Islamic World: More Science in Higher Education

Ameen Amjad Khan
Higher education and science and technology ministers from member countries of the Jeddah-based Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) have decided unanimously to make curricula in universities of member states more science-oriented.
At the 14th meeting of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), which concluded in the Pakistan capital Islamabad on 13 January, representatives of various organisations including universities agreed to increase science and technology human resource development, establish centres of excellence in universities and promote university-industry collaboration.
As well as 110 delegates from 24 international science and higher education institutions, 26 ministers of science and higher education from Pakistan, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Malaysia, Bangladesh and other countries of the OIC participated in the meeting.
The gathering also emphasised the need to provide enough resources to foster a culture of competitive research in member countries' universities.
"We can make knowledge-based economies only through a research-based education system which focuses on scientific innovation and technological advancement," said Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, inaugurating the meeting on 11 January.
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Source: University World News, Issue No: 0154, 16 January 2011