International Cooperation in IT in the Middle East: Obstacles & Opportunities

1. TERENA Networking Conference 2001 International Cooperation in IT in the Middle East: Obstacles & Opportunities Marwan Tarazi Birzeit University – BIT mtarazi@birzeit.edu

2. IT and Globalization • Advances in IT have been so rapid that it has changed the shape of all economic activities in the world, and has pushed the world towards globalization. Economies, which do not deploy a leading edge communication and information processing capabilities, and which do not have the qualified human resources to run and sustain such capabilities, will be pushed outside the world market gradually. Research Networks in Med Region

3. Information Poverty • “Information poverty”, at every level of society, impairs public and private decision-making, policy making, planning without facts. • low productivity, poor quality research, and valuable time wasted hunting for information and repeating research already done Research Networks in Med Region

4. Widening of the G A P • Information Gap is resulting in Power flow towards the elite who already possess the power and weakening those who are deprived • The world will experience increasing gap between the rich and the poor countries and rich and the poor within developing countries Research Networks in Med Region

5. IT and Poverty Alleviation • The poor are the largest human resource in developing countries • Human Resources are amongst the few resources the M.E. Countries possess • IT services are highly labor-intensive (whether highly skilled or lower-skilled) Research Networks in Med Region

6. IT and the Political Situation • Information Technology is abolishing distance • IT can ease restrictions of movement by providing an alternative media for work, education, health, etc. • One of the reasons the ME is in such a state is due to such an information GAP: “The only way nations can secure justice, sovereignty and economic rights is through the development of the means to protect such rights” A.B. Zahlan Research Networks in Med Region

7. Information Technology is a MUST • As a tool for development and for bridging the development gap • As an industry for economic growth, development and poverty alleviation Research Networks in Med Region

8. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) Technology in the Arab World

9. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) Poor Knowledge Infrastructure • No adequate libraries • Poor access to international knowledge • No access to local knowledge generated within the Arab world or within each country • Weak educational systems Research Networks in Med Region

10. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) Science, Technology and Innovation in the Arab World • Import of ready technologies • No culture of Transfer of Knowledge • 200 years ago George Stephans was awarded the contract to build the first Egyptian railway • Arabs have failed to develop the technology base for these and other mechanical industries. • Sept 1999: Bill Gates donates MS products to government of Jordan… IMPACT??? Research Networks in Med Region

11. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) • Very few Centers of creative work in scientific or technical fields • Weak academic base • No pockets of high quality science and technology (like India), even though per capita scientific publications in India are lower than the Arab world. • Fragmented (internally and within the Diaspora) Research Networks in Med Region

12. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) Research and Development • Production and ownership of knowledge is a serious business • Expenditure on R&D Worldwide in 1999 > $500 billion • Top 300 companies spent $253 billion • These companies spent 33% more in 1999 than in 1996 in pursuit of profit and survival Research Networks in Med Region

13. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) R&D in the Arab World • Widespread disregard of scientific research by Arab governments and industries, e.g. • Leading 30 firms in chemical industry in the world spent $16 billion on R&D • Although many Arab chemical firms rank among those, not one of them has developed its R&D capabilities • - total R&D expenditure in the Arab World in 1999 did not exceed 1 billion Research Networks in Med Region

14. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) HR and Brain Drain • Displacement and substitution of old technologies by new technologies kills jobs in Developing Countries and creates new ones in OECD • OECD spend significant effort on education, training and retraining • Yet rate of technological change is so fast that existing HR production system cannot keep up. Research Networks in Med Region

15. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) The OECD Zero Cost Solution • OECD countries have realized that attracting HR from Third World Countries is a solution to their HR needs at Zero Cost. • OECD countries will probably “drain” 50 to 80% of Arab World IT experts in the coming few years (as with doctors and engineers in the 70s) Research Networks in Med Region

16. How to Stop The “Drain” • The only way Third World countries could afford to retain their own human resources is if they established a suitable infrastructure to enable their human resources to contribute to national economic progress. Research Networks in Med Region

17. (Quoted from A.B. Zahlan, 2000) New Rules of the Game • Innovation and skills are the generators of economic growth • Capabilities in science depend on sophisticated systems sustained by an entire society Research Networks in Med Region

18. IT in M.E. • Growing National Awareness • Being dealt with independently from sciences, R&D and innovation. • Serious initiatives by some countries, e.g. Jordan and Egypt. • Varying levels of an “enabling” environments Research Networks in Med Region

