I have just returned from spending a week at a university in Eastern Province, and over the last two years I have been honored to be invited to visit and work for universities in the Kingdom five times and have delivered workshops several times at major Saudi universities in Jeddah, Riyadh and Eastern Province. I have been invited back to all of them. While I was in the Kingdom last week I saw the editorial “Funding scientific research.” From my global experience, and having what I hope is a reasonable working knowledge of the Saudi university system, I agree with the sentiment of your editorial.

There is now significant global belief that the international recognition and rankings of a number of major Saudi universities is probably based largely on relationships with foreign highly cited researchers who add Saudi university affiliations to their publications. While there is certainly great value in true international collaborations where senior researchers work in each other’s institutions for extended periods, swap Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows, and carry out truly collaborative research accurately and justifiably warranting joint authorship of publications, these types of relationships and activities must be managed and led to ensure that they are real and honest, and only then, providing “value for money” in research, not just marketing.

The points in the editorial were valid, but I respectfully suggest that the challenge for Saudi universities, and many others globally I might add, is the lack of, and adherence to, strong research management systems in the universities. The difference with many other universities in other countries in similar situations however, is that, as highlighted in your editorial, money and resources are not restricted in the Kingdom. So lack of funding is not a reason for not having strong research management systems in place. The Kingdom has some excellent Saudi researchers and there are a number of excellent foreign researchers working at Saudi universities. However, excellent researchers largely working on their own, or at best in centers that do not have research management systems that are adhered to, in place, severely hinders the qualitative and quantitative achievement of the internationally competitive research outputs and outcomes found in many Western universities. Research management is more than just data analysis tools, which are very worthwhile and are in fact, quite widespread in the kingdom. High profile, internationally competitive, research-intensive universities have policies and procedures in place, well documented, understood, and above all adhered to, that encourage and ensure a strong, productive research culture. (Professor Alan Johnson, By e-mail)

Pakistan’s victory

When Pakistani team is out in the cricket field, any match is bound to be sensationally charged. Today’s match was a lucky win for Pakistan, thanks to Umar Gul’s blistering innings with lofty sixes and classy fours that too against quality bowling side. But Pakistanis totally and wholly rely on our cricket team to be the ambassador of good news as there is little or no hope of goodness from political or social fronts. Therefore, our heavy reliance on the only source of hope — our cricketers — is a lot for them to handle. May be that’s the reason why they behave so nervously when under pressure unlike their counterparts, because if they win the whole nation gets ecstatic and if they lose, it’s like pall of gloom engulfs the whole country. The nation praises and prays for our very talented yet unpredictable cricket team, may they be able to defeat each and every team either by their strength or by their luck. (Durre Fatima, Riyadh)

Anti-Islam film

The rage that erupted over an anti-Islam film is justified even if method of venting the anger is not. On one hand critics are condemning the protests for being violent, on the other those who really stoke fire in the name of freedom of expression are also not an inch less in charging the atmosphere either! “Strife,” according to Holy Qur’an, is worse than the murder as it is destined to devour many lives while leaving its traces for long time to maintain its “domino effect.” Divine law doesn’t permit to speak against any religion whatsoever.

Can anyone show disrespect, speak or even thinking ill of one’s parents? Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is revered by all Muslims. This cardinal truth is universal. Despite, someone engages in a smear, it is akin to hurting the sentiments. Besides, if this act is repeated at times and in various forms, it seems “intentional” and mischief mongers woefully do not know the meaning and spirit of expression. (Sultan Patel, Riyadh)