Mohamed Ayman Zerban* and Nadien Ayman Zerban

Innovation and Research in Arab Countries: Do we really want our Youth to Join the World’s Scientific Club?

Mohamed Ayman Zerban* and Nadien Ayman Zerban

College of Engineering, Drexel University, USA* and Alwadi International, Jeddah, KSA.

Abstract:

Young Arabs has been as large in number in today’s world more than ever. The Arab region is the youngest of world regions, with youth between the ages of 15 and 24 years comprising a major percentage of its population. As Arab countries face the challenge of a population whose adolescents now form two third of the total, an opportunity and a threat exist. With a clear vision and strategy we can benefit from them and also with myopia we will be the big losers. Arab countries had a long history of innovation and scientific research. Currently, we are deteriorating. The clear understanding of our improvement in the past will help us to identify the pillars of advanced future.

The aims of this paper are to shed light on the history of innovation and research in Arab countries, identifying contemporary problems that hinder scientific research with the objective to clear our path towards improving Arab scientific research for the prosperity of our community and the world at large. This paper is classified into three sections that cover the previous aims and gives an idea in an effort to understand and promote research among Arab youth. Finally a conclusion is drawn to help build an environment for technology and scientific production in the new knowledge based economy.

1. History of innovation and research in Arab Countries:

Arab and Islamic countries have historically made huge contributions in science, mathematics and various areas of scientific research. The uprising of science and technology in Europe from the 16th century onwards has its origin in the Arab and Islamic world. Rushdi (2002, p.27) states that:

“History of Arabic science, which extended from the eighth century tillthe end of the seventh century, is, generally speaking, not fully known until today. However, full knowledge of Arabic science is not only important for the Arab/Islamic culture, as a way of self-knowledge, but also important for correct and scientific knowledge of history of science as a field. Moreover, it leads to correcting the distorted knowledge that prevailed about the evolution of the European seventeenth century scientific practice”.

Arabs were leaders in astronomy, medicine, optics, cartography, physics and chemistry. Many centers of scientific research were scattered across Arab ruled countries as in Cairo, Baghdad, Damascus and Cordoba. The Egyptian doctor Ibn-Al-Nafis recognized the importance of lungs in purifying blood in the 13th century before the Europeans long ago. Guessoum 2009 (p.4) pointed to the effort and contributions of Ibn-Nafis by stating that he was able to made a “huge progress in Medicine, Surgery, Pharmacology, etc., with new tools, new techniques (including corpse dissection), and new discoveries (the pulmonary blood circulation loop)”

In the 9th century Arabs treated those who are mentally ill with music. Also in the 9th century the magnificent mathematician Baghdadscientist Al-Khwarizmi invented algebra and solved linear and quadratic equations using algorithms which was the basis for computer programming (Covington, 2007). Science and technology can, if used properly, provide the means to build nations. They are very important to improve health and create wealth. They can help to prosper nations and thus decrease societal tensions and true will to build international alliances for benefiting human beings (Maziak, 2005).

During the closing of the first millennium and the beginnings of the second millennium learning in Arab countries was encouraged in every field of knowledge. Arab countries became a hub of scientific research. Scholars and students were travelling across Arab countries to learn. One of the leaders in physics is Alhasan Ibn-al-Haitham (965-1039B.C) who reversed the Greek notion that light is emitted from the eye and he argued that light rays travel in the opposite direction. It reflects off the surface of objects to enter the eye. By putting his concepts to various tests he introduced the experimental method of proof focusing on verifying theories in practice. This was a key element in modern science which was missing from the less empirical Greek tradition.Guessoum 2009used Al-Khalili 2009 speech and stated (p.1):

“Isaac Newton is the undisputed father of modern optics-or so we told at school…Yet …in the field of optics, Newton himself stood on the shoulders of a giant who lived 700 years earlier … Without doubt, another great physicist, who is worthy of ranking up alongside Newton, [is] al-Hassan Ibn al-Haythm [965 Iraq- 1039 Egypt]. He concluded: “Ibn al-Haythm is regarded as the father of modern scientific method …. Most people in the West will never been heard of him”.

