Prof. Abdullah H Abdul-GaderVice Rector Graduate Studies and Scientific ResearchKing Fahd University of Petroleum & MineralsDhahran 31261, Saudi Arabiaagader@kfupm.edu.sahttp://users.kfupm.edu.sa/misac/agaderTelephone: +966-3-860-2100Telefax     : +966-3-860-2992

SCS meeting, Dhahran, Nov. 6, 2001

Road Map to National IT Plan for Saudi Arabia

• Dr. Jarallah Al-Ghamdi • Dr. Saud Al-Semari• Dr. Mahmood Nagadi• Dr. Mohammed Al-Homoud• Dr. Sadiq M. Sait• Dr. Abdullah Al-Abdulgader

Steering Committee

The Road Map for the plan

• Data collection and analysis• Adopting Guiding Principles• Drafting the IT plan

– Vision and Mission– Identifying Strategic Thrusts– Setting strategies for Strategic Thrusts – Identifying Key Areas for each Strategic

Thrust– Proposing Initiatives/projects for Key Areas– Recommending the management of the plan

Data collection

• Studied several IT national plans of other countries,

• Conducted local surveys• Carried intensive library/internet

research. • Held meetings with the private sector (IT

companies, experts and industrialists).• Collected data from various government

organizations.

Guiding Principles of the IT plan

• To comply with Islamic values and teachings, which form the basis of all our analysis and guide our recommendations.

• The Plan should contribute to– improved quality of life– increased level of literacy– social uplift– diversification of economy– job & wealth creation

• Call for a proactive role from the private sector, with the government playing the role of a facilitator, wherever applicable

• Enhance and develop the innovative and entrepreneurial potential of young Saudi

• Synchronize with the 7th Development Plan

Guiding Principles of the IT plan

Vision

“We envision the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the forefront in the development and exploitation of Information Technology (IT), and the adoption of IT as the basis and the drive for the development of industry, commerce, education, public sector, and society at large large in accordance with Islamic values .”

Mission

“To outline a plan to harness, embed, and exploit Information Technology (IT) for a thriving industry, economic growth, enhanced quality of education, and the betterment of the society in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

Strategic Thrusts

Jordan’s Strategic Thrusts

1. IT Industry Development2. Policy and Regulatory

Strengthening3. Human Resource Development4. Government Support5. Capital and Financing6. Infrastructure Improvement

Egypt’s Dimensions

1. IT Usage Stimulation2. IT Export3. Human Resource Development4. Partnership with Multinational

Industries5. Infrastructure6. Policies and Legislations

Canada’s Initiatives

• Developing Information Highway• Making Sure Canadians can seize

its benefits• Providing a prominent place for

Canadian Content• Ensuring affordable, accessible

and responsive government

Pakistan’s Focus Areas

1. Human Resource Development2. Infrastructure Development3. Software Industry Development 4. Hardware Industry Development5. Internet6. Incentives7. IT Usage8. Legislation and Regulations

Singapore’s Strategic Thrusts

• Singapore as Premier Infocomm Hub

• Singapore Businesses Online • Singapore Government Online • Singaporeans Online • Singapore as Infocomm Talent

Capital• Conducive Pro-Business and Pro-

Consumer Environment

South Africa’s Areas

• ICT sector Development• ICT Usage Stimulation• Human Resources

Development• ICT Innovation

Catalonia’s Specific Areas

• Infrastructure and Basic Services• Industry, Commerce and Content• Education and Training• Administration and Services for

the Citizen• Health Care and Quality of Life• Society and Cultural Change

France’s Priority Areas

• IT in education  • An ambitious cultural policy for new

networks • IT for modernising public services • IT for companies • Meeting the challenges of industrial and

technological innovation • Regulation and a protective framework for

new information networks

Saudi’s Strategic Thrusts

Strategies: (1) IT-Industry

To establish an environment where a vibrant IT industry will be an integral factor of wealth creation primarily through innovation and entrepreneurship, meeting regional and global market demands.

