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First OIC Summit on Science and Technology Astana, Kazakhstan 10 th - 11 th September, 2017
First OIC Summit
on
Science and Technology
Astana, Kazakhstan
10th - 11th September, 2017
Acknowledgements
This document was prepared by COMSTECH (OIC Standing Committee
on Scientific and Technological Cooperation) in consultation with 157 leading
scientists from 20 OIC Countries as well as in the EU and North America who
gave generously of their time and vision.
Many valuable inputs were received from the OIC Department of Science and
Technology and the Islamic Development Bank at Jeddah, as well as from
Member States and the OIC Standing Committees.
Their contribution and commitment is gratefully acknowledged
Dr. Shaukat Hameed Khan,
Coordinator General of COMSTECH
(OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and
Technological Cooperation),
Islamabad, Pakistan.
This is an exciting time for science technology and innovation (STI).
Its influence on the way we live and work and communicate with one
another is enormous and a new relationship is emerging between science
and society, whose morphology is as yet unclear.
The pursuit of knowledge and the new frontiers which follow naturally will
witness an ever increasing impact on all of humanity in the 21st century.
We are all living longer because of scientific discoveries and the
technology innovations which follow inexorably.
Mankind is on the threshold of settlements in space at the same time as
poverty eradication is within our grasp.
Science is disruptive,
and flourishes in an environment of irreverence.
Science and technology offer the tools for making change
as well as managing it.
As Muslims with a great tradition of seeking knowledge
wherever it is available,
Let us prove worthy of this great human enterprise.
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page
1. Introduction: 1
2. Basic Priorities for 2025
# 1. Nurture the ‘Thinking Mind’; Build a Scientific Culture ..........................
# 2. Making People Employable; Education and Skills . .......................................
# 3. Security of Water, Food and the Environment .............................................
# 4. Ensure Healthy Lives for all Citizens .....................................................
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3. Universities and Emerging Sciences and Technology
3.1 Improve the Quality of Higher Education . ................................................
3.2 State of Research in OIC Countries ........................................................
3.3 The Case for Mathematics and Physics .......................................................
3.4 Biology and Biotechnology for the 21st Century ..........................................
3.5 The Chemical Sciences ..............................................................
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4. Managing Big Data with Security in The Digital Economy
4.1 Greater Intra-OIC Digital Connectivity ....................................................
4.2 ICT and Top Level Domain (TLDs) .......................................................
4.3 Patents and Industrialization ............................................................
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5. Managing Energy and The Environment
5.1 The Case for Renewable Energy ......................................................
5.2 The Case for Nuclear Power ..........................................................
5.3 One Planet; The Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability ..............
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6. Proposals for Multinational Big Science Programs
6.1 Space .............................................................
6.2 Astronomy ........................................................
6.3 Accelerators and Synchrotron Light Sources
6.4 Mapping the Marine Environment of OIC States .........................................
6.5 The Minerals Directory of OIC States ...........................................
6.6 High Performance Computer Centres (HPCCs) .....................................
6.7 Science and Technology Projects with Economic Potential .......................
6.8 Facilitating Intra – OIC Trade and Competitiveness ...............................
6.9 Managing Rapid Urbanization and Growth of Mega Cities .......................
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7. Enhancing Cooperation Among OIC Countries
7.1 Centres of Excellence; “Mother/ Focal Institutes” ..............................
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8. Structure of Implementation and Monitoring
Table 1: Overall Structure .......................................................
8.1 Composition and Role of the Steering Committee ..................
8.2 Role of Advisory Committees and Working Groups ...............................
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9. Funding Requirements
9.1 The Cost Breakdown of Major Categories of the Plan ...............................
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Annexure 1: Timelines and Estimated Costs .........................................
Annexure 2: Some Statistics on Education, Science and Health in OIC .....
Annexure 3: Some Recommendations of the Meeting of OIC Ministers of Science and Education, Islamabad, 1st June 2016
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1
Science and Technology for the Ummah, 2025
1. Introduction
Science and technology will play a critical role in addressing contemporary challenges of
development across multiple dimensions including poverty alleviation, health, environmental
preservation, and ensuring security of food, water, and energy - today and in the years to come.
Knowledge and critical thinking, of which science and technology are the most visible symbols, and
key drivers of change, not just in terms of economic growth and development, but in all human
enterprise in this century; this includes creating and managing the tools for change.
Recognising this imperative, the Twelfth Session of the Islamic Summit Conference, held in Cairo
on 25-26 Rabi' al-Awwal 1434 H (6-7 February, 2013), mandated COMSTECH to organize the
Summit of OIC Member Countries devoted exclusively to Science and Technology. The First OIC
Summit on Science and Technology is therefore now being hosted in Astana, Kazakhstan from 10-
11 September, 2017.
The Astana Declaration on Science and Technology will reaffirm the commitment of Member States
to take further necessary actions for mainstreaming Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in
national policies and strategies, and fostering international collaboration for their promotion and
advancement.
The Working Document prepared for the Astana Summit has drawn inspiration from two landmark
documents i.e. Vision 1441H enunciated at the 10th Islamic Summit in Malaysia, 2003, and the Ten
Year Programme of Action (TYPOA) announced at the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the Islamic
Summit, Makkah, 2005. In addition, key OIC documents such as the OIC Strategic Health
Programme of Action (OICSHPA 2014-2023) and OIC Water Vision, 2012- 2025 have been
consulted, as well as the more recent OIC Program of Action 2025.
This Document has been discussed by OIC Ministers of Science and education at the COMSTECH
General Assembly, Islamabad, 30th May-1st June, 2016) who endorsed the Document and
recommended it to Member States for further refinements, if any. Valuable inputs have been
received from several Member States and various OIC agencies in meetings held recently in the
OIC Secretariat, and incorporated into the Document.
Encouraging advances have no doubt been registered in Member States in the areas of higher
education, science, and technology. This is reflected in the tripling of scientific publications and
researchers, and major investments by several Member States in education and scientific
infrastructure. However, the OIC countries generally lag behind other fast developing nations.
The Document also proposes a mechanism for building collective competence in a wide array of
themes ranging from water, food and agriculture to energy, the basic and applied sciences, and
large multinational projects, in addition to strengthening international linkages with the best in the
world.
This Document has focussed on ‘high technology’ within the context of the ongoing global
imperatives and the accompanying techno-economic-information revolution. This transition has
resulted in a massive realignment and shift in centres of economic activity and relocation of
manufacturing, services and design from developed to developing countries, globally and
regionally. The key features of this revolution are:
a. The nature of work and workplace is changing, leading to a 24 / 7 society.
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b. Technological and organisational changes have reduced the relative demand for unskilled
labour in developing countries since the 1980s. The skilled worker may actually be more
sought after than the scientist, with the result that SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) in
emerging economies are evolving into global players offering complete supply chains.
c. New centres of power are emerging because of urban concentrations and growth of large
cities and demographic transitions with completely different dynamics, which have important
implications for society.
2. BASIC PRIORITIES FOR 2025
Four basic priorities are identified, which must be firmly in place in a Member State before expecting
good science or meaningful collaboration with other Member States.
Priority # 1: Nurture the Thinking Mind: Build a Scientific Culture
Notwithstanding some important gains in the past decade, a true scientific culture is conspicuous
by its absence, whereas this is as an essential pre-requisite for any sustainable impact on society
in OIC countries. Enough emphasis and attention is not given to the role of critical thought despite
the fact that numerous verses in the Koran exhort believers to observe, think, reflect and think
again (Chapter 3: Al - Imran, verse # 190).
There is a tendency sometimes to hail the earlier glorious period of Islamic science while ignoring
the example of great Muslim scientists and philosophers, such as Al Razi and Ibn Rushd among
others, who insisted that there is little value without critical thinking, reason and evidence. There
should be no fears about the disruptive nature of knowledge and science, as this has been part of
our heritage and traditions for centuries.
It is emphasised that science is nurtured by governments as much as the social norms of a
country, which must be willing to embrace the pursuit of knowledge and it’s accompanying
disruptions. Building a true scientific culture in Muslim countries would require a paradigm shift
and greater commitments from governments for building an enabling eco-system.
Recommendations and Targets :
a. “Catch them young” at the school, so that critical thinking and curiosity can flourish in the
school systems, and to get rid of current assumptions, generalisations, and requirements
of examination systems.
b. Select teachers and curricula with care, especially the former. Critical thinking skills can
only be taught to students if teachers go through effective communication training.
c. Provide broad based quality education, including the social sciences, which includes
appreciation of one’s own cultural heritage and that of others.
d. Make people employable through higher and different skills.
e. Focus on the technical and vocational levels for enhanced productivity in agriculture,
industry and service sectors, with a target of minimum 20% enrolment in technical /
vocational education among the 15-19 year age cohort.
f. Raise national education budget levels to at least 8% of GDP by 2025.
