the set up and development of innovation-based companies through incubation and spin-off processes.

Establishing e-journal for science and innovation for sustainable development.◦ It will focuses on the way in which science and

innovation can be conducted and applied to meet human needs in Islamic countries while preserving the life support systems of the planet.

Directory for S&T associations, societies and networks in IDB member countries.

Innovation Alliance Resources in IDB member countries.

Science and technology are today components of power in the world.

considered pillars of any country's independence.

cornerstones for development Today, technology has the first say and

even more powerful and influential than military and economic might in the world

You have a religion that encourages scientific researches.

You have a historical record in science and technology achievements

IDB member countries have a good present record of science and technology investment.

We are here for supporting and helping you…Thus, IT'S YOUR TURN