MBRF and UNDP announce main pillars of Arab Knowledge Index

9/2/2015 8:21:40 AM

(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))

DUBAI 2nd September 2015 (WAM) -- The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation MBRF and the United Nations Development Programme UNDP have announced the main pillars and the key mechanism of the Arab Knowledge Index which was launched by MBRF in coordination with UNDP during the first edition of the Knowledge Conference organised last year under the guidance of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Chairman of the MBRF. The Arab Knowledge Index is designed to monitor the status of knowledge in the Arab world on a regular basis and measure the progress towards knowledge based societies and economies in the region.

The main pillars of the index focus on seven vital sectors: Higher Education Pre-university Education Technical and Vocational Education and Continuous Training Information and Communications Technology Scientific Research and Innovation Economy and Health and Sustainable Human Development. The performance of each of these sectors will be measured in each Arab country to build seven sub-indices for each sector.

A supervising committee formed to oversee the process includes a selection of top experts from five countries in the Arab world who will ensure the functioning of the index based on the seven sectors forming the 'Knowledge Index Pillars'.

Speaking on the occasion Jamal bin Huwaireb Managing Director of MBRF said the Arab Knowledge Index reflects the vision of the UAE leadership and described it as the first initiative of its kind in the Arab region that adds to the successful track record of MBRF. "The index will help double the efforts towards localisation of knowledge in the Arab world and contribute to development plans leading to the creation of better communities" he said.

He went on to say that the index will act as a scientific tool to measure knowledge in the Arab world and provide decision makers experts and researchers with accurate data to help device policies that will usher in progress well-being and prosperity for the people in the region.

He pointed out that that the index will look at each Arab country separately taking into consideration national historical and cultural aspects to arrive at its conclusions. "The index has a flexible format allowing it to cover several countries at different development levels. This is important considering that while a number of countries in the region have made significant advancements in their development journey there are many others who are still lagging behind in a number of areas" bin Huwaireb concluded.

WAM/Ahlam/Moran

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