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Priority # 2: Making People Employable: Education and Skills.
Every OIC Member State must now recognize that education is a “public good” and must therefore
increase public investments at all levels, whether it is at the university, the school, or technical and
vocational levels. It is imperative to ensure universal and equitable access to education up to the
secondary level, irrespective of gender, coupled with major investments in development of skills
and vocational training for the youth as well as adults.
An excellent example is from Kazakhstan, where President Nursultan Nazarbayev has announced
the new project "Free vocational education for all", to be launched in 2017.
No OIC country except Kazakhstan matches the highest benchmarks in international competitive
tests such as (TIMSS and PIRLS, 2011), which points to poor quality of curriculum and teaching
methods that are below international standards.
Enhanced productivity in agriculture, industry and service sector demands different and higher skills
which are certifiable internationally. A better balance also needs to emerge between graduate and
post graduate education. There is general consensus that proficiency in mathematics and science,
as well as computer skills are essential enablers for learning, generation of new knowledge,
enhanced competitiveness, and providing decent employment with decent jobs and wages, leading
to a new set of entrepreneurs.
Recommendations and Targets :
i. Ensure universal, equitable and inclusive quality education at all levels of education, and
promote life-long learning opportunities that advance knowledge and skills needed for
gainful employment, entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable development.
ii. Elevate STEM education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), as a key
priority in OIC Countries, while skills in ICT and digital technology must be made compulsory
at all tiers of education, especially in high schools.
iii. Focus on rural areas, where quality education and skills for young people and women can
translate into more productive, efficient and sustainable farming, rearing of livestock, and
related agricultural services.
iv. Raise the allocation for all tiers of education to a minimum of 8 percent of annual national
budgets, and a minimum 20% enrolment in technical /vocational education among the
15-19 year age group in order to raise productivity in agriculture, industry and services.
v. Member countries may wish to link universal education goals to conditional cash transfers
for social welfare programs in economically deprived areas.
Priority # 3: Security of Water, Food and the Environment
Food safety and security is affected by several factors. First, the “green” revolution is essentially
over and high growth rates in agriculture will not be sustained through current technology, practice
and attitudes alone. Second, the use of genetically modified seeds is increasing. Third, climate
change has increased the vulnerability of farming communities. Fourth, food processing is
widespread, because of changes in life styles and urbanization, which requires long shelf life of
products. Fortunately, considerable expertise, as well as products and processes are available in
Member States to manage this transition.
Most OIC member states are running out of usable land and water, which is further exacerbated
by climate change and its likely impact on food security. The urgency of the matter calls for all
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measures to maximise outcomes from the least amount of water, as well as achieving universal
and equitable access to safe drinking water.
Food security and safety will be enhanced through better use of water, seeds, preservation of plant
bio-diversity (Gene Banks), and safety standards in the context of growing food processing,
especially as regards Halaal Food. A key input will be extension of good agricultural practices and
training, focussing on women who generally make up a large proportion of the rural workforce.
Recommendations and Targets for Water Use, Re-cycling, and Management:
i. Increase efficiency in water use and combat desertification by encouraging drought and
salt tolerant seeds and practices, drip irrigation, and laser land levelling;
ii. Aim for minimum 90% recycling of urban waste water. Phytoremediation provides an
important tool for chronic industrial and toxic waste pollution;
iii. Prepare national water budgets at the ‘local’ levels, supplemented by monitoring of sub-
aquifers, glaciers, and loss in canals (60 % of Member States outside the tropics depend
on canals and avoid growing water-intensive crops in water stressed areas;
iv. Expand water storage in countries where this can be done in order to exploit the
positive aspects of global warming, which predicts higher precipitation;
v. Facilitate appropriate integrated water resources management at all trans-boundary
flows in order to minimise possibility of conflict of shared waters.
Recommendations and Targets for Farm Productivity and Plant Biodiversity
i. Reduce post-harvest losses through sharing and adoption of modern techniques, based on
specific case studies and best practices in the world;
ii. Employ modern biotechnology to develop of salt and drought tolerant seeds;
iii. Set up National Gene Banks for conservation and exchange of PGR (plant genetic resources)
with research centre in Member States.
iv. Undertake legal and other measures in Member States for protection of the ‘geographical’
origin’ of their traditional foods and crops.
Recommendations and Targets for Food Safety and Halal Certification:
In concert with the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS),
i. Re-organise National Food Safety Authorities for integration of safety and security of the
entire food chain, from the land to the factory and the table by verification of hygienic,
nutritional and organoleptic qualities. It will cover animal feed, livestock, and the
manufacturers, transformers, carriers, and distributors of packaging, additives, ingredients,
cleaning products, as well as pesticides, fertilizers and veterinary medicine;
ii. Ensure proper identification to avoid adulteration and misrepresentation;
iii. Rigorously enforce International Standards such as IFS (Food Safety initiative), BRC
(British Retail Consortium), EurepGAP (European Retail Protocol for Good Agricultural
Practice), and ISO 22000 (Food Safety Management System);
iv. Adopt and share practices for certification and verification of Halal food, whose market is
valued at about US $ 2 to 3 trillion annually. COMSTECH.
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Priority # 4: Ensure Healthy Lives for all Citizens. Together with education and skills,
and food security, it is necessary to ensure that the determinants of effective public health are
firmly in place to ensure well-being of citizens. This encompasses human and human health
and the environment.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Strengthen political commitment for developing public health systems;
ii. Ensure universal access to clean drinking water and sanitation;
iii. Reduce maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births, neonatal mortality
to 12 per 1,000 live births, and under-5 mortality to 25 per 1,000. This requires training of
the health workforce especially paramedics and technicians;
iv. Provide reliable access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and
vaccines for all, and increase the capacity for their indigenous manufacture;
v. Confront the challenge of antimicrobial MDR (multiple-drug-resistance) and promote
rational use of drugs as a public health priority;
vi. Create a cadre of trained epidemiologists to reduce the burden of communicable / non-
communicable diseases, and emerging viruses and epidemics;
vii. Implement fast and cheap diagnostic systems allowing early dsease prognosis and
containment of epidemic cases;
viii. Increase health financing to a minimum of 10% of national budgets by 2025 (the OECD
average is 16%), and allocate nearly half to cover essential healthcare and financial risks.
3. UNIVERSITIES AND EMERGING SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY
With the foundations of education and skilled healthy manpower firmly in place, it will be possible
to focus on promotion of higher education and research in emerging areas of science and
technology. This requires building up sustainable infrastructure in universities and research
institutions, and preparation of programmes for building domestic innovation and technology
capabilities.
There are no Nobel Prizes for technology, only in basic sciences !
Basic sciences have quite often been neglected at the altar of patents and economic gains, even
though these have unintended disruptive consequences for society at large. Research is
unpredictable and the basic theme of this document is the promotion of inter-disciplinary research,
while giving equal importance to basic and applied sciences.
1.1 Improve the Quality of Higher Education.
In an environment of rapid growth in enrolments and expectations from higher education, it is
emphasised that the challenges will basically have to be managed by each and every Member State
itself. OIC organs and COMSTECH can only supplement these activities and policies, and cannot
be a substitute for weak national policies.
Although several countries have developed and strengthened national policies in recent years and
created reasonable enabling environments for science and technology, the quality of higher
education and research intensity lags behind developed countries.
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In many countries, universities have expended time and resources in modernising management
systems and processes, which has tended to become market oriented, while neglecting academic
processes and education.
University education in Member States must move beyond simple expansion in enrolment and
faculty numbers or publications, and shift the focus must towards contemporary knowledge
generation, excellent teaching, and expanded international linkages.
In 2016, only 11 universities in OIC countries ranked among the top 500 according to the THE
system, and 22 according to the QS methodology.
While economic gains from modern science and technology are desirable, emphasis on economic
benefits alone needs to be seen in the context of a sustainable eco-system, whose dynamics and
reward systems care different from those of mere technological and managerial innovation.
The OIC States are also facing the challenge of the ‘brain drain’, a global race for men and women
of talent who are sought eagerly by every nation.