19. Low Quality of IT Education • the lack of adequately qualified trainers and educators • Outdated curricula and methodology • Slow pace of responding to a rapidly changing technology • Absence of vivid and dynamic linkages to business and industry • Rigidity of the educational system • Limited Resources Research Networks in Med Region

20. Small number of professionals • The low intake capacity of IT education programs: the currently available programs produce a small number of IT graduates in areas required by the labor market, or necessary to create an industry. Research Networks in Med Region

21. IT sector is NOT-Global in a GLOBAL World • Local market too small • Hardly any links with the Diaspora • No international marketing experience • No international IT business experience • Limited participation in regional and global networks Research Networks in Med Region

22. International Cooperation Opportunities and Obstacles

23. Training Joint Projects R&D Exchanges Advise Industry Partnerships Access to Knowledge Networking Opportunities in Knowledge Transfer Research Networks in Med Region

24. Obstacles • Poor or NO Strategic Planning • National decisions are made according to political or personal interests • Non favorable enabling environments • Individualism • Poor utilization of expatriate expertise • Political agendas imposed by International partners Research Networks in Med Region

25. Birzeit UniversityPilot Projects in International Cooperation in IT Research Networks in Med Region

26. Center of Excellence in IT

27. MISSION • Building a human resource supply infrastructure that will inject the IT sector with highly skilled IT professionals at the industry, education and policy and decision making levels. Research Networks in Med Region

28. Target Groups • High-quality IT graduates. • High-quality graduates in non-IT disciplines • Updating of IT professionals • Short programs in specialized, focused areas • Support for undergraduate courses • Support the development of university faculty • Liaison with similar international centers • Training of the trainers facility Research Networks in Med Region

29. Training Strategy • Identification of needs • Internationally accredited programs • Build partnerships locally, regionally and globally for trainee placements, practical work • Train trainers, and integrate programs into: • General IT training programs • Academic programs in formal education programs • Develop specialized training programs for partner organizations or projects. Research Networks in Med Region

30. R&D Activities • Research IT trends, opportunities and needs • Set strategies, policies and programs for the Center accordingly. • Research new technologies, methodologies, programs, etc. • Identify potential research projects, request for proposals, etc • Develop research & development capabilities that facilitate innovation for IT sector Research Networks in Med Region

31. Business Development Activities • Business opportunities for graduates through: • Advice • professional matchmaking • identification of potential partners and customers. • Develop IT incubator facilities and services • Provide consulting services • Participate in strategic projects that have a developmental impact on IT Research Networks in Med Region

32. Partnership Building • Build strategic partnerships with various stakeholders within the IT sector locally, regionally and internationally. Research Networks in Med Region

33. Partnership Building Activities • Expatriate Arabs • High Brain Drain from Arab countries • High number of Arabs per capita basis studying abroad • International Educational Institutes • International Companies and corporations Research Networks in Med Region

34. Allocated Premises Research Networks in Med Region

35. The Center of Excellence is… • A national resource • Promotes “best practice” • A Pilot • Node for development Research Networks in Med Region

36. Center of Excellence Center for Vocational and Professional Training Complementing Projects Research Networks in Med Region

37. Center for Professional and Vocational Training • Developing a Training infrastructure for producing a large number of qualified IT professionals • Targeting: • The IT “labor force”: Medium to lower skilled • The users of IT in other disciplines • Reliance is mostly on local resources Research Networks in Med Region

38. Activities • Developing Curricula • Emphasis on methodology: • Students take an active approach to learning • The role of the teacher changes from a distributor of book learning to a tutor guiding students. • … better balance between the learning of factual knowledge and the mastering of concepts and processes. Research Networks in Med Region

39. …/Activities • Emphasis on soft skills: • Creative thinking, problem solving, languages • Team work • Industry partnerships • Practical work and placement Research Networks in Med Region

40. Training of Trainers • Update technical skills • Pedagogy • New methodology • International Certifications • Target professionals Research Networks in Med Region

41. Training of High School Teachers • Ninety sever percent of all students complete grade 10 • Clear shortcomings in knowledge and skills • The key to a qualified future workforce is in upgrading high school education • The one most important factor is training of high school teachers Research Networks in Med Region

42. Key to Success • Students take an active approach to learning • The role of the teacher changes from a distributor of book learning to a tutor guiding students. • … better balance between the learning of factual knowledge and the mastering of concepts and processes. • Emphasis on soft skills: • Creative thinking, problem solving, languages • Team work Research Networks in Med Region

43. We are looking for PARTNERS Marwan Tarazi Birzeit University – BIT mtarazi@birzeit.edu

44. Thank You Marwan Tarazi Birzeit University – BIT mtarazi@birzeit.edu