UNESCO SCIENCE REPORT

UNESCO SCIENCE REPORT
In several countries, women represent more than four out of ten
researchers employed in natural sciences (Kuwait, Egypt and Iraq)
and medical and health sciences (Kuwait, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan and
Morocco). In Egypt, they have attained parity in social sciences and
humanities. Most of the small group of Saudi women researchers
works in medical and health sciences (Table 17.2).
The share of students graduating in S&T fields is relatively
high, ranging from a low of 11% in Jordan to a high of 44%
in Tunisia (Table 17.3). Recent data available for ten countries
reveal that women represent between 34% and 56.8% of
tertiary graduates in science, engineering and agriculture, a
relatively high ratio (Table 17.4). In science and agriculture,
women have achieved parity and even dominate these fields
in most countries. They remain a minority in engineering, with
the notable exception of Oman (Table 17.4).
Government expenditure on education represents a sizeable
share of GDP in much of the Arab world. Moreover, most of
the countries for which data are available devote more than
1% of GDP to higher education (Figure 17.8).
Little business R&D
In many Arab states, the bulk of GERD is performed by
the government sector, followed by the higher education
sector; the private sector assumes little or even no role in the
research enterprise. In Egypt, for instance, the Academy of
Scientific Research and Technology estimates that the private
sector contributes only around 5% of the country’s research
expenditure (Bond et al., 2012). Jordan, Morocco, Oman,
Qatar, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates are exceptions to
the rule. Erawatch estimates that the private sector performs
Figure 17.7: Share of women Arab researchers, 2013 (%)
Selected countries, in head counts
Egypt (2013)
Bahrain* (2013)
Kuwait* (2013)
Iraq (2011)
Morocco (2011)
Oman (2013)
Palestine (2013)
Jordan (2008)
Qatar (2012)
21.1
22.6
22.5
21.9
30.2
34.2
37.3
Saudi Arabia* (2009) 1.4
*partial data
Note: For Bahrain, data only cover the higher education sector; for Kuwait
and Saudi Arabia, data only cover the government sector.
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, January 2015
42.8
41.2
one-third of GERD in Jordan, 30% in Morocco (2010), 29% in the
United Arab Emirates (2011), 26% in Qatar (2012) and 24% in
Oman (2011). The figure is closer to 20% in Tunisia, according
to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Business enterprises also
finance about 24% of GERD in Qatar and 20% in Tunisia.
The data for FTE researchers by sector of employment and
gender are scant for most Arab states. Available data for Egypt
indicate that the majority of researchers were employed by
Figure 17.6: Arab researchers and technicians (FTE) per million inhabitants, 2013 or closest year
The total number of researchers is given in brackets
Technicians per million inhabitants
Researchers per million inhabitants
Tunisia -1 * (15 159)
1 394
53
Morocco -2 (27 714)
864
192
Qatar -1 (1 203)
587
294
Egypt (47 652)
581
179
Palestine (2 492)
576
61
Iraq -2 ** (13 559)
426
20
Kuwait -1 * (439)
135
397
Libya (1 140)
172
54
Oman (497)
137
-n = n years before reference year
* based on national estimation
** based on overestimated data
10
Bahrain (67)
Sudan (597)
50
19
Note: For Bahrain, data only cover the higher education sector; for Kuwait, data only cover the government sector. Data are also partial for Moroccan technicians.
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics, January 2015; for Libya: Libyan Authority for Research, Science and Technology; for Sudan: National Research Centre
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