Basic Recommendations and Targets:
i. Aim for minimum 50 universities for inclusion among the top 500 globally by 2025;
ii. Reverse the neglect of the basic sciences and emphasize ethics and social resposibility;
iii. Make faculty the ‘long pole’ in the tent of education and research and allow time to build a
critical mass of teachers and research groups in key areas, especially for fresh PhDs;
iv. Reverse the brain drain by attracting and retaining top talent, and build partnerships to
ensure top researchers have access to world-class academic space;
v. Review current faculty performance metrics, whereby disproportionate emphasis is placed
on publications and not enough on teaching. Globally, there is much discomfort at this race
for publications and their quality, and stricter scrutiny of online journals needs to be done
in order to avoid ‘fake research’ and plagiarism;
vi. Bridge the cultural divide between social and physical sciences by making social science
modules compulsory for physical scientists and vice versa;
vii. Prepare a common OIC framework for accreditation, and equivalence of standards of public
and private institutions, and discourage education as business while maintaining
institutional autonomy. The latter have increased their footprint in recent years, and can
be then eligible for state funding.
viii. Promote networking and linkages within OIC and with leading world universities for
research partnerships and sharing of knowledge and experience.
ix. Reduce exclusive dependence on government financing or student fee, by returning to the
traditional ‘Waqf’, whereby land was endowed to madrassahs for generating operational
expenses, as is the case in many universities in the developed countries.
3.2 State of Research in OIC Countries:
The state of research in OIC countries can be gauged by the fact that nearly 79% of the 134,029
scientific publications in 2016 emanated from just seven countries, and 45% of them originated
from just two countries, Turkey and Iran. The rate of increase may be slowing down in Turkey,
Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Saudi Arabia had the best score according to the Nature Index of
publications in elite journals.
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Research in arts and humanities is even weaker, with just 7,425 articles published by the top nine
countries between 200-2016. Four countries had a combined share of 80% (Turkey 54%;
Iran10.7%; Malaysia (9.2%); and Egypt 6.4%).
The big spenders on R&D in 2016 in absolute US$ billions, and percent of GDP, adjusted for
purchasing power parity, (PPP) were: Turkey (US$ 13.41b, 0.86%); Iran (US$ 11.62b, 0.90%);
Qatar (US$ 9.36b, 2.70%); Malaysia (US$ 8.37 b, 1.07%); Pakistan (US$ 6.92 b, 0.75%); Saudi
Arabia (US$ 6.66b, 0.40%); Indonesia (US$ 4.34b, 0.30%); Egypt (US$ 4.23b, 0.43%); and
Bangladesh (US$ 4.00 b, 0.60%).
3.3 The Case for Mathematics and Physics
The trend is now for multidisciplinary research with mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry,
material science, and computers coming together to create a complete new value set, including
exciting new measurement and characterisation tools for industry and the sciences.
In materials, the greatest challenge is to understand and predict the broad range of materials that
can be used in a wide range of applications. Solar energy has also witnessed some impressive
developments in light to electricity conversion.
Nnanotechnology, graphene and nano-tubes are some of the most conspicuous recent
developments with novel applications in material sciences across a wide range of sectors.
Plasma physics has seen enhanced interest because of the construction of the ITER fusion facility
in France as well as laser based fusion. Fusion could become a feasible source of power, while.
lasers and photonics have revolutionised studies at the interface of science and engineering.
communication, atomic and molecular spectroscopy, defence, precision machining, etc.
At the theoretical level, mathematics and physics have always produced excellent science in areas
of general relativity and gravitation, cosmology, particle physics, group theory and nonlinear
problems. The true flavour of physics emerges when one adds the ongoing research into dark
matter or why there is unequal amount of matter and anti-matter, or why some elements are
heavier than others. It is interesting to note that a leading bridge designer in the world is a particle
physicist from Argentina who used his background in particle physics to switch over to a completely
new field.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Promote physics and mathematics at all levels, from the school to the university, since their
rigorous foundations provide excellent applications in research and industry.
ii. Invest in the better physics centres in OIC Member States to enable them to grow into
‘Mother Institutes’, focussing on specific groups of activities, which can be shared by other
countries. These include (but are not restricted to):
iii. Encourage design and development of modern teaching equipment and aids for schools and
universities (this capability exists already in some countries, and can be shared).
3.4 Biology and Biotechnology for the 21st Century
The 21st century will probably belong to biology and new materials, which now draw upon the
opportunities presented by the coming together of biology, physics, materials, nanotechnology,
mathematics, electronics and computers.
We are already witness to major advances and convergence in health and agricultural sciences,
drug design and delivery, and instrumentation, which is now broadly classified as biotechnology.
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This is having major impact on both academia and industry for biomaterials and bionics, imaging,
molecular sorting and diagnostics, and biosensors, and bacteriophages, to name just a few.
The drug discovery paradigm has shifted from the traditional hit-and-miss affair to computer aided
drug design for target-based discovery to improve bioavailability and biological activity.
‘Mother Institutes’ will be identified and promising research groups supported vigourously.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Confront the emerging antimicrobial MDR (multiple-drug-resistance) challenge by
promoting rational use of drugs as a public health priority;
ii. Expand work on biotechnological tools, using novel strategies and animal models;
iii. Support and leverage indigenous knowledge and medicine;
iv. Expand research in genomic and proteomics studies, regenerative medicine for congenital
defects, disease, trauma and ageing, and cultivation of medicinal plants;
v. Apply biotechnology and Next Generation Sequencing for personalized medicine, and
development of antibodies and recombinant antibodies for disease detection and
theranostics (which combine diagnostics and therapeutics into a single agent);
vi. Use high performance computation centres in OIC Member States for work in structural
and computational biology / bioinformatics, computational chemistry / molecular
modelling, and design and synthesis of new chemical entities and drugs;
vii. Initiate and expand research and development of biosensors (estimated market of US$ 16
b in 2016) and the development of rapid and cheap disease detection kits (real time
monitoring, serologic detection system, DNA/RNA arrays) ;
viii. Manage issues related to patents for bio-similars, or indefinite extension of pharmaceutical
patents through ‘data exclusivity)’ ;
ix. Finally, support nanosafety as a means for safer design of nanomedicine.
3.5 The Chemical Sciences
The excitement in recent years is the application of quantum mechanics to molecular and chemical
systems resulting in designer molecules. Computational chemistry and computational biology now
offer the possibility of manipulating atoms and molecules to create totally new entities, systems,
membranes, materials, and also fuel cells, which are critical for energy storage.
About 85% of the chemicals produced require catalysts for their preparation, refining,
manufacturing or creating new polymers, with a market of over US$ 40 billion in 2012, and growing
annually at about 6 %. industrial enzymes are projected to grow at a compound annual growth
rate (CAGR) of 9.1% to reach $6 billion by 2016. There is also increasing focus on, and.
Recommendations and Targets :
i. Employ regional high performance computation centers (HPCCs) in Member States, as
emphasized earlier, to be shared by researchers from all Member States;
ii. Assist academia and industry for research in industrial high value-added chemicals, catalysts,
polymers, composites/non-composites, nano-materials;
iii. Expand research in fuel cells as priority.
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4. MANAGING BIG DATA WITH SECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is a major catalyst and enabler for socio-
economic development, with a strong footprint in many sectors where it can directly add value.
ICT is also a unique factor in the emerging relationship between science and society in the 21st
century digital economy, whereby physical proximity is no longer necessary in making key
decisions, or implementing them. This requires seamless matching of transnational skills, which
can facilitate low cost solutions in developing countries.
However, availability of wider bandwidth, cheap storage and easy access to the digital media, the
internet, and social networking and personal management, has exposed the vulnerability of
individual privacy and privileges, especially the well being of young children.
Recommendations and Targets for Cyber Security:
The following actions will be undertaken in concert with partners in member states, OIC
organisations, to encourage the appropriate cyber security eco-system led by an OIC task force:
i. Review cyber emergency response strategies, programmes and laws, and will look at best
practices in leading OIC countries and manage their uniform adoption.
ii. Counter the adverse effect on young children, and protect them from online abuse / confusion
by disseminating awareness about better parental control/ child protection tools;
iii. Design and undertake ‘train the trainer’ courses, workshops and security exercises.
iv. Facilitate easier marketing, sales, and commissioning of IT products and services across
member states. This will be embedded firmly in a set of harmonized regulatory policies,
frameworks and IP laws.
4.1 Greater Intra-OIC Digital Connectivity
Providing full geographical coverage to citizens in the future inter-connected world of
communication, commerce, industry and education is valued everywhere.
