The New Board Council of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) supports Public and official awareness regarding the scientific research and technological innovation for the sustainable development in the Arab spring countries.
Dr Abdalla Alnajjar, President of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) declared that ASTF’s Board Council adopted, at its last meeting, at its twelfth cycle, yesterday in Sharjah (United Arab of Emirates), a number of pivotal decisions to support policies and programs of scientific research, technological innovation and entrepreneurship in the Arab countries, especially in the countries of the Arab spring for more concentration on the role of science and technology, to be the locomotive of sustainable development in the Arab developing countries, with emphasizing on the employment of positive and constructive creative energies of the Arab youth by supporting entrepreneurship, and closer communication and networking between the elements of the Arab scientific community through conferences, forums and seminars related to the economic and social needs of communities and Arabic. ASTF’s Board Council reviewed the performance evaluation reports and the future policies of financial, administrative, legal affairs, IT support, media & studies, and assessment of activity and programs in 2011, and proposed programs for the year 2012.
Dr Abdalla Alnajjar added that ASTF Board members affirmed the focus during the coming period on the issue of increasing public awareness and Arab decision-maker regarding the importance and the role of scientific research and technological innovation in building a knowledge society and sustainable development, through an electronic newsletter will be launched by the ASTF, to be developed into a E-Portal on the internet, links between the different sectors of science, technology and entrepreneurship directly to the needs of Arab economies and societies. This E-Newsletter and E-Portal cover tens of thousands of academic, scientific, technological institutions, governmental agencies, private sector companies, Non-governmental organization, and national, regional and international organizations in these areas.
The new ASTF’s Board Council: 9 Arab countries, 4 Western countries
Noteworthy that during this meeting, the ASTF board council has elected Dr. Abdalla Abdel Aziz Alnajjar, (from United Arab of Emirates UAE), as President of the ASTF’s Board Council, a new term, and Dr. Ghada Mohamed Amer (Egypt) as Vice president for Financial, administration and the Executive affairs, and Dr. Fakhri Osman Karry (Canada, of Tunisian origin) as Vice president for Technical committees. The ASTF’s board council also elected the members of the Executive Office including, the beside these three leaders for the president the vices president, the membership of: Dr. Mowafaa Al Jassim (America, of Iraqi origin), Dr. Fathi Ghorbel (United States, of Tunisian origin), Dr. Osama Awad Al-Kareem (USA, of Sudanese origin), Dr.Moza Bent Mohammad Al-Rabban (Qatar). Noteworthy, that among the members of the ASTF’s board members, Dr. Samira Islam (Saudi Arabia). During this meeting, were elected new members of the Council are: Dr. Ghada Amer (Egypt), Dr. Hanan Malkawi (Jordan), Dr. Omar Al-Emam (United Kingdom, of Iraqi origin) and Dr. Ibrahim El-Ouadi (France, of Moroccan descent), and ended the membership of Dr. Badiaa Lyoussi (Morocco) in the Council after the expiration of 4 years on the membership.
In this context, ASTF’s board members includes 11 members (including 4 women), representing 9 Arab countries: the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Sudan, Tunisia and Morocco, and 4 Western countries that are the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and France; note that some members has an Arab and Western nationality. This is concerned with the Board members to be more than half of the members of the Arab scientists abroad, to strengthen cooperation and exchange of experiences among Arab scholars at home and abroad. It should be noted that The ASTF Honorary President is His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the UAE Supreme Council member and Ruler of Sharjah.
Forms of the Arab scientific and technological community networking: conferences, forums and seminars
For its part, stressed Dr. Ghada Amer, vice president of the Arab Science and Technology Foundation said that ASTF plans in the coming period to support the Arab scientific and technological community, by organizing an international conference that brings together scientists, inventors, academics, private sector representatives and governmental agencies, known for a series of “Scientific Research Technological Innovation in the Arab Region – SRO”, and We plan to organize to take place hosted by Tunisia . ASTF also prepare for organizing 8th annual Investing in technology Forum in the Arab world, so be hosted by the Egyptian capital, Cairo, during the coming period. We prepare to organize the Arab Women in Science and Technology conference in the capital, Khartoum, Sudan.
15 million US$ for creative emergent Enterprises and 8 million for funding Scientific research
The ASTF’s board council referred to the interest in expanding the geographical scope of the ASTF’s programs, especially since the ASTF is the only foundation in the Arab region, that is independent, non-profit, which means science, technology and linked to social and economic development; focus its activities and programs on the development of entrepreneurship; and to accumulate wealth and create jobs, improve living standards and contribute to the networking of more than 15000 scientists, researchers, a leading Arab businessmen; organize the biggest event science and technology in the Arab world: a series of conferences, the prospects of scientific research and technological innovation SRO, held from 5 cycles; organized more than 80 scientific events, and other scientific organizations participated in 140 events; organized events in 16 Arab countries.
The Arab Science and Technology Foundation (ASTF) has regional and international certified experience and standards in the management of funding scientific research. ASTF funded projects worth $ 8 million, and hired about 500 international experts from 30 countries to assess the projects, supported 367 researchers assistants who worked with 148 principal researchers, those projects represented 19 Arab countries, covered 16 specialized scientific sectors.163 projects was funded in comparison to 2051 projects submitted for funding. ASTF established 6 scientific and technological networks.
ASTF launched the first Arab technology transfer and management program in the Arab region, linking academic institutions and research centers, to industrial and investment sectors. And organized the most important event of an Arab investment in the technology sectors, “Investment in Technology Forum in the Arab Region”, held 7 cycles, attended by 1.200 people, and 260 regional and international organizations; with the networking of more than 700 entrepreneurs and the representative of angel and joint0venture capital within the Arab countries and abroad; with the financial and technical support to more than 62 start-up company, and the funding of 22 start-up company, worth $ 15 million,12 companies which received funding and has provided innovative products.
The Arab Science and Technology Foundation organized 5 competitions for Innovation extraction, including (Technology Business Plan Competition TBPC, Made in the Arab World, Entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises, The Master Galileo Navigation by Satellite, and Intel Science and Engineering Fair “, in which competitors from 18 countries Arabic participated, and the percentage of women participation 4%.Noteworthy, an Arab team won the third place in the Intel Global Challenge for Entrepreneurship in America. ASTF also has supported the empowerment of Arab women in science and technology, through the establishment of a network, and then organize the first conference in Dubai for the Arab women in science. Noteworthy the women constitute 36% of the ASTF’s Board Council, and 28% of the members of the Executive Office, and 59% of its employees.
