Islamic World Academy of Sciences

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The Islamic Academy of Sciences (IAS) is a non-profit organisation of distinguished scientists and technologists dedicated to the promotion of science and technology in the Muslim world.

Contents

[edit] Foundation

The establishment of the Islamic world Academy of Sciences IAS was initially proposed by the Organisation of the Islamic Conference; (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Co-operation (COMSTECH), and approved by the Fourth Islamic Summit held in Casablanca in 1984.

Upon the invitation of Jordan, the Founding Conference of the Academy was held in Amman (Jordan) in October 1986, under the patronage of HRH Prince Al-Hassan, who accepted the patronage of the Academy together with HE the President of Pakistan. Operating from its Amman Secretariat, the Academy hopes to continue the work it had started in 1986, namely assisting the decision-makers and scientists and technologists of the Ummah and helping them achieve an advanced level of development for their countries.

[edit] Mission

The stated mission of IAS is to "provide an institutional set up for the utilisation of Science and Technology for the development of Islamic countries and humanity at large"[1].

[edit] Vision

The primary vision of IAS is to "increase interaction among scientists and facilitate the exchange of views on development issues, and to function as the Islamic Brain Trust helping the Islamic and Developing Worlds in scientific and technology fields"[2].

[edit] Objectives

IAS's objectives are as stated below[3]:

  • To serve as a consultative organisation of the Muslim world and institutions of member states of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), on matters related to science and technology;
  • To initiate scientific and technological programmes and activities in science and technology, and to encourage co-operation among research groups in the various Islamic countries on projects of common interest;
  • To encourage and promote research on major problems of importance facing the Islamic countries and to identify future technologies of relevance for possible adoption and utilisation
  • To formulate standards of scientific performance and attainment, and to award prizes and honours for outstanding scientific achievements to centres of excellence in all science and technology disciplines

[edit] Structure

The structure of the IAS consists of a General Assembly, Council, Secretariat and Standing Committees.

[edit] The General Assembly

The Academy itself is governed by the General Assembly i which all founding and elected persons are members. In January 2001, there were 88 elected persons representing 30 muslim-majority countries, from across a diverse range of scientific disciplines. These persons are widely eminent figures and are considered in one way or another to have made a large and important contribution to the development of their own ome countries' and to the muslim world in general. Since its establishment in 1986, the General Assembly has convened annually and the major issues discussed at each of these gatherings are the planning and accomplishing of future Academy activities.

[edit] The Council

The council is responsible for the management and direction of the Academy and consists of eleven executive members which are elected by the General Assembly for a four year term of office, and which is subject to its regulation and supervision.

[edit] The Academy Secretariat

Based in Amman, the capital of Jordan, the academy secretiat is the executive arm of the IAS and its primary function is to maintain the institutional establishment of the IAS and implement its plan of action within the guidelines set by the Council and General Assembly. The secretiat receives an annual maintenance grant and is provided with the diplomatic immunities by the Jordanian government.

[edit] Standing Committees

The task of implementing the Academy's programme, as well as being the responsibility of the General Assembly, Council and Secretariat, is also that of the five Academy Standing Committees, which were intended to be instruments to generate programmes for the academy when it was founded. The Academy currently has the following Standing Committees:

  • Science and Technology Policy Committee
  • Science and Technology Manpower Development Committee
  • Natural Resources Development Committee
  • High Technology Development Committee
  • Environment and Development Committee

[edit] Programmes

Since its establishment in 1986, the IAS has been implementing programmes that address serious contemporary issues facing the Muslim World with the primary aim of devising solutions and policies that Islamic and developing countries can adopt in order to accomplish their development goals. On an annual basis, the Academy has organized several international conferences, published a series of conference proceedings, newsletters and various works of publicity literature, and distributed a quality journal of international standard, called Journal of the Islamic Academy of Sciences (which was later relaunched as Journal of the Islamic Academy of Sciences, a specialized medical version of the former magazine).

Furthermore, the Academy is reported to have built numerous contacts with a number of Islamic governments worldwide, as well as several national and international non-governmental organizations. The fundamental objective of the IAS's programme is "to establish a framework for the development of science and technology in the Islamic World"[4]. By the facilitation of interaction among scientists, and the promotion of the exchange of views and ideas on science and technology issues in particular is hoped to catalyse the overall process of socio-economic development in Islamic countries.

The programme also aims to "highlight the correlation between knowledge, science and technology on on the one hand, and Islamic Values on the other".[5]. Through research in this field, the programme is intended to help rejuvenate the establishment of an improved environment for scientific research for the benefit of the Muslim World, in particular the developing and third world nations.

[edit] Fellows

[edit] Past fellows

  • Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim (1911-1988) Bangladesh.
  • Prof. Djibril Fall (1930-1992) Senegal.
  • Prof. Salimuzzaman Siddiqui (1897-1994) Pakistan.
  • Prof. Abdus Salam Mia (1925-1995) Bangladesh/USA.
  • Prof. Suleiman Gabir Hamad (1937-1996) Sudan.
  • Prof. Mohammad R Siddiqui (1908-1998) Pakistan.
  • Prof. Abdullah M Sharafuddin (1930-1998) Bangladesh.
  • Prof. Achmed Baiquni (1923-1998) Indonesia.
  • Prof. Mumtaz Ali Kazi (1928-1999) Pakistan.
  • Prof. Farmaz G Maksudor ( 1930-2000) Azerbaijan.
  • Prof. Ali Kettani (1941-2001) Morocco.
  • Prof. Mohamed Kamel Mahmoud (1926-2003) Egypt
  • Prof. Samaun Samadikun (1931-2006) Indonesia

[edit] Conferences

Year Conference Location
1987 Food Security in the Muslim World Amman, Jordan
1988 Science and Technology Policies for Self-Reliance in the Muslim World Islamabad, Pakistan
1989 New Technologies and the Development of the Muslim World Kuwait City, Kuwait
1990 Technology Transfer for Development in the Muslim World Antalya, Turkey
1988 Science and Technology Manpower for Development in the Islamic World Islamabad, Pakistan
1989 New Technologies and the Development of the Muslim World Kuwait City, Kuwait
1990 Technology Transfer for Development in the Muslim World Antalya, Turkey
1991 Science and Technology Manpower for Development in the Islamic World Amman, Jordan
1992 Environment and Development in the Islamic World Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1993 Health, Nutrition and Development in the Islamic World Dakar, Senegal
1994 Water in the Islamic World: An Imminent Crisis Khartoum, Sudan
1995 Science and Technology Education for Development in the Islamic World Tehran, Iran
1996 Environment and Development in the Islamic World Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2000 Information Technology for Development in the Islamic World Tunis, Tunisia
2001 Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering for Development in the Islamic World Rabat, Morocco
2002 Materials Science and Technology and Culture of Science Islamabad, Pakistan
2003 Energy for Sustainable Development and Science for the Future of the Islamic World and Humanity Kuching/Sarawak, Malaysia
2005 Science, Technology and Innovation for Socio-economic Development of OIC-Member Countries: Towards Vision 1441 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

[edit] References

  1. ^ Mission statement
  2. ^ IAS Vision
  3. ^ IAS Objectives
  4. ^ IAS Programme
  5. ^ IAS Programme

[edit] External links

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