Recommendations and Targets :
i. Connect OIC member states through secure, high speed, fibre-optic land and sea based
networks and satellite links, with built-in redundancy. This would need to be a secure intra-
OIC network in addition to SEAMEWE 3 and SEAMEWE 4, with service nodes within the OIC
States, in order to avoid disruption and enhancing security;
ii. Review curricula and delivery of IT education, which is in a state of rapid flux, in order to
bridge the academia / industry gap, and induct trained ICT competent teachers in schools;
iii. Government departments must make the transition to e-government for faster and more
transparent decision making;
4.2 ICT and Top Level Domains (TLDs).
The COMSTECH Document recommends the protection of TLDs with Islamic identities at the
Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) through a coordinated approach
by all OIC Member States.
4.3 Patents and Industrialisation:
Patent applications are a proxy for industrialisation, entrepreneurship and research, but the share
of OIC Member States in the 2.889 million global patent applications filed in 2012 was only 51,747
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(1.79%). The share of ‘residents’ in patent applications was extremely small except for Turkey and
Iran, indicating weakness in the local systems overall.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Encourage Technology Parks adjacent to leading universities in OIC Member States. This
will promote linkages with industry and business.
ii. Double the annual expenditure by 2025 on scientific infrastructure and R&D in those
countries which spend less than 0.3% of GDP, and aim for a target of 3.0% in countries
which are at a relatively advanced level.
iii. Aim for doubling the share of member states in global scientific output (publications and
patents) in the next ten years.
iv. Double the number of R&D workers per million population (to include all levels of scientific
manpower, including certified technicians)
v. Increase the share of high technology goods and services in the economies and trade of
member states, aiming for 15% by 2025 from the current 3.8%.
vi. Harmonise intellectual property rights across the OIC Countries. Initially, the MSs are
encouraged to join the Patent Cooperative Treaty (PCT).
5. MANAGING ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
The quality of modern human life has been and always will be completely dependent on assured
access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services. The energy-water-consumption-
pollution-climate change nexus will remain a major focus of concern.
The goal of energy autarky will be met through diversification of primary resource which, in turn,
is governed by national domestic resources, policies, and programmes, within the impact of
volatility in global pricing, and geo-politics or competition for resources.
Several studies suggest that global energy demand will double by 2040 compared with 2000 levels.
Emerging economies will be responsible for 90% of growth in demand, because of rising
populations and a fast growing middle class. The move towards RE (renewable energy) will be
sustained, although its share in the primary energy mix will still be over- shadowed by fossil fuels
which are predicted to have a 60-65 % by 2040.
Bio-fuels may not be sustainable, because they take away valuable agricultural land and water
meant for food-crops, especially ethanol which requires plenty of water. The negative impact of
bio-fuels on food crops can be gauged from the fact that reaching just 2% of global share could
require an area as large as France. Conversion of municipal waste to energy and electricity may
appear attractive, but it tends to be the biggest polluter per unit of electricity produced.
It is emphasised that energy related activities offer an important opportunity for
industrialisation through joint manufacture of energy/power plant equipment
Basic Recommendations and Targets for 2025:
i. Move towards high efficiency electricity generation systems (48%-60%) based upon super
critical and ultra-super critical coal based plants (using high pressure / high temperature
boilers), coupled with clean coal technologies.
ii. Upgrade national T&D (transmission and distribution) systems and introduce flexible two-
way T&D systems and distributed micro-grids to integrate renewable energy (RE).
11
iii. Promote passive houses, efficient cooling and heating systems, and energy efficient
appliances which are certifiable internationally.
iv. Increase the number of human settlements which adopt and implement integrated policies
for energy, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaption to climate change.
5.1 The Case for Renewable Energy
The problem with RE (solar, wind) is that it does not offer ‘base-load’ supply, which is only
available through fossil or nuclear fuels. Its variability is the biggest challenge for integration with
existing systems. Hydro-power too cannot always provide base-load in many OIC Countries, as it
can be seasonal, since its primary function is storage of water for agriculture.
Such fluctuations can be overcome through improved electricity storage systems, to allow ‘shift in
time’ for wider acceptance of RE.
RE everywhere has another limitation in that special subsides and FITs (Feed-in-Tariffs) are
required for its adoption. The economic sustainability of solar and wind energy has also been
questioned on the principle of EROeI (Energy Return on Energy Invested).
The focus of scientific and technological research must therefore be to design large scale storage
technologies, which leverage multiple applications in regular and micro-grid based systems, such
as covering peak demands and improved power quality and frequency regulation. These
requirements are already having major impact on the evolution of flexible two-way T&D
(transmission and distribution) systems and grids of the 21st Century.
Another significant source of renewable energy which has lagged behind solar and wind energy is
geothermal energy, perhaps due to uncertainties in reservoir capacity even though this source has
a greater base-load capability and potential.
Recommendations and Targets in RE for 2025:
i. Reduce greenhouse gases by targeting a RE share of at least 10% in national energy mix
of OIC States by 2025.
ii. Introduce of micro-grids and their integration into national systems, and encourage
distributed stand alone systems for small communities;
iii. Enhance national research for increasing solar cell efficiencies to reach commercially
deployable conversion factors of 40%;
iv. Design and develop energy storage systems such as fuel cells (5 MW for 2 hours) and
batteries (such as Lithium Ion and Vanadium Redox) for small storage applications;
v. Design and develop at least 60 MW molten salt storage tank with steam turbine systems,
compatible with concentrated solar power (CSP);
vi. Exploit recent advances in geophysical and reservoir engineering for using geothermal
energy in OIC countries where it is possible and available;
vii. Enhance intra-OIC and international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy
research and technologies such as carbon capture and storage.
5.2 The Case for Nuclear Power
There is a revival of interest globally in nuclear power, drawing upon lessons learnt from the
Fukushima disaster. As of 2016, there were 280 nuclear power plants with age below 30 years,
while 185 plants had been operating for 31-45 years, and would need major overhauls or shutdown.
Sixty-three new power plants are in various phases of planning and execution globally.
12
Eleven OIC States are planning the same, and some have already started construction of plants.
Excellent opportunities exist for cooperation in peaceful applications of nuclear technology in power
and non-power sectors. Pakistan is the only OIC state with several operational nuclear plants (45
years of experience in their management, upgrades, and life extension, a fuel cycle, and using
radiation in agriculture, cancer hospitals, and non destructive testing for industry).
It must be remembered that a major issue remains de-commissioning and handling of long-life,
high level radioactive waste. The matter is severe enough to warrant multilateral efforts as outlined
in the Blue Ribbon Commission Report of the USA in 2012.
Recommendations and Targets for Nuclear Power:
i. Initiate peaceful applications of nuclear technology in power and non-power sector,
consistent with respective obligations of Member States, and regulatory safety/security
standards as enunciated by the IAEA ((Int. Atomic Energy Agency).
ii. Establish a Fuel Bank in Kazakhstan In collaboration with IAEA and interested countries.
iii. Establish joint projects among Member States for nuclear power plant equipment.
iv. Initiate programmes for manufacturing radio-pharmaceuticals, and using radiation for
sterilisation of medical and food products, as per IAEA norms.
v. Prepare multinational programmes for safe disposal of highly radioactive waste.
COMSTECH will prepare a training programme for engineers and technicians on nuclear plant
operations, safety, security and regulatory matters, together with IAEA and OIC countries.
5.3 One Planet: The Environment, Climate Change and Sustainability.
Climate change and global warming is anthropomorphic and may have been underestimated. We
have only one planet as our habitat for the foreseeable future and it is facing a crisis of
unimaginable proportions.
Climate change is of particular concern for OIC states lying in climate-sensitive regions with major
impact on poverty, food security, and the burden of disease, which are already aggravated by
degradation of land and water, especially the marine environment and fisheries therein.
Recommendations and Targets:
It is recommended to set up an OIC Advisory Group with experts drawn from the Member States
to prepare a detailed plan of action including mitigation options. It would:
i. Help prepare national policies and capacity for effective planning and management for the
protection and restoration of ecosystems, including the marine environment.
ii. Help Member States to set up stations which monitor and collect detailed local data over
time for integration into system models, instead of remote foreign studies.
iii. Prepare a template of ‘green technologies’ which encompass the human habitat;
iv. OIC States must actively participate in implementing the recommendations of COP 21.
13
6. PROPOSALS FOR MULTINATIONAL BIG SCIENCE PROGRAMS
The present trend in scientific research is for joint ‘big’ science programmes which encourage
multidisciplinary frontier research in basic and applied sciences. All of them have important
spillovers in technological innovation and industry, and several countries can pool their human and
financial resources for joint designing, implementation and operation of such programmes which
can reduce financial burdens on individual states.
