The Knowledge Summit 2016 – organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (MBRF) on December 5-7, 2016, at the Grand Hyatt Dubai – concluded in a session that presented the developments in the Arab Knowledge Index, its impact on the region, and its results.
Bearing the theme “Knowledge… Present and Future”, the three-day Summit is held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, as well as under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of MBRF. The Summit brings together prominent ministers, executives, and intellectuals to discuss ways to boost the production and dissemination of knowledge.
Speaking at the session were Dr. Hany Torky, Chief Technical Advisor at the United Nations Development Program (UNDP); Dr Najoua Fezzaa Ghriss, Main Author and Author of the Chapter on Pre-University Education; Dr Ali Ibrahim, Author of the Chapter on Higher Education; Dr Yousry El Gamal, Author of the Chapter on Information and Communication Technology (ICT); Dr Khaled Al-Wazani, Author of the Chapter on Economics; and Dr Youssef Sadik, Author of the Chapter on Technical Education and Vocational Training.
Dr. Hany Torky said: “The Arab Knowledge Index relies on international data recorded until as recently as October 2016. It still retains the same sectors: pre-university education, higher education, technical education and vocational training, information and communication technology, economics, research & development and innovation. It has, however, been developed, whereby some of its themes were upgraded while entirely new themes were added.”
“We have addressed the issue of the lack of data, especially in the fields of research and development, innovation, and technical education,” Dr. Torky added, revealing that, according to the results of the index, the UAE takes the global top spot in efficient government use of information and communication technology, and in effective use of information technology in formulating visions for the future.
Meanwhile, Dr. Yousry El Gamal explained that he taking into account the rapid developments in the telecommunications sector – and the subsequent developments in the information sector – as he prepared the chapter on ICT for the Arab Knowledge Index 2016. On the same note, Dr. Ghriss noted that this year’s chapter on pre-university education took into consideration pre-school education as well, considering its importance for children’s early development.
Finally, Dr. Ali Ibrahim explained that ten new developments were taken into consideration while putting together the chapter on higher education, while Dr. Khaled Al-Wazani revealed that the increasing market integration taking place between Arab countries, on one hand, and Arab countries and abroad, on the other hand, was taken into consideration in the preparations for the economics chapter.