Another Arab scientist, Ibn Sina with his book “Qanun of Medicine” served as the standard medical text in Europe for several centuries. He also contributed to the use of reason and logic as the way to gain knowledge. Covington (2007, pp.5-6) argued that:

“Arab science succeeded as much as pragmatic applications as it did in theoretical concepts. Islamic scholars distinguished themselves from their Greek predecessors who were inventive in ideas than in practical matters. Arab scholars introduced the practice of peer review and citations to confirm their source material ….. The importance of all branches of learning including science is emphasized in the Quran which reads in chapter 58 verse 11, “God will raise up in rank those of you who have been given knowledge”

After progress for few centuries, Arab contributions to science and innovation deviate from the path of progress and abate very quickly. What are the causes? And the current problems facing Arab research and innovation are the concern of the second section.

1. Problems facing Arab countries in the area of research and innovation:

Scientific research has a great impact on production and economic development. A well developed scientific research institutions play a massive role in the prosperity of societies. Science only develops in advanced societies where economy and commerce are flourishing. It is a loop where every part feed the other taking into consideration all pillars is supported. Historically Arab countries contributed a lot to the world’s scientific development, however today they are in the back seats. As expressed by Sawahel (2010, p.3)

“Although some Arab countries have large resources and cash reserves, the dismal state oh higher education in the Arab world is evident from the fact that, among the 22 member countries of the Arab league, only two Arab universities in Saudi Arabia rank within the top 500 universities in the world. No Arab country is classified as economically advanced or scientifically proficient, while six Arab states are designated as among the least developed countries”.

Most Arab officials don’t have real intention towards advancing scientific research despite the fact that all of them are promoting the idea of bridging the gap between research and industry and translating research into reality. Progress in scientific research requires commitment from states to establish institutions as well as resources to advance science and technology. Private sector as well as research centers with collective efforts can build technological environment. The weakness in telecommunications, internet infrastructure and not using them properly coupled with high cost of connecting to the internet are major barriers responsible for not advancing human capital development in the Arab region. As noted by Bontis (2002, p.9);

“The region lacks a comprehensive and strategic approach to the multifaceted challenges and opportunities of the global information and knowledge society, where competitiveness reigns supreme (D’Oville, 1999). Although the development of ICT in the Arab region faces many challenges, it has a huge potential for Arab trade and industry if government and private sectors unite to support it”.

Constraints on scientific research in Arab countries are not limited to the weakness and fragmentationof institutional structures but also to the absence of legal frameworks and limited funding of research to advance and sustain it. Most Arab countries lack well designed scientific and technological policies. There is no informatics industry in Arab countries. Although many Arab countries have talented researchers, lack of co-ordination and absence of strategy hinder progress. Alaw (2008, p.1) states:

“There is still a large gap between Arab countries and the international community in scientific spending … spending on scientific research in all Arab countries did not exceed 0.5% of GDP in 1992, which is a small percentage compared to those in Sweden and France, where it reached 2.9% and 2.7% of GDP, respectively … The 2004 UNSCO data indicates that Arab countries combined allocated $1.7 billion for scientific research, a rate which is equivalent to 0.3% of their GDP. The government sector finances about 80%of the total funding … compared with 3% by the private sector. This is in contrast to developed countries and Israel, where the share of the private sector finances 70% in Japan and 52% in Israel … this demonstrates the lack of private investment in the development process in the Arab world”.

The Arab countries research products in the form of publications, registered patents are amongst the lowest in the world. One of the main reasons that create barriers towards advanced Arab research is the immigration of doctors, engineers and scientists. It has been estimated that 54% of doctors, 26% of engineers and 17% of scientists graduating from Arab and African universities migrate to Europe, United States of America and Canada. Problem to Arab research severed and coupled when it is known that half of African and Arab students studying abroad never return. One of the Arab countries recently (Algeria) in order to tackle the problem of brain drain, although it is not agreed upon, stop sending talented students from studying abroad (Tashani, 2009).A survey for the performance of Arab students at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair clarify that the whole Arab world won only 24 prizes in the last 10 years. The percentage of Arab winning students from participation throughout the past 10 years is 16% while in Sri Lanka 50% and in Israel it is 94%. The following figure gives some examples for percentage of winning projects.

Fig 1: Percentage of winning projects in some countries

Zayton (2005) pointed to push and pull factors of developing and developed countries that contribute to the brain drain. From this pull factors, offering training and research opportunities to postgraduate students from Arab countries, easing visas for talented students and opening recruitment offices in countries lacking research opportunities. It was estimated that Arab countries gross losses from brain drain to western countries reached to $200 billion in 2003.