6.1 Space: Muslims too could venture into space in the near future. Space programmes are
expensive, and barring a handful of countries, require multinational efforts to minimises costs and
enhance outcomes.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Design and launch small satellites singly or jointly, for elegant experiments in low orbit;
ii. Jointly design and launch remote sensing satellites for observation, crop estimation and
disaster management, rescue at sea, and weather prediction.
iii. Consider an OIC Communication and Global Positioning System/Regional Navigation Satellite
System (GPS, RNSS).
iv. A Center for Space Technologies may be considered. This may lead to an Inter-Islamic Space
Agency, focusing on projects from space launch systems to manned vehicles.
6.2 Astronomy : There are no reasonably sized, functional astronomical telescopes in Member
States, whereas this is one area where Muslim scientists made seminal contributions in the past. A
ground-based 4m telescope using adaptive mirrors and laser ‘guide stars’ can now provide the
same or better resolution as the Hubble space telescope. Turkey has started construction of an
observatory in Eastern Anatolia, with commissioning expected in 2019.
Recommendations and Targets
i. Establish at least three 4 metre telescopes in the OIC region.
ii. Start work on the Pakistani 4 m telescope, as announced in June 2016.
iii. Set up one 4m telescope in Morocco, and one in Samarkand in honour of Ulugh Beg.
6.3 Accelerators and Synchrotron Light Sources: Accelerators and synchrotron light
sources permit multidisciplinary research at the frontiers of human scientific knowledge in multiple
fields, as well as handling of extremely large data, apart from excellent opportunities for
technological and industrial development.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Build at least one new 2-4 – 2.7 GeV accelerator in a Member States
ii. It is recommended to quickly make the SESAME machine in Jordan operational.
6.4 Mapping the Marine Environment of OIC States : The majority of member states are
maritime states, and are interconnected from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean through the
Mediterranean, the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean. Most of these areas represent some
of the most productive marine regions of the world oceans, and are a source of food, water, energy
and raw materials, as well as tourism, transport and commerce.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982, the maritime
jurisdiction of OIC member states has been extended to about 10 million square kilometres of
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which needs to be mapped extensively.
14
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Marine Environment Studies : Initiate joint programmes for reviewing and compiling data of
the marine environment. The data and map products will provide information on fisheries,
pollution, the sea-bed substrate including coastal erosion, sedimentation processes, sea-floor
geology and structural configurations and faults.
Four vessels and 5 years will be needed for the entire exercise (2-3 partners in each sub-
region). Note: 21 countries already possess 39 oceanography institutes, with 42 research
vessels, and cover the entire OIC region from the Pacific to the Atlantic.
Special attention will be given to pollution studies of the Caspian and Aral Seas.
All interpretations and primary information regarding mineral wealth will be owned by the
country whose area is mapped, except that in the public domain.
ii. Antarctica: Send more expeditions to Antarctica for studies in bio-prospecting, minerals, and
climate change. Three countries (Pakistan 1991, Malaysia 2012, and Turkey 2014) have
already sent expeditions, while Kazakhstan signed the agreement in January 2015. Pakistan
set up two stations, a joint Polar Research Station would be efficient.
6.5 The Minerals Directory of OIC States: Apart from oil and gas, the OIC region is blessed
with large mineral deposits. Kazakhstan produces a third of the world’s uranium, while Afghanistan
holds nearly half the global reserves of lithium in addition to other strategic minerals.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Prepare a Minerals Directory of OIS States jointly in collaboration with relevant authorities
of OIC Countries.
ii. Enhance OIC capabilities for sustainable exploration and mining, and development of high-
value added products, research, training, and safety.
iii. Jointly Prepare a Series of Geological and Geophysical Surveys for more effective site
classification and monitoring of geo-hazard assessment of major settlement areas in OIC
countries. This woill provide decision makers with much needed information on geo-
hazards as well as building a comprehensive disaster preparedness program.
6.6 High Performance Computer Centres (HPCCs): Modern research demands high
performance computing for simulation and modelling of complex systems. As highlighted earlier,
this will be benefit basic and applied sciences, big science and climate modelling and industry.
It is recommended to set up at least six HPCCs in the major regions of the OIC.
6.7 Science and Technology Projects with Economic Potential : OIC Countries are
major importers of communication and industrial equipment and associated software. The cost of
upgrading existing infrastructure or building new plants is several hundred billion US dollars.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Target a vigorous series of new entrepreneurial activities with major economic impact which
can result in the growth of entirely new SMEs and supply chains;
ii. Encourage the growth of private sector consortiums specialising in one or more types or
equipment. This includes digital equipment (communications, computers, and sensors),
power plants and their modules (boilers, generators, turbines, and control rooms.
iii. Design and develop and market modern laboratory equipment and associated teaching
aids. Considerable expertise is available in Member States.
15
6.8 Facilitating Intra-OIC Trade and Compettiveness
Recommendations and Targets :
i. Upgrade and harmonize industrial and metrology standards, and IP Laws.
ii. Promote development of high technology products, aiming for the share of high
technology goods and services in the trade of OIC Member States to 15% by 2025.
iii. Approve and promote the “Islamic Infrastructural Integration” Initiative proposed by
H.E. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, aimed at the
advancement of sustainable and inclusive economic growth, regional integration,
connectivity, and cooperation among the Member States.
6.9 Managing Rapid Urbanisation and Growth of Mega Cities: Because of steady
migration of people from rural to urban areas, cities are now evolving into centers of economic
activity and power because of the clustering of physical and electronic infrastructure, and the
availability of skills and services. This calls for active planning to enable such cities to grow in an
optimal manner in line with goals of a sustainable habitat. COMSTECH will initiate studies with
partner organizations in this area.
7. ENHANCING COOPERATION AMONG OIC COUNTRIES
There is little scientific cooperation among OIC States, due to lack of awareness among academics
and scientists of the expertise available in different countries, coupled with the heterogeneous
nature of educational quality. Further, there are no coherent collaboration or mobility programmes
with their associated funding.
7.1 Centres of Excellence: ‘Mother / Focal Institutes’
COMSTECH has identified several strong Centres of Excellence in many OIC Countries in education
and research, so that they can act as ‘Mother Institutes’ which will be at the heart of collaboration
and ‘transfer’ of knowledge in OIC Member States. This follows up on the earlier (2012) Directory
of Active Scientists, Technologists / Engineers’ in Member States; (22 volumes, over 16,000 pages),
based upon information abstracted from thousands of scientific journals.
Recommendations and Targets
i. The top ten OIC countries in science and technology may offer 100 scholarships annually
for undergraduate and graduate studies to the less developed OIC countries, as announced
by Pakistan in June 2016.
ii. Initiate the Al Haytham scientific exchange program, with a target of 5000 scholarships by
2025, for short visits (3-4 months) among the top ten leading OIC countries.
iii. Build smaller linkages first, which may be bilateral or trilateral initially, growing into regional
groupings over the next ten years.
iv. At the OIC level, it is necessary to identify collaboration mechanisms which will not be
handicapped by multiple agencies and lack of cohesion.
16
8. STRUCTURE FOR IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING
Many excellent OIC Vision Documents have unfortunately been handicapped because of neglect of
the required structures for implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
COMSTECH has prepared a detailed implementation strategy with a view to ensuring harmonization
and synergy and avoiding duplication of efforts.
OIC Member States, the Islamic Development Bank Group and OIC institutions have to demonstrate
solidarity and provide committed support and resources to implement the comprehensive strategic
road map outlined in the Document. Its key features are :
i. Member States will be at the centre of the entire process.
ii. There will be a Steering Committee, headed by COMSTECH for overall supervision, which
will meet every six months.
iii. Existing OIC agencies and organs will be directly involved wherever relevant.
Table 1: Overall Structure
8.1 Composition and Role of the Steering Committee:
Its core members will include representatives from the OIC Secretariat, and relevant Subsidiary
/Affiliated Institutions such as IDB, COMCEC, ISESCO, IAS and SESRIC.
i. It will have a Panel of Five Advisors (three year tenure), who will be leading scientists and
experts from OIC Member States (three regional representatives and two expatriate Muslim
scientists working in advanced countries).
ii. The Steering Committee is meant to ‘steer’ only, not to ‘row’ (to use the analogy of boating
on a river). It will provide directions and guidelines and take decisions on all major
programmes requiring funds.
iii. The Steering Committee will establish Advisory Committee (ACs) in each major field of
S&T as required. These will be assisted by Working Groups (WGs) for the sub-fields, as
the spectrum of activities and sub-fields will be quite large.
