Global Overview: Promoting Knowledge for Human Development
Human Development is about expanding people’s choices so that they can live long, healthy, creative lives, and make investments in the future. Knowledge is at the center of human development. As a human right, knowledge is an end in-and-of-itself. But it is also an important means – a prerequisite for participation in governance, for health, for human security, and, more than ever, for productive engagement in the increasingly competitive global economy. UNDP works with partners around the world to better equip people with the knowledge necessary to lead more fulfilling lives in a context of more inclusive human development.
Knowledge in the Arab States
Despite a rich and time-tested intellectual tradition, and notwithstanding the region’s tremendous human capital, the potential of people in the Arab region is constrained by barriers to knowledge acquisition, dissemination, production and utilization. This was the message of the Arab Human Development Report 2003: Building a Knowledge Society, and also the motivation and foundation for the upcoming series of the Arab Knowledge Report. Forward-looking Arab leaders recognize that their countries need to regenerate, enlarge, organize, and deploy their knowledge capabilities in order to prosper in a world of globalized information, technology and markets. UNDP supports them in these efforts.
Regional Initiatives toward a Knowledge Society In addition to the ground-breaking analytical and advocacy work sponsored by UNDP in the form of the 2003 Arab Human Development Report and the up-coming Arab Knowledge Report, UNDP also works with partners on three major regional initiatives in support of Arab countries’ efforts to improve the state of knowledge in their societies:
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Enhancement of Quality Assurance and Institutional Planning in Arab Universities. By supporting over 36 leading public and private Arab universities in adopting internationally based instruments of quality assurance for curricula in Education, Engineering, Business Administration, and Computer Science, this project has paved the way for reform of higher education in the region based on a sound understanding of Arab universities strong points and challenges. More...
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Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Supporting the participation of 15 Arab countries in this international study used to gauge mathematic and science achievement at the 4th and 8th grades, this project has contributed to a growing culture of evaluation and quality enhancement for basic education in the Arab States, reflected in such national-level developments as the creation of an Education Research Center in Syria to focus on evaluating educational quality and study options for reform. More...
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Information & Communication Technology for Development in the Arab Region (ICTDAR). ICTDAR assists the Arab region and its people in their effort to move towards knowledge-based societies by harnessing ICT to bridge the digital gap, reduce poverty, and improve public administration performance. ICT training to women and youth, such as a workshop training young Moroccan entrepreneurs, has contributed to human development by enabling people to seize the advantages that technology has to offer.
At the Country Level
UNDP is also committed to implementing projects on the national level to respond to support Arab countries progress toward becoming knowledge societies. Initiatives to strengthen knowledge on the national level are implemented within the framework of the strategies of Country Offices, and in collaboration with national and international partners including governments, civil society, and other United Nations agencies.
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Arab Knowledge Report 2009
Towards productive
Intercommunication for knowledge
28 October 2009
Vision, political will and careful planning needed for Arab states to build a “Knowledge Society”
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. The report, launched today, maintains 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... Read More …
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Full Report (2 MB)
Forward & Contents
Preamble
Chapter 1: Theoretical Framework
Chapter 2: Performance Environments
Chapter 3: Education
Chapter 4: ICT
Chapter 5: Research & Innovation
Chapter 6: Vision & Plan
References
Annexes
List of Background papers
Project for a K-database
Measuring Arab K-economy
Statistical Annex
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