The Swiss Parliament recently agreed to increase the amounts allocated for scientific research and development despite the country’s tight financial policies. The legislators approved the increase, arguing that reserch could greatly influence the country’s future. With research and development seen as a national priority, scientists and researchers hoped for a ten percent increase while the government proposed four percent. In the end, Parliament settled for five percent. The head of the National Fund for Scientific Research saw in the ten percent a prerequisite for Switzerland to maintain its competitive edge in a tough race with every other country in the world. The private sector contributes 70 percent of the fund’s budget while the government provides 23 percent — and this is in a country known to many as a tourist attraction and a maker of luxury watches and fine chocolates.
What, we wonder, is the contribution of the Saudi private sector to promoting scientific research in our country? The least that can be said here is that private contributions to the very few research centers found in our universities is insignificant. This is at a time when we are required to do more than merely promoting research, encouraging the gifted and investing heavily in science and technology. Unfortunately, this is not enough. Many young talented Saudis who dream of seeing their research sponsored by local institutions end up frustrated and find themselves at major Western research centers.
A recent example is Dr. Souad Sindi, a gifted young Saudi scientist who was sent by the Ministry of Education to get her doctorate abroad. To enable her to do the necessary research for the degree, she sought a local sponsor but found none willing to help her. Faced with the choice of abandoning her research or seeking help from others, Dr. Sindi decided to stay in the foreign country where scientific research is much valued and respected. While restructuring the state institutions to ensure better organization and per
formance, the government should give more attention to scientific research centers and prepare an atmosphere in which the country’s youth can excel in their areas of specialty.
It is indeed painful to see more and more malls and supermarkets being built. Each one is stuffed to the ceiling with imported goods of every sort. On the other hand, not a single center to promote social, economic and technical research is ever built or opened. Nations are built upon knowledge and judged by their achievements in science and technology, not by the volume of consumer goods displayed on local shop shelves.
Arab News From the Local Press 18 May 2003