Table 2: Composition of the Steering Committee
Members STEERING COMMITTEE, Chaired by COMSTECH
Core Members
IAS OIC Sectt. IDB COMCEC ISESCO SESRIC
Panel of Advisors
Five leading scientists, (3 from OIC regions plus 2 Muslim expatriate scientists working in advanced countries). Term : 3 years each
Working Groups (23)
Advisory Committees (10)
Steering Committee
17
8.2 Role of Advisory Committees & Working Groups
i. A total of ten Advisory Committees are proposed (each with three members), each
having its specialised Working Group(s).
ii. The members of the Advisory Committees and Working Groups will be leading scientists
and experts drawn from Member States, and relevant OIC Organs.
iii. The Advisory Committees will receive advice from their Working Groups, who will examine
requests from individuals, institutions or countries, and recommend for approval (or not)
to the Steering Committee.
iv. The ACs and WGs will prepare the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for purposes of
monitoring and evaluation.
v. One affiliated institution of the OIC (IRCICA) will lead a major Working Group related to
the application of S&T in preservation of our common cultural heritage.
vi. Expenses related to meetings, honoraria for experts, and other incidental costs related
to travel, hospitality will be borne by the Steering Committee.
9. FUNDING REQUIREMENTS
No programme would be sustainable without adequate funding and its effective implementation.
The goals and work plans listed in this Document are extensive, but they are desirable and
implementable if Member States can pool the available expertise.
The total expenditure estimated over the next ten years has already been endorsed by the General
Assembly of COMSTECH Ministers in Islamabad on 1st June 2016. Budget support over 10 years
from non-national sources will be relatively small, as most of it will be borne by the host country /
beneficiary.
9.1 The cost breakdown of Major Categories of the Plan is as follows:
i. Infrastructure and Research: US$ 1120 million. Any request from a Member country will
require 50% of costs as matching grant by that country. Required: US$ 560 m.
ii. ‘Big’ Science Multi-National Initiatives: US$ 860 million. The entire cost will be borne by
the host country or partner countries.
iii. Venture Capital and Soft Loans : (US$ 160 million). This will promote entrepreneurship,
and high technology start-ups for innovative ideas with good business potential, and also
allow existing technology based SMEs to grow into international ‘Brands’. It would operate
on strict principles of venture funding, which will help it to become self-sustainable and
thus support further entrepreneurship. Required: US$ 80 m.
iv. A further US$ 5 million will be required over ten years, for programme Implementation,
(costs of meetings, honoraria for experts and consultants, travel / hospitality, etc.
Recommendations and Targets:
i. Establish an OC S&T Fund totalling US$ 645million (560 + 80 +5), with contributions
from Member States and other donors. Major savings are possible if leading Member
States offer training, scholarships, and support exchange of academics.
ii. Donation from Member States may be based on their GDP.
NOTE: Nine 0IC states spent nearly US$ 69 billion in 2016 on R&D (Fig 8, Annex. 2
.(page 7)
18
Annexure 1: Timelines and Estimated Costs for Various Programmes, till 2025
# Activity
Time, Years
Total Ann. Avg.
US$ (m)
1. Infrastructure and Research
a. Infrastructure and HR Development (universities and
Research Institutions, Including Higher Studies, etc) 10 450 45
b. Research Grants in various Disciplines 10 500 50
c. Gene Banks for Preservation of Plant Diversity 10 50 5
d. Mobility of Scientists as Part of S&T Cooperation 10 40 4
e. Training of Technicians in Research Labs and Industry 10 20 2
f. Storage Systems for Renewable Energy 10 50 5
g. Development of Improved Laboratory Equipment / Aids 5 10 2
1 Total Research Fund, US$(m) 1120 113
2. Multinational Programmes. 3-10 years
a. Resource Mapping Satellite, (one) 5 370 74
b. Astronomical Telescopes, (three) 7 150 21
c. Accelerator / Synchrotron Light Source, (one) 10 200 20
d. Joint Mapping of Marine Environment 5 45 9
e. OIC Minerals Directory 5 10 2
f. High Performance Computation Centres (six) 3 15 5
g. Modelling of Climate Change 10 20 2
h. Consortium for Communication and Industrial Eqpt. 4 10 2.5
i Consortium for Equipment for Energy and Power 4 10 2.5
j. Rapid Urbanisation and Planning of Mega Cities 5 10 2
k. Harmonise Regulations for Cyber Security 5 15 3
l. Harmonising Trade Laws /Industrial Standards / IP Laws 5 5 1
2 Total for Joint Multinational Programmes, US$ (m) 860 144
3. Venture Fund for New Technology Start-Ups 10 100 10
4. Soft Loans for Existing Technology Based Businesses 10 60 6
3 Total for Economic & Industrial Applications of S&T, US$(m) 160 16
GRAND TOTAL: US$ 2140 m (see Note below) Yearly Avg. : 273 m (see Note)
Note : 1 US$ 560m (50%) from beneficiary country; 2 Partner countries for ‘Big Science’ will
share costs, unless a country decides to go solo, when it bears all costs; 3 US$ 80 m (50%)
from beneficiary country; Additional Allocation: US$ 5 m for Programme Implementation.
Total External Funding Required: US$ 645 million (560+80+5)
19
Annexure 2: Some OIC Statistics on Education, Science and Health
A. General Statistics.
5.523
8.029
8.263
8.849 9.310
6.709
7.262
6.607
7.092
9.202
8.204
10.845
12.265 13.311
10.615
4.865
1.5880
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Mill
ion
s
Source: UNESCO, UIS 2016
Fig. 3: Overall OIC Enrollment in Technical &Vocational Education
Note: Incomplete data for 2014, 2015, 2016
3.84
3.90
3.80
4.01
3.65
3.773.71
3.61
3.72
3.59
3.50
3.30 3.42
3.58
3.88
3.40
3.69
3.2
3.4
3.6
3.8
4.0
4.22
00
0
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
201
6
Pe
rce
nt
of
GD
P
Fig. 1: Overall OIC Government Expenditure on Education
Ref: UNESCO; World Bank WDI, World Bank Education Statistics. 2015 or latest
90 95 10
0
10
2
10
3
97
97 10
0
98
96 1
07
10
6
10
2
96 1
04
10
3
10
2
98
11
4
10
8
10
1
95
10
9
10
4
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
GER NER GER NER GER NER GER NER
Fig. 2: OIC Gross and Net Enrollment Rates (GER, NER) 2000 2005 2015
OIC Countries Non-OIC Developing Countries
Developed Countries
World Average
Ref: World Bank WDI, Education Statistics, 2015 or Latest
20
Economic advancement is an extremely complex process. Science and technology alone is
not a magic wand. Low enrolments in different and higher skills in OIC countries, lowers
their productivity (Fig 4, 5) and makes them non-competitive. The exceptions are the
resource rich countries of MENA, who depend a great deal on expatriate workers.
(Source: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study; TIMSS 2015; TIMSS and PIRLS International Center, The Lynch School of Education. Boston, Mass., USA)
168142 139
120
86 7659
50 49 48 47 42 39 35
3128 21 18 15 14 12 11
-3
-1
1
3
5
7
9
0
30
60
90
120
150
180
Qat
ar
UA
E
Sau
di A
rab
ia
Ku
wai
t
Om
an
Bah
rain
Iraq
Turk
ey
Mal
aysi
a
Iran
Alg
eria
Kaz
akh
stan
Jord
an
Egyp
t
Tun
isia
Turk
men
ista
n
Ind
on
esia
Mo
rocc
o
Nig
eria
Pak
ista
n
Uzb
ekis
tan
Sud
an
Gro
wth
Rat
e,
pe
rce
nt
Pro
du
ctiv
ity,
pe
rce
nt
of
USA
Ref: The Conference Board Total Economy Database, May 2015
Country Productivity Productivity Growth RateFig. 4 : GDP per person employed, % of US, 2015 (PPP)
Source: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study – TIMSS 2016, ( TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, the Lynch School of Education, Boston, Mass).