Strategies: (2) eBusiness

To enable, facilitate, and promote the efficient and effective use of the Internet in the society, government, and, business and economy for development and growth while maintaining local, traditional and Islamic values.

Strategies: (3) Infrastructure

To provide fast, easy, secure and affordable access to facilitate a modern internationally linked e-enabled infrastructure.

Strategies: (4) eLearning

To integrate IT into the Saudi educational system thereby bringing the Kingdom to the forefront of educational technology

Strategies: (5) Human resources Development

To have self-sufficiency of a well trained competent, qualified, and self-reliant workforce through dynamic educational and training programs, which will produce quality IT graduates of international caliber and also for IT to be used pervasively in the society.

(1) IT-Industry

• IT industry spans a wide range of products: hardware, software, and services

• It is one of the largest and fastest growing industrial sectors in the world

Sales of IT Hardware, Software, and Support Services (in Millions)

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE Rest of the Arab Middle East and North Africa

IT-Industry Strategy

To establish an environment where a vibrant IT industry will be an integral factor of wealth creation primarily through innovation and entrepreneurship, meeting regional and global market demands.

IT-Industry Key Areas

IT-Industry challenge

What can be done to realize IT industry strategy through each key area?

What in your opinion are the recommended national initiatives and projects for each key area?

(2) eBusiness

• eCommerce: The capability of buying and selling products and information over the Internet and other on-line services by automating business transactions and workflow.

• eGovernment: An electronic means of providing more effective government-to-government, government-to-business and government-to-citizens services and relations.

(2) eBusiness

• eReadiness describes the extent to which a country’s business environment is conducive to Internet-based commercial opportunities.

• eReadiness model tallies scores of six categories – connectivity, – business environment, – eCommerce consumer and business adoption, – legal and regulatory environment, – supporting eServices, and – social and cultural infrastructure.

eReadiness rankings (May 2001)

1. eBusiness leaders: These countries already have most of the elements of eReadiness in place, though there are still some concerns about regulatory safeguards (USA, Australia, UK, Canada).

2. eBusiness contenders: These countries have both a satisfactory infrastructure and a good business environment but parts of the eBusiness equation are still lacking (Ireland, France, Austria, Taiwan)

eReadiness rankings (May 2001)

3. eBusiness followers: These countries form the largest group and have begun to create an environment conducive to eBusiness, but have a great deal of work to do (Greece, Czech Republic).

4. eBusiness laggards: These countries risk being left behind, and face major obstacles to eBusiness growth, primarily in the area of connectivity (Bulgaria, China, Ecuador)

(2) eReadiness rankings

• Egypt and Saudi Arabia who represent the Arab countries are among the eBusiness followers group.

• The large Saudi population compared to other Arabian Gulf Countries and the presence of large IT companies based in Saudi Arabia give Saudi eBusiness advantage and competitive strength in the region.

(2) eBusiness Strategy

To enable, facilitate, and promote the efficient and effective use of the Internet in the society, government, and, business and economy for development and growth while maintaining local, traditional and Islamic values.

eBusiness Key Areas

eBusiness challenge

What can be done to realize eBusiness strategy through each key area?

What in your opinion are the recommended national initiatives and projects for each key area?

0

5

10

15

20

25

Sta

nd

ard

acc

ess

lines

per

10

0 in

hab

itan

ts

1990 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001* 2003* 2005*

Growth of Teledensity (number of standard access lines per 100 inhabitants) in Saudi Arabia

(3) IT infrastructure

14 in 2001

(3) IT infrastructure

Global trends show countries like Australia, Korea, Canada, UK, USA and UAE have teledensity figures of 40 and above.

