(SABIC) though developing at a slower pace (Al-Rasheed, 1999). 2.3. Science and ..... education in Turkey and 13% in Mexico) (OECD, 1998). Similar trends in ...
Research management issues in the Arab countries Nabiel A.M. Saleh National Research Centre, 12311 E1-Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
1. Introduction The North–South scienti)c gap is wide and growing at an alarming rate. Notwithstanding stories of success, developing countries (including the Arab countries) are falling further behind industrial countries in terms of their S&T capacities and achievements. Developed countries have nearly ten times as many R&D scientists and technicians as developing countries (3.8 versus 0.4 per 1000 population). A much higher share of their populations study science at the tertiary level. They spend some 2–3.8% of GDP on R&D, compared to 0.5% or less in most developing countries. Together, Western Europe, North America, Japan and newly industrialised East Asia countries account for about 85% of scienti)c articles published, and more than 97% of patents registered in Europe and the United States. Institution-wide research management has emerged as a substantial concern for universities, and possibly for non-university research organisations in developed countries. This re8ects a number of closely inter-related factors—changes in funding regimes; new social and economic demands on universities and university systems; changes in the practice of innovation; new research co-operation and links between universities, industry, commerce, government and the wider community. Globalisation and the pressures of international competition are dissolving boundaries between nations, institutions and disciplines, creating a distributed knowledge production system that is increasingly global. Whether universities can adapt and play a more participatory role in global knowledge production is a central issue (Gibbons, 2000). Unless universities become active in team collaboration—the basis for competition within the modern university—theirs will be a reduced role in national economic development. The challenge facing Arab countries compared to developed countries is even more di