371
393
396
398
411
426
455
456
457
466
471
477
493
500
533
556
569
571
594
597
300 400 500 600 700
Egypt
Morocco
Saudi Arabia
Lebanon
Kuwait
Jordan
Oman
Iran
Qatar
Bahrain
Malaysia
UAE
Turkey
TIMSS Score
Kazakhstan
Korea
Chinese Taipei
Japan
Hong Kong
Singapore
Average Mathematics Scores, 2015
368
384
386
392
392
403
436
437
442
454
458
465
465
500
528
586
594
599
606
621
300 400 500 600 700
Saudia Arabia
Morocco
Jordan
Kuwait
Egypt
Oman
Iran
Qatar
Lebanon
Bahrain
Turkey
UAE
Malaysia
TIMSS Score
Kazakhstan
Japan
Hong Kong
Chinese Taipei
Korea
Singapore
Average Science Scores, 2015
Fig. 5: Quality of Mathematics and Science Education, 8th Grade of schools, in OIC
Countries which took part in the TIMSS & PIRLS Tests in 2015.
21
B. Expenditures on R&D in Selected OIC Member States
0.36
0.270.30
0.33
0.42
0.36
0.40
0.34
0.48
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
2006(14 states
avg)
2007(17 states
avg)
2008(21 states
avg)
2009(18 states
avg)
2010(17 states
avg)
2011(14 states
avg)
2012(13 states
avg)
2013(11 states
avg)
2014(11 states
avg)
Per
cen
t o
f G
DP
Fig. 6: OIC Gross Domestic Expenditure on R&D (GERD) as average % of GDP
Source: WORLD BANK, WDI, Updated to 2014
13
.41
11
.62
9.3
4
8.3
7
6.9
2
6.6
6
4.3
4
4.2
3
4.0
0
0.8
6
0.9
0 2.7
0
1.0
7
0.7
5
0.4
0
0.3
0
0.4
3
0.7
0
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Turk
ey
Iran
Qat
ar
Mal
aysi
a
Pak
ista
n
S. A
rab
ia
Ind
on
esia
Egyp
t
Ban
glad
esh R
&D
Fu
nd
ing,
% o
f G
DP
R&
D S
pen
din
g, U
S$ b
illio
n ,
(PP
P)
US$ Billion, (PPP) 2015 % GDP
Fig. 8: Absolute Spending on R&D, US$ (billions), PPP, (2015), Selected Countries
(Source: www.iriweb.org, 2016)
Note: Data was not available for
all 57 OIC Countries every year
0.1
50
.07 0.2
10
.10
0.0
4 0.2
00
.68
0.5
80
.13
0.0
80
.33
0.0
40
.43
0.1
7 0.3
00
.13
1.2
6
0.6
70
.71
0.4
20
.22
0.1
70
.75
0.4
70
.07
0.5
40
.27
0.1
20
.64
1.0
10
.48
0.2
00
.70
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
Alb
ania
Alg
eria
Aze
rbai
jan
Bah
rain
Bru
nei
Bu
rkin
a Fa
soEg
ypt
Gab
on
Gam
bia
, Th
eIn
do
nes
iaIr
anIr
aqJo
rdan
Kaz
akh
stan
Ku
wai
tK
yrgy
zsta
nM
alay
sia
Mal
iM
oro
cco
Mo
zam
biq
ue
Nig
eria
Om
anP
akis
tan
Qat
arS.
Ara
bia
Sen
egal
Togo
Tajik
ista
nTu
nis
iaTu
rkey
Uga
nd
aU
zbek
ista
nU
AE
Fig. 7: Gross Domestic Expenditure 0n R&D (GERD), as % of GDP, for 33 OIC Countries, for which data is available
22
C. Measuring Research Output in the OIC Member States
The total number of OIC scientific publications from 2000-2016 was 1,155,611; while in 2016
only 134,029 articles were published from all OIC countries.
Iran overtook Turkey as the most prolific publisher of scientific research in 2011, with Saudi
Arabia ranked at number three. Rate of increase may be stalling in Turkey, Saudi Arabia and
Malaysia. Turkey and Iran had a combined share of nearly 41% of all cumulative publications
since 2000, and it was 45 % in 2016. Interestingly, Saudi Arabia had the largest number of
external collaborators in research.
22 20
6 5 5 42 2 2 2
21 23
8 810
63 2 2
10
10
20
Pe
rce
nt
Sh
are
of
all
Pu
blic
atio
nsl % Share , 2000-16
% Share , 2016
Total OIC Publications, 2000-2016 =1,155,611Total OIC Publications in 2016 = 134,029
Fig. 10: Share of Publications, Top 10 Countries, 2000-16
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
35,000
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
20
15
20
16
Fig. 9: Top Ten OIC Countries for Scientific Research Papers, 2000-2016
Turkey IranEgypt MalaysiaS. Arabia PakistanTunisia Nigeria
Source: Web
of Science.
(Feb 2017), for
Figs 9, 10, 11
75
.3
75
.7
79
.7
80
.2
81
.6
82
.2
82
.6
83
.8
84
.4
85
.1
85
.8
86
.2
86
.4
86
.0
85
.6
85
.1
84
.8
70.0
75.0
80.0
85.0
90.0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Fig. 11: Changing Share of Top Ten OIC Publishing Countries, 2000 - 2016
23
The top 13 OIC countries with the largest number of full time scientific researchers (2015 or
latest) is shown in Fig 12.
If scientific research is weak in OIC Countries, the research output in humanities and
the arts is extremely low.
D. The Quality of Publication: An Alternative View
There is considerable concern globally about the quality of journals where much research is
published. An alternative quality index has recently been published by the prestigious journal,
Nature. The index is obtained by counting and weighing the number of publications from a
country or institute that appear in a very limited set of the 68 most elite journals of science,
which have been selected by a panel of leading active scientists, independently of Nature
Research, and reflects researchers’ perceptions of journal quality, rather than using
quantitative measures such as Impact Factor.
11
5,4
44
11
1,6
01
80
,88
6
75
,06
2
74
,69
5
51
,54
4
31
,09
9
21
,17
7
15
,98
0
11
,40
0
11
,33
0
7,3
31
5,6
42
-
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
Fig. 12: Number of Full Time Researchers, 2015 or Latest
Ref: UNESCO, UIS - STI ( Oct. 2016)
76
180
225
297
415421
47
2 430386
426
366
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
0
100
200
300
400
500
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Oth
er C
ou
ntr
ies
Turk
ey O
nly
Turkey Iran Malaysia EgyptNigeria Lebanon Saudi Arabia TunisiaMorocco Pakistan
Fig. 13: Publications from Top ten OIC Countries in Arts and Humanities
24
The journals included in the first release of the Nature Index account for close to 30% of total
citations even though they represent less than 1% of the journals covering natural sciences in
the Web of Science (Thomson Reuters) (list of the Journals may be seen in the Nature Index
website).
The Nature Index recognizes and evaluates in the following four different categories:
(i) Physical Sciences; (ii) Natural Sciences; (iii) Chemistry and (iv) Earth and Environmental
Sciences. The Nature Index further consists of 3 parts: (i) Article Count (AC); (ii) Fractional
Count (FC); and (iii) Weighed fractional Count (WFC).
For the top six publishing countries, the Nature Index (Nov 2015-Oct 2016) gives interesting
results (Table 1 below). The WFC indicator allows filtering of factors such as national /
multinational collaboration, multiplicity of authors and affiliated institutions, as well as weighing
the articles in the selected and by balancing the relatively higher number of publications (AC)
in these selected journals.
Saudi Arabia scores the highest in the ratio of WFC, followed by Iran and Turkey, while Malaysia and Egypt have the lowest. The ISI Web of Science lists over 10,000 different journals, many with low impact factors, as compared with just 68 journals in the Nature Index, which may explain the difference.
The breakdown of research specialisation is shown below ( Ref: Nature Index, 2017).
E. University Rankings:
University Rankings can be controversial. However, according to the THE (Times Higher
Education) University Rankings 2016-17, only nine OIC Universities rank better than 500
globally, of which Turkey has five, followed by Saudi Arabia with two, and one each for Lebanon
and Uganda. Twenty-six universities rank between 601-800, with Iran (6), Malaysia (5), Turkey
(4), Pakistan and Egypt (3 each), and one each from Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and
UAE. (Note: QS and Shanghai systems give different rankings).
