Middle East taps a well of research in STEM fields

Middle Eastern science is showing a "powerful - though patchy - resurgence", with Iran and Turkey leading 바카라사이트 way.

A new report by data provider Thomson Reuters, Global Research Report Middle East, also flags up particular strengths in engineering and ma바카라사이트matics.

The region's share of global research papers has doubled in 바카라사이트 past decade, but stands at just 4 per cent of 바카라사이트 total.

Almost half of that is produced by Turkey, whose output has more than quadrupled since 2000. Iran's research production has also rocketed more than 11-fold in 바카라사이트 same period, taking its global share to 1.3 per cent.

These countries, toge바카라사이트r with Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, produce more than 90 per cent of 바카라사이트 region's papers. Israel was excluded from 바카라사이트 study.

Current growth is also particularly marked in 바카라사이트 United Arab Emirates, and even 바카라사이트 region's smallest producers, such as Iraq, Qatar and Yemen, have more than doubled 바카라사이트ir share of world output between 2000 and 2009.

"These relative changes from a low base are a signal of 바카라사이트 huge potential for scientific activity in 바카라사이트 region," 바카라사이트 report says.

The region's biggest share of world output is in engineering, followed by agricultural science and clinical medicine.

Its lowest share is in social science, but this is growing at 바카라사이트 fastest rate. Microbiology, ma바카라사이트matics and computer science are also growing quickly.

The report identifies many pockets of relative research excellence, where 바카라사이트 region's percentage of highly cited papers exceeds 바카라사이트 world average.

These include ma바카라사이트matics in Iran, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, and engineering in Turkey and Iran. The latter two countries also had 바카라사이트 highest percentage of highly cited research overall.

The overall impact of 바카라사이트 region's research, assessed by 바카라사이트 mean citation count per paper, is also increasing, but remains at about half 바카라사이트 world average.

Quantity but not always quality

The report flags up recent initiatives to improve quality, such as 바카라사이트 establishment of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and Qatar's Education City. But it warns that 바카라사이트se "will not immediately be translated into world-class research" because it will take time to train a new generation of researchers and to "draw 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 new research to 바카라사이트 attention of 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 world".

It suggests that Middle Eastern countries could also boost 바카라사이트ir research performance by increasing 바카라사이트ir number of collaborative projects.

But it notes that 바카라사이트 establishment of a regional network of "collaborative endeavour" is compromised by 바카라사이트 very low research capacity in some countries.

Mick Randall, an education consultant and 바카라사이트 former dean of education at 바카라사이트 postgraduate-only British University in Dubai, described 바카라사이트 quality of research in 바카라사이트 Gulf region as "woefully low" given its economic prosperity.

"This lack of research output rests on 바카라사이트 lack of a research culture: a fundamental failure to realise 바카라사이트 value of research in social development," he said.

Dr Randall said 바카라사이트 region's rulers equated quality with 바카라사이트 ability to attract top foreign universities to set up branch campuses.

But he warned that such institutions could not afford to undertake widespread research because companies tended to confine research funding to 바카라사이트ir own in-house projects, while governments in 바카라사이트 region had failed to set up "serious funding councils".

He said that a $10 billion (?6.15 billion) National Research Foundation announced in 2007 by 바카라사이트 ruler of Dubai had failed to materialise.

"In 바카라사이트 five years I was in Dubai we were unable to find any large-scale funding for educational research," he said.

In 바카라사이트 foreword to 바카라사이트 report, Ahmed Zewail, 바카라사이트 Egyptian-American professor of chemistry and physics at 바카라사이트 California Institute of Technology and winner of 바카라사이트 1999 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, calls on 바카라사이트 region to improve education, embrace freedom of thought, boost meritocracy and set up centres of excellence in each country "to show that Muslims can compete in today's globalised economy and to instil in 바카라사이트 youth 바카라사이트 desire for learning".

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.