The Arab region holds massive potential in terms of scientific research. But scientists in the Arab world need to collaborate and be able to create some kind of communication between each other so that we can work together.
Another key aspect is to acknowledge that the era of memorisation in schools is gone, and that technology and innovation should be at the forefront of education, with students being taught critical and analytical thinking skills through robust STEM curriculums.
Scientists also need to set their scientific priorities – whether they be energy, climate change, food security, or Artificial Intelligence – so that they can focus their efforts in the right direction. If we take Taiwan as an example, they decided to focus on one thing – semiconductors and microchips – and perfect it, and they have become the number one producer of both in the world today.
Besides the scientific priorities, we also need to understand the importance of having continuous research work. When it comes to microbiology and immunology, infectious diseases can sometimes come to the forefront, as happened in the COVID-19 pandemic.
And despite the effective measures Qatar is taking in terms of screening travellers coming into the country and providing excellent healthcare to control infectious diseases, it is still crucial to have ongoing research due to the risk of imported diseases brought by travellers.
Among the challenges that need to be addressed in the field of research on infectious diseases is that most of us – practitioners, researchers, or professors – work in silos. More interaction between research facilities, universities, and medical institutions can be very helpful for research.
On a regional front, restrictions on academic freedom can impede the progress of scientific discovery, and other obstacles such as complex administrative policies and differing research funding mechanisms can hinder cross-border collaborations.
It is also crucial for policymakers and heads of states to work on navigating research policies in the Arab region. Arab countries invest between 0.2-0.4 percent of their national GDP into research and science.
Other countries, such as Japan, the US, and Germany invest up to seven percent, which is almost 10 times of what is spent in our region. Brazil, for example, set an agenda a while ago to spend 10 percent of the country’s GDP in research on science. They opened several science centers and universities that mainly focus on scientific research, and that is certainly the way forward.
The impact of collaboration on policymaking
Proof of how collaboration can lead to tangible results in a short time, and impact policy making, is a collaboration between Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hamad Medical Corporation in Qatar, and Dr. Asma Al Thani, Professor of Virology at Qatar University’s Biomedical Science Department, on surveying the population for the prevalence of the human papilloma virus (HPV) and developing an immunisation plan.
It was a fantastic collaboration. After collecting thousands of samples to assess the prevalence of HPV in Qatar, it was revealed to be very low at 3.5 percent, compared to 20-30 percent in other countries. Cervical cancer was also revealed to be very low in Qatari women compared to women in the Arab region.
Based on this collaboration, a discussion was initiated with Qatar’s Ministry of Public Health on the importance of surveying and tracking the prevalence of the disease over the years. And the possibility of making the HPV vaccine compulsory for girls proved to be increasing.
Giving back to the Arab world
Scientists must give back to their countries because it’s our duty. I took my chance to relocate to Qatar, and I have found it a fantastic place to work. The environment is very cosmopolitan, and the support we receive from partner entities allows us to perform cutting-edge research and offer first-class medical education.
If we want to attract scientists from the Arab diaspora to come back to the region, the first thing we should look at is to have a developed, thriving place for them to work. And in the Arab region, that cannot be built by one person, so we need them to connect and collaborate with their fellow scientists and researchers.
Follow us on
