Science in the Islamic World: Any Chances for Prosperity?

This post includes figures and facts that are not good for our collective morals and psychological health. However, a good and honest diagnosis is always the first step to remediation.

The world’s 1.5 billion Muslims produce barely 1% of the world's scientific literature; R&D expenditure in the 57 member countries of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) lags way behind that of China, let alone that of the industrialised world; and tens of thousands of Arab scientists have joined the brain drain to the West. Predominantly Muslim countries are paying for these trends in terms of lost development.

This is a frank diagnosis that comprises the introduction to an excellent portfolio on Science in the Islamic World prepared by various muslim scholars and posted on the Science Dev Net website. In this portfolio

The online resource focuses on key issuesand features the views of some of those trying to shape science in the Islamic world:

Munir Nayfeh, joint founder of The Network of Arab Scientists and Technologists Abroad (ASTA) and professor of physics at the University of Illinois, USA, emphasises the importance of tapping the Islamic world’s scientific diaspora and reversing the brain drain;
Abdalla Alnajjar, president of the Arab Science and Technology Fund (ASTF), says the private sector must fill the gap left by governments in science and technology funding;
Mohamed Hassan, president of the African Academy of Scientists and executive director of TWAS (the Academy of Sciences for the Developing world), highlights the importance of science academies in promoting a culture of scientific research; and
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, a scientific historian and Secretary-General of the OIC, reflects on the Ottoman empire’s approach to science and technologyand its lessons for today’s developing countries.

In addition:

Wagdy Sawahel investigates whether the changing OIC science programmewill lead to better science; and
Waleed Al-Shobakky looks at the proliferation of technology parks in the Arab world.