Scientific Research in Arab Countries

1. Scientific Research in Arab Countries Alexandria, November 14, 2006 Osman Shinaishin, Ph.D. Office of International Science and Engineering National Science Foundation oshinais@nsf.gov

2. The Research Establishment • Where are we? • Where we want to be? • How to get there? • How to evaluate success?

3. PRACTICAL ELEMENTS Human Resources form the HUB for all activities: • Management of R&D teams/programs • Execution of R&D programs/projects • Harvesting of R&D results

4. Status of Research Organizations • Quantity: % of gdp, scientists/population… • Quality: refereed publications, citings… • Relevance: economic development, jobs…

5. Where We Want to Be • Quantity: Funding, scope, numbers of scientists • Quality: A dynamical goal • Relevance: Justifiable, Productive, feedback • Sustainability: public understanding, support

6. HOW TO GET THERE • Policies: international, national, local, • Implementation: positive attitude, follow-up • Promoting excellence in research units

7. World-Class Research Establishments • Academics.. Governmental.. industrial • Cannot exist in a vacuum • Foundations are most crucial • results measured in excellence, need sacrifice • Not money-making establishments

8. IMPLEMENTATION • Schools: All levels • Research Policies: Center, Local • International Scope: Arab. Islamic. Global • Quantity is important; Quality is more important • PATIENCE

9. BILKENT University, Ankara Private. Preparations began in 1967. In 1986 Bilkent admitted 386 students undergraduate and graduate. Currently > 10,000 students in 9 faculties, 2 professional schools, 2 two-year vocational schools, an School of English plus six graduate institutes, with foreign students from 72 countries.

10. Bilkent U. 1.6 million high-school graduates take a national examination to enter the 53 state and 25 private universities in Turkey. In the 2005 examination, 32 of the top 100 scorers chose Bilkent.

11. BILKENT U. Full scholarships to over 2,500 students. Student representatives are voting members of the committees of various schools and of the University Senate. Student evaluation of courses and instructors, new in Turkey, was instituted.

12. BILKENT U. Student exchange agreements with the U. of California system, Georgia Tech., U. of Maryland, Washington U., U. of Michigan in the USA Also with 13 universities in: Canada; the Netherlands; Germany; Italy; Denmark; England; France; New Zealand.

13. BILKENT U. The academic staff is from 43 different countries. According to ISI Citation Indexes, Bilkent continues to be first in Turkey in number of published papers per faculty member and ranks high internationally.

14. KOC University, Istanbul To close the gap and in preparation for the future, we must educate our young people in the best way possible. VEHBI KOÇ- Founder of Koç Univ. October 23, 1984 Private Endowment: 250 Billion dollars Small enrollment – 3,200 students Research grants from US companies IRES plus other grants from NSF

15. Cent. Metal. R&D Inst., Helwan • Services to industry via research and technical support. • Over 30 years of collaboration with industry, giving the institute a profile of needs’ pull rather than technology push. • longstanding collaboration with national and overseas R&D institutions guarantees a sound scientific basis. • Special cooperation with agencies such as JICA (Japan), TNO (Netherlands) and SIDA (Sweden). • Helped transfer many technologies to industries in Egypt and in other African and Middle-East countries.

16. Marmara Res. Center, Istanbul • Use S&T to contribute to the increase of the Global Competitive Power of Turkey. • Be among the leading S&T Centers of the world in applied researches. • Maintain universal science ethics and responsibilities. Be open to developments and changes in technology and management. • Share information produced with public funds to the public. Respect the environment. • Respect and contribute to development of human values.

17. MRC • Improvement by monitoring performance • Utilize the accumulation of knowledge • Working environment open to creativity and changes. Shield personnel from the influence of outside daily pressures • Review systematically the results achieved, aim and targets and its strategies • Gage satisfaction of customers and employee • Confidentiality, objectivity and independence, • Use of natural resources at the optimum level support recycling activities

18. Collaborations • Collaboration Among Arab Countries: Pooling of Resources- Similarity of needs in: drought, climate, geology, oceanography, social sciences-Efficiency when collaborating with other regions • Collaborating With Other M.E. Countries-Proximity-Mix of western and Arab cultures-Efficiency in collaborative Efforts • Collaborating with EU and US: Requires serious planning (Korea & India models)-Must be mutually beneficial (Collaboration vs Aid)

19. EU Strategic Roadmap for European Research Infrastructure A common development of major research facilities such as large-scale laser systems, bio-banks and new, more powerful telescopes.  Infrastructures are a critical element of building research excellence. Not only can they support the work of European scientists, but world-class facilities attract the best scientific minds from around the world."

20. European Institute of Technology In October 2006,The EC proposed a European Institute of Technology (EIT), to facilitate and work with network-like joint ventures between academic, research and business partners. If approved, EIT could begin in 2008, with an estimated 2008-2013 budget of up to 2.4 billion euros, financed by public and private sources.

21. UNIVERSITY CONSORTIA • The Center for Research Libraries (CRL) is a consortium of North American universities and independent research libraries.

22. UNIVERSITY CONSORTIA UCAR is a non-profit consortium of over 100 university members and affiliates to enhance the capabilities of the universities. UCAR carries out its mission through management of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and the UCAR Office of Programs (UOP).

23. TRAINING • R&D Management: Expertise in psychology, science, goals • Scientific training: k-12; college; graduate; postgraduate; on-job. • Business training: business cycle; cost of R&D vs stagnation; feedback cycle

24. TECHNICIAN TRAINING • The NSF's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program provides grants to improve and expand educational programs that prepare skilled technicians to work in the high-tech fields that drive the U.S. economy. The program focuses on both the undergraduate and the secondary school levels. • The ATE program focuses on community colleges and expects them to have a leadership role in all projects. Nearly all projects involve partnerships that bring together community colleges, four-year colleges and universities, secondary schools, business industry and government.