Telecom and Internet indicators in OECD countries

Standard access lines per 100 inhabitants

52 (year 1999)

Mobile subscribers per 100 inhabitants

32.4 (year 1999)

Internet subscribers per 100 inhabitants

11.4 (year 1999)

DSL per 100 subscribers 2.4 (year 2000)

0

1

2

3

4Pervasiveness

Geographic Dispersion

Sectoral Absorption

Connectivity Infrastructure

Organizational Infrastrucutre

Sophisticaiton of Use

Singapore Malays ia Indones ia Saudi Arabia

Internet Infrastructure Dimensions (Sept. 2001)

Internet Access

• The personal computers (PCs) penetration (PCs per 100 inhabitants) in the Kingdom stands at 5, which is very low when compared to other Arab countries such as UAE and Bahrain that boast a penetration rate in the range 10-15

• The number of Internet subscribers (those paying for access to the Internet) rather than users is a precise indicator of access. Until March 2001, the number of Internet subscribers was 275,000.

• The Kingdom’s user to subscriber ratio for the year 2001 is estimated to be 2.5

Infrastructure Strategy

To provide fast, easy, secure and affordable access to facilitate a modern internationally linked e-enabling infrastructure.

Goals for Infrastructure plan

• Increase the percentage of Internet subscribers from 1.2% (2001) to 15% by 2003.

• Increase the mobile density (number of mobile subscribers per 100 inhabitants) from 11 in 2001 to 40 by 2003.

• Improve broadband access by increasing the number of DSL lines to 10 per 100 subscribers by 2003.

• Increase the teledensity (number of telephone lines per 100 inhabitants) from 14 in 2001 to 40 by 2003.

Infrastructure Key Areas

Infrastructure challenge

What can be done to realize Infrastructure strategy through each key area?

What in your opinion are the recommended national initiatives and projects for each key area?

(4) eLearning

• eLearning is any form of learning that utilizes a computer network for delivery, interaction, or facilitation of the educational material.

• Compared to conventional learning, eLearning leads to:– about 30% greater learning in up to 40%

less time.– higher performance in exams by about 26%

to 37% on the average.– higher Long-term retention by 15% on the

average.

(4) eLearning

• By fall 2000, almost all public schools in the United States had access to the Internet: 98% were connected.

• In Europe, the eEurope initiative calls for special attention to education where member states have committed themselves to put all schools online by 2002.

• China envisions providing broadband access networks interconnecting 800,000 Chinese schools.

(4) eLearning Strategy

To integrate IT into the Saudi educational system thereby bringing the Kingdom to the forefront of educational technology

eLearning Key Areas

eLearning challenge

What can be done to realize eLearning strategy through each key area?

What in your opinion are the recommended national initiatives and projects for each key area?

(5) IT Human Resources Development

• The shortage of qualified IT workers in U.S, Europe, and other countries became a matter of considerable concern.

• Western Europe has a current shortage of 850,000 IT sector jobs with the shortage expected to grow to 1.7 million by 2003.

• Germany alone is reported to have a shortage of between 75,000 to 80,000 IT professionals

• Canadian researchers expect a demand for nearly half a million IT professionals by 2010.

• Local studies carried in early nineties and 2001 clearly reveal the severity of human resources issue.

(5) IT Human resources Development Strategy

To have self-sufficiency of a well trained competent, qualified, and self-reliant workforce through dynamic educational and training programs, which will produce quality, IT graduates of international caliber and also for IT to be used pervasively in the society.

Human Resources Key Areas

Human Resources challenge

What can be done to realize Human Resources strategy through each key area?

What in your opinion are the recommended national initiatives and projects for each key area?

Managing the Plan

Who should be responsible for developing the plan, approving and funding its initiatives, executing them, overseeing the execution, and updating the Saudi IT plan?

Managing the Plan in other countries

Country

Structure Role

Philippine

the National IT Council

Executive

Malaysia The National Information Technology Council

Advisory/ Think Tank

Tasmania

The Information Technology Industry Council

Advisory/ Think Tank

Korea Ministry of Information and Communications

Executive

Singapore

Infocomm Development Authority

Executive

Summary

• We have clear vision and mission statements

• Five Strategic Thrusts• Twenty-two Key Areas• Initiatives/projects• Several Tens of

Recommendations• Management structure

Thank you

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