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Building a better scientific future for OIC
How can OIC countries enhance their knowledge needed for developing commercially viable, economically beneficial, products and processes?
Are OIC countries solving problem poverty, hunger, disease, access to clean water through scientific research and developing technological culture appropriate to local conditions? Do entrepreneurs face bureaucratic or other obstacles, while undertaking any enterprise? What should be the role of media in promoting S&T awareness? These were the main issues discussed in the two day Seminar on Science & Technology for Socioeconomic Development in the OIC Countries organized by Comstech-PTCL Frontier Technologies Research Centre, Islamabad.
CPC has been involved in providing research and training opportunities associated with the development of the new technologies, and making efforts to shape policies in the OIC member states.
Speakers for the seminar were invited from King Abdul Aziz City for Science & Technology, Saudi Arabia, United Nations University (UNU), Japan, Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Italy, Islamic Academy of Sciences (IAS) and News agencies in UAE, Iran and Egypt.
The main objective of seminar was to discuss ways to build a scientific & technological culture by promoting awareness of the relationship between science, technology, and socioeconomic growth.
The seminar provided an opportunity to the three most important players of S&T , that is, scientists , policy makers and media experts to share experience and obtain an international perspective with regards to S&T strategies and policies and propose options that could accelerate progress in the OIC and other developing countries.
Attention of the three players was drawn towards the link between advancement in S&T and socioeconomic development and need for linking media and the scientific community for bridging the digital divide.
The seminar was divided into two main themes (a) focused on the role of science and technology in socio-economic development and (b) the role of media in promoting science and technology. It focuses on the responsibility of media for promoting science and technology and reducing the knowledge gap within a muslim country, among the muslim countries and among the developed and muslim countries), were invited.
The main topics presented under the sub-theme “Role of science and technology: the global perspective” related to the current state of technology in the muslim world; and the role of international organizations, such as UNU, TWAS, IAS and the initiatives taken by them to cope with the challenges of globalization and new economy, including programmes, such as bio-diplomacy initiative by UNU, Grants and International Cooperation Programmes of TWAS, IAS and KACST.
The topics discussed under the theme “Entrepreneurship: S&T- based initiatives” were mainly related to issues like enhancing innovative activities driving competition, need for venture capital and entrepreneurship and its potential, collaborative research, use of ICTs for socioeconomic development, etc.
The theme suggested that the present day knowledge economy is governed by information productivity and competitiveness and the whole world is moving towards it. The Muslim world must also improve its condition with commitment, planning appropriate policies and setting up policy institutes for research and advise. Technologies, such as information and communication technologies can empower the poor and the weak by enabling them to address their basic needs.
Public and private sector investments in applied research and development are crucial for productivity and growth and should also be reflected in the policy. For entrepreneurship, information, training and capacity building are strongly recommended. This also requires support of adequate policy framework integrating S&T, information, communication, social sciences, education, etc., for arriving at solutions that are sustainable at the grass roots level.
The second day of the seminar focused on this under the theme “Prioritizing S&T in National Agenda: media’s role for the paradigm shift.” The aim was to prepare a strategy and an action plan to create an awareness through the media amongst the policy makers, the general public of OIC member states about the role of science and technology.
The presenters discussed the expected role of the media, strategies for enhancing the communication flows among OIC countries, balancing development and political issues in the media agenda, etc. The scientists argued that all news items relate to politics and the share of scientific news in the papers is very small. Thus there should be a policy for providing equal share to all kinds of news.
It was argued that policy-makers, parliamentarians and the general public who most need to make use of the research findings of the scientists, generally don’t have the time to read and understand technical details published in the costly journals. To overcome such a situation, efforts are needed, such as organizing face-to-face events, workshops, briefings for media, scientists and policy-makers, and also developing information-laden websites.
Recommendations focused on mobilizing all available means to promote deeper public awareness of the importance of S&T; strengthening of the governments, role in improving the overall infrastructural support for S&T; developing innovative, efficient, flexible and internationally competitive economy, that can find innovative solutions to major societal problems. A road map is required to be built for promoting technologies that have the potential to ensure long term industrialization and increased agricultural output, which can lead to knowledge economies and socio-economic benefits. And to achieve the above objectives there is a need to set up multi disciplinary policy institutes which can help acquire the necessary skills.
Only commitment towards science and technology and its application in the right direction can solve the problem of hunger and poverty, of access to clean water, of insanitation, of protecting the natural resources and environment. We cannot afford to ignore science today, because we have to seek its help at every turn. The present as well as the future belongs to science. Without developing an effective science, technology and innovation base, Muslim countries will not be able to cope with the challenges of socioeconomic nature as well as those related to national security that are getting complex day by day.
The writer is a programme leader at the Comstech PTCL Frontier Technologies Research Centre
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