ARAB WORLD: Reforms key for knowledge society - Report

Arab societies need nurturing institutions and supportive policies to experience a significant boost in knowledge production and creation, according to The Arab Knowledge Report 2009. Launched on Thursday, it is the first publication of a partnership between the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme. The report argues that political, institutional, cultural and intellectual reforms, as well as reform of the media and information technologies, are vital if Arab societies are to bridge the knowledge gap.

The partnership between the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation and the UNDP is aimed at producing a series of analytical reports addressing the state of knowledge, in all its dimensions, in the Arab region, the organisations said in a statement.

The Arab Knowledge Report 2009: Towards productive intercommunication for knowledge, emphasises two central and mutually dependent premises. The first is the connection between knowledge, development and freedom. The second is the close relationship between the demands of development and the building of the knowledge society. The report addresses the factors that impede the establishment of a knowledge society in the Arab world, assesses the state of education, ICTs, research and innovation in the region, and presents a roadmap for action.
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