Table 1: Publications according to NATURE Index Data (1st November 2015 to 31 October 2016)
# Country Iran Turkey Saudi
Arabia Malaysia Egypt Pakistan
1 AC (Actual Count) 235 339 456 123 147 162
2 FC 106.49 74.34 102.25 10.71 13.70 32.80
3 WFC 87.11 62.78 98.34 9.75 10.21 29.28
4 No. From ISI Web of Science 30,171 27,694 13,277 10,412 10,270 8,222
Fig. 14: Publication by Major Categories in 68 Elite Journals by Top Six OIC Countries
Life Sciences Earth & Environmental Sciences
Physical Sciences Chemistry
25
Table 2: No. of OIC Universities by Country and THE Rankings Between 201 and 800
Country Rank Total No Total No Total No Total No
201-250 251-300 301-350 351-400 401-500 201-500 501-600 601-800 201-800
Saudi Arabia 1 - - - 1 2 1 1 4
Turkey - 1 1 1 2 5 1 4 10
Iran - - - - 2 6 5 13
Malaysia - - - - - - 5 5
Egypt - - - - - - 3 3
Pakistan - - - - - - 3 3
UAE - - - - - - 2 1 3
Qatar 1 - 1
Lebanon - - - - 1 1 - - 1
Uganda - - - - 1 1 - - 1
Table 3: Different Country Numbers for University Ranks if the QS Format is Used.
Country 151-200
201-250
251-300
301-350
351-400
401-450
451-500
Total 150 -500
501-600
601 -800
Total 150 -800
Saudi Arabia 1 1 1 - - - - 3 2 2 7
Turkey - - - - - 2 3 5 - 6 11
Iran - - - - - 1 1 2 2 1 5
Malaysia 1 - 2 2 - - - 5 - 4 9
Egypt - - - - 1 - - 1 1 3 5
Pakistan - - - - - - - - 1 5 6
UAE - - - - - 3 - 3 1 2 6
Qatar - - - - 1 - - 1 - - 1
Lebanon - 1 - - - 1 2 - 1 3
Uganda - - - - - - - - - 1 1
Comparing Table 2, 3, the ranking improves for some countries, and falls for others, if the
QS format is adopted.
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eria
Egyp
t
Ind
on
esia
Iran
Jord
an
Ku
wai
t
Leb
ano
n
Mal
aysi
a
Mo
rocc
o
Nig
eria
Om
an
Pak
ista
n
Qat
ar
Sau
di A
rab
ia
Tun
isia
Turk
ey
Uga
nd
a
UA
ENo
. o
f U
niv
ers
itie
s
Fig 15: No of OIC Universities by Rank and Country (THE, 2016-2017
Rank 401-500 Rank 501-600 Rank 601-800 Rank 801 +
26
F. Patents as Proxy for Innovation, FDI and ToT ( Transfer of Technology )
Patent applications are an important proxy for industrialisation, entrepreneurship and research.
The share of all OIC Member States in the 2.889 million global patent applications
filed in 2015 was only about 8,648 (0.299 %). The share of “residents‟ in patent
applications was small except for Iran, Indonesia and Turkey, indicating weakness in innovative
capacity aas well as intellectual property protection in the local systems.
In comparison, China’s patent office received 1,101,864 filings in 2015, making it the first office
to receive more than a million applications in a single year. This was early equal to the
combined total of next three countries, with USA (589,410), Japan (318721) and Republic of
Korea (213,694). The European office received 160,028 applications in 2015.
According to WIPO (23 November 2016), the biggest share of patents worldwide was in
computer technology (7.9 %), followed by electrical machinery (7.3 %) and digital
communications (4.9 %).
For the top ten OIC countries, the breakdown by category provides an interesting dimension of their economies, with Turkey, Malaysia and S. Arabia showing the biggest diversity.
*Electrical Machinery, Apparatus, Energy; Source: WIPO, Feb. 2017, except Iran (Oct 2015)
Table 4: Specialisation in Patent Applications, selected countries, (WIPO, February 2017)
Country EM., App.,
Energy*
Digital Comm
.
Comp. Techn.
Semi-conductors
Optics Med.
Techn. Bio.
Techn.
Pharma ceutical
s
Macro Molecules /Polymers
Other Total
Turkey 40 11 30 14 2 54 1 76 1 599 828
Malaysia 29 31 46 71 11 42 21 24 15 391 681
S. Arabia 8 18 41 6 4 19 5 9 48 438 596
Kazakhstan 2 - 1 - - 9 8 32 1 148 201
Egypt - 1 10 1 2 5 3 1 - 46 69
Iran 1 2 - 2 - 3 1 4 2 20 35
Indonesia 1 - 2 - - - - 6 1 19 29
Jordan - - 2 - - 2 - 2 - 21 27
Morocco - 1 3 1 - 1 - 4 - 14 24
TOTAL 81 64 135 95 19 135 39 158 68 1696 2490
13,683
0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000
Iran*
Indonesia
Turkey
Saudi Arabia
Malaysia
UAE
Kazakhstan
Morocco
Pakistan
Total Number
By Non residents
By Residents
209, 677, 886
1271, 232, 1,503
1242, 887, 2,129
224, 797, 1,021
15, 1,738, 1,753
715, 1,691, 2,406
5,302, 251, 5,553
1,058, 8,095, 9,153
119, 85
Fig. 16: Patent Applications in Top 9 OIC Countries, (WIPO, Oct. 2016)
Data for 2015, except *Iran (2014)
27
Patents for Plant Varieties
International data (WIPO, Oct. 2016) shows only six OIC countries (Turkey, Tajikistan,
Malaysia, Tunisia, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan) which filed patents for Plant Variety (Fig 13). The
total numbers filed in 2016 were 231, 93, 50, 31, 12 and 3 respectively, while those filed by
residents was only 87, 90, 50, 25, 12 and zero respectively. This shows lack of awareness on
the part of other Member States, especially as regards to plant breeders’ rights and
‘geographical varieties’ which need to be protected.
G. Health Matters in OIC Countries
Table 5: Density of Health Workforce/10,000 Population in best 12 OIC Countries.
Country Doctors Nurses Number of countries with Density /10,000:
Doctors No. Nurses No Qatar 77 119 More than 20 11 More than 100 1
Turkmenistan 42 90 10-20 13 70-100 4
Kazakhstan 36 83 5-10 6 50-70 7
Azerbaijan 34 65 2-5 6 20-50 14
Lebanon 32 27 less than 2 21 less than 20 31
Gabon 29 50 Ref : WHO, 2016, Density per 1,000 workers by Country ; Last updated: 2015-04-21
Note: The WHO recommended density is 44.5 doctors
and nurses and midwifes per 10,000 population. Ref:
WHO; “Health Workforce Requirements .. SDGs; (Human
Resources for Health Observer Series No 17).
Egypt 28 35
Uzbekistan 25 119
UAE 25 48
Saudi Arabia 25 49
Jordan 24 32
Tajikistan 19 50
Kyrgyzstan 20 62
4.86
4.834.99
5.04
5.11
5.09
4.95
4.96
5.04
5.495.30
5.215.33
5.405.53
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0
20
00
20
01
20
02
20
03
20
04
20
05
20
06
20
07
20
08
20
09
20
10
20
11
20
12
20
13
20
14
Per
cen
t o
f G
DP
Fig. 18 : Average OIC Expenditures on Health as % of GDP
Ref: World Bank Database, 2016; Also WHO , 2016
30 6 0
90 87
012 25
50
3
144
3 1231 50
93
231
0
50
100
150
200
250
Kyrgyzstan Jordan Tunisia Malaysia Tajikistan Turkey
FIg. 17 : Patents for Plant Varieties, 2015, (Top Six Countries)
By Resdients 186By Non-residents 234Total Patents Filed 420
Ref: WIPO, Oct 2016
28
Annexure 4: Some Recommendations of the Meeting of OIC Ministers of Science and Education held on 1st June 2016, Islamabad.
Para 6 of the Resolution reads as follows:
.... further calls upon COMSTECH :
To initiate new programmes with mutual collaboration, such as the Ibn al
Haitham Programme to enable exchange of scientist among OIC Member
States;
Facilitate Enhancement of Education and Skills in the Member States,
with the target of 50 Universities of Member States to be included in the rank
of the top 500 universities;
Support Policies and Actions for alleviating the effects of the looming crisis
in water and food security in OIC Member States;
Facilitate the Establishment of High Performance Computational Facilities
across Member States;
Review the Security of Digital Content and management of Big Data
though a Cross-Country OIC Task Force;
Prepare Technical Feasibilities and Programs for ‘Big’ Science;
Establish an OIC Task Force on Climate Change;
Initiate an Exhaustive and Definitive Mapping of the physical resources;
Compile the S&T Profile of OIC Member States;
Facilitate Programs and Resources to manage the unfolding crisis in
human health;
Prepare the Structure for the Implementation and Rigorous Monitoring of
these programs through a Steering Committee.
