Challenges Facing Science And Technology In Muslim Nations

Spending on research and development in Islamic world is well below the global average, and continues to fall behind that of developed countries in West. Countries such as Taiwan, South Korea and China are currently undergoing rapid expansion in science and technology, and economic growth- can a similar leap forward be made in Muslim world?

In a Commentary in this week's Nature, Nader Fergany, lead author of the Arab Human Development Reports (AHDR), argues that building a knowledge-based society in Arab world means respecting key freedoms of ex-pression and association. He discusses the AHDR reports, which identify deficits in the acquisition and production of knowledge, the levels of empowerment of women and individual and national freedom as major barriers to Arab development. Reports also lay out the necessary steps towards reform, the seeds of which Fergany believes are already in place. Given a more favorable environment, the considerable human potential of the Arab world could, he suggests, form a solid foundation to reclaim the epic scientific achievements of its history.

In a related Commentary, Herwig Schopper, former director-general of CERN and president of the SESAME Council, argues that a big jump in developing science and technology in Muslim nations is needed and makes several recommendations for how progress might be achieved.

He lists the many initiatives that have so far failed to lead to concrete action, and proposes that the importance of research in contributing to the overall welfare of Muslim societies needs to be recognized. There is also a real need to strengthen international scientific cooperation, and to work towards better job security for individual scientists. Schopper believes that science can be an "excellent tool" for building trust and helping to promote peace; there is, he says, much to gain.

Too few Muslim governments collect data on the actual status of science and innovation, so the problems facing scientists are not even on their agenda. Without true measures of quality and performance, weaknesses in higher education and research institutions will never be properly addressed. Declan Butler tackles the lack of statistics available on investment and performance, and analyses the best of what is available.

(ResearchSEA)