Afifi (2011) in UNESCO report about Arab youth referred to the increasing number of adolescentsas “youth bulge”. Kabbani (2011) in the same veinpointed to the highest number of unemployment in the world is in the Arab region with the exception of Qatar and this is caused partially by low quality of education system which is manifested in no Arab country have average test scores on standardized math and science exceeding the world average. Furthermore, a deviation exists between the skills offered by the education system and skills needed for labor market.Gussoum (2009, p.4) argues for the reasons of deteriorating of Islamic science and renaissance of Europe by stating:

“The decline of Islamic science indeed has a very complex set of causes, including: precarious social support, institutional isolation, wide geographical extent, slow communication among scholars, political instability and intellectual fragmentation of knowledge … in addition to these causes, I usually stress the rise of Europe: the emergence of universities in their modern form, the invention of the printing press, and the dawning of the age of discovery (of new words) and prosperity”.

Although the gross enrolment rate in Arab universities doubled nearly in the last two decades, however the expansion was coupled by restrictions imposed on public funds allocated to universities in most Arab countries. The budgets of 30 universities and research and development centers were examined over a number of years and budgetary cut was mostly related to quality of education and research. Funds allocated to new books and periodicals as well as attending conferences and maintenance and buying new laboratories are among the items reduced and most probably eliminated. Most of universities budget is directed to wages and salaries. The poor working and living conditions for Arab researchers make them reluctant to purse research career or in most cases left their countries. The proportion of students enrolled in Egyptian universities in science and technology study programmers has declined from 50% to 20% in the last two decades consequently the enrollment in social science programs showed a high rate of increase. Even when students enrolled in science and technology programmers, they lack advice and direction from most academic staff who are less available, overloaded with teaching and less committed to fulfill their research duties due to absence of incentives (Zayton, 2005).

This section highlights some problems faced Arab researchers, although problems are huge but thinking about solutions and improving our situation is not mission impossible.

1. Steps towards improving Arab scientific research:

The comprehensive development strategy for youth and young researchers depend on a well developed education system. It is necessary to build a future generation able to think critically and solve problems. Knowledge is a cornerstone in the development process. It is apparent then that the role of higher education institutions needs to be modified in order to suit current international developments, with its various political, economic and social challenges. It is necessary to (Al-Rashdan, 2012)

Create a framework of balanced, democratic oversight in which diverse groups, including the state, the private sector, civil society institutions and academic organizations and personnel, takes part. Such participation in managing and supervising university affairs paves the way for close cooperation between all of these groups. This is also related to the necessity of forming boards of managers to run the universities, made up of independent figures not loyal to certain forces in society. Lay out a legislative framework to run the universities on an institutionalized – not personalized – basis, while respecting transparency and legal accountability

In today’s world where globalization and information technology dominated, quality and education of labor became very important. Competition in the labor market crosses national borders. Arab states need to formulate and implement realistic action plan for modernizing education sector in schools and universities to increase research capacity. The number of scientists and engineers working in Arab countries is 124 per million population, compared with 2830 per million population in OECD countries. Sawahel (2010) argued for the need to build “employability skills”, such as computer science, communication and foreign languages and also companies to focus on training. Arab research despite its shortage, the research done still focus on traditional areas such as agriculture. A need to enter new field is necessary such as biotechnology.A will for new ways about thinking and implementing strategies is needed. In order for research and development to flourish, political will must establish an infrastructure for research. The fractional sums most Arab countries currently spending which do not exceed less than 1% of GNP compared to developed countries where the ratio is between 3% to 5% must increased with the cooperation of companies, foundations and non-profit organizations. The ability to convert research to industrial solution will help to convert spending from taking money to providing money to contributors.The encouragement by the state to companies to make training an integral part of their view can benefit research and development. Close links between industry and research centers must be established and enhanced to encourage innovation based environment. According to Alaw (2008), it is necessary for universities and research centers in the Arab world to contribute in solving industrial and technological problems that hinder development giving into consideration that (p.2):

“This could only be accomplished by planning a long-term strategy for educationprograms and scientific research outputs, providing long-term financial support to the scientific research centers in existing Arab universities and institutions, and the creation of new centers and institutions, even in the field of humanities and social sciences. It is also necessary to strength and develop the existing scientific cooperation between scientific research centers in the Arab countries and the European countries on the basis of mutual respect and common benefit”

Although Arab Countries face many problems concerning resources not all of them face the same problems in the area of scare resources. Some of them have advantage in human and talented resources while others have sufficient financial resources and have the will to advance scientific research and build knowledge based economy. The creation of scientific networks between Arab countries can provide effective and low cost channel of communication to advance scientific research. Zayton (2005, p.130) states: