the research and innovation system in egypt - ARTI Puglia

5. Research, Development and Innovation in Egypt
5.1. Introduction
The structure of research and innovation activities in Egypt is presently undergoing
significant changes. Until recently research funding suffered and strongly depended
on international grants. There was no clear national policy of research and researchers
usually continued to work along the same lines of research of their PhD advisors or group
leaders, with later being related to where and what the advisor studied himself more
than to a national plan. This resulted in research being considered by the community as
a luxury and by researchers only as a vehicle for foreign travel and promotion. The brain
drain problem was understandable. The lack of a national research policy whose objective
is to solve local industrial problems together with weak links between academia and
industry and limited funding were serious problems.
5.2. The Structure
Things began to change when new concepts such as the global marker began to emerge.
It became clear that research is the only means to compete. Besides, international funding
agencies donated grants for common research between Egyptian researchers and their
international counterparts, with strict measures for funding. Research was carried out in
Egypt and the brain drain problem was minimized. Egyptian research began to develop.
Some groups began to work on modernizing industry, some to develop ICT applications,
some began working on genetically-engineered agricultural products, etc. International
cooperation began to achieve positive results by working closely with different ministries
and industries. This describes the present phase.
The problem was only partially solved that way. Local planning and funding of research
were left for a later stage. The prime minister of Egypt will himself chair a new 18-member
S&T council, modeled on a similar panel in Japan. The Supreme Council for Science and
Technology will include six scientists, eight Cabinet members with research portfolios,
as well as representatives of industry and finance. The funding shortage had to be faced.
The planned restructuring would transfer most grant-giving functions of Egypt’s massive
Academy of Scientific Research and Technology to the new granting agency, which will be
called the Egyptian National Funding Agency. The academy will allow important topics to
be investigated, but its future role will not be in funding research.
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the research and innovation system in Egypt