Academics urge private sector to support research

The partnership between educational institutions and the private sector will benefit both parties, as well as the entire nation.

The private sector in the West is very much involved with research centers and educational institutions to produce the best research in every academic discipline, said the speakers. "We should recognize the importance of this kind of partnership if we are to help the nation's growth and prosperity. We need to create effective ways to build a working relationship between the private sector and educational institutions in the Arab world. Most research needs a great deal of funding to be conducted, and can't be supported by universities or the government."

Dr Farooq Al Baz, Head of the Aerospace Department at Boston University said, "In the US, the private sector funds more than 70 per cent of the research in the country."

Dr Al Baz called upon Arab researchers and scientists to partner with business people and to convince them of the importance of research and the economic returns for them. He said, "One good example is that of Finland, whose private sector supported the research that generated Nokia mobile phones."

Dr. Omar Atif, Secretary General of the Council of Research, Information & Training at AUST Network, said, "We have more than 130 research teams conducting more than 90 studies in cooperation with Boston University, the German Diabetes Center, and Oshaa Bint Hussain Cultural House."

Dr Zain Al Abdeen Sayed Rizk, Dean of the Institute of Energy, Water & Environment, said, "Ajman University has strengthened its relationship with a number of international organizations such as UNESCO, the World Health Organization and International Intellectual Property (IIP)."