About Importance to Invest in University,Op-ed

Whoever follows most of development theorists’ writings nowadays, will see that they call for the necessity of reforming some manifestations of structural imbalances in some economies by reducing expenditures and developing comprehensive short-term and long-term economic plans, with the aim of directing their economies to activities that help diversify and multiply their sources of national income and accelerate their sustainable development efforts… They also call, and this is most important, for the need to invest in human factor; as without it, the interests of peoples and generations will be lost.

Countries such as India, Japan and South Korea, which do not have any natural resources, have invested in human resource, so they have become developed countries, which enjoy advanced scientific research, and has become an exemplary.... It is the responsibility of everyone today in Arab world to invest in minds and take courageous decisions to achieve compatibility between scientific, vocational and technical training as well as the requirements of modern economy.

From this standpoint, everyone who follows the activities of some universities, such as Euro-Mediterranean University in Fez, cannot help but express his admiration for what has been achieved in record time- in a training and research institution- that seeks to be a link between two shores of the Mediterranean and Africa and even the whole world, as well as a development locomotive for the region and to have a place among ranks of Major international universities, especially since it has serious agreements with major companies, universities and institutions...

The university depends on the development of skills, science, research, and innovation, and it is the key that can allow all Arab universities to win the battle of competitiveness, and thus the battle of globalization. 

A challenge of this kind requires the adoption of a strong and quality educational system, as well as a clear vision in the field of technological development, and this is the basis for achieving an increase in the level of development in our countries.

The bet on the future is based on investing in strategic areas, especially Artificial Intelligence. We, in our Arab countries, must quickly raise the issue of specializations and future jobs in light of the rapid and unprecedented transformations brought about by the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Artificial Intelligence technology, which in turn raises many questions about the future of education system and its relationship to future jobs, especially in light of the studies that expect robots and smart devices to replace humans in many areas of life and jobs in the coming years.

Investing in people is the best way to achieve economic development and build nations...People do not develop except by investing in human being. Investing in people means finding solid grounds for educating and nourishing the minds of generations with correct science and solid foundations and by preparing 22nd century schools and 23rd century universities, and to stay away from the wrong tools and approaches that some Arab countries used for more than six decades without bearing any fruits, and they will not bear any fruits, as long as same causes and mentalities still exist.

What is required in this stage, as we have repeatedly written, is a kind of soft earthquake, which I call “Creative Destruction”, dispensing with the old patchwork suit, and sewing a new one that exempts everyone from all the disadvantages of the first. This must affect the economy, education, institutions, jobs, public expenditures and mentalities...It is the investment in human being that enables the development of humanity and the service of society, as well as avoiding obstacles that prevent the realization of a better future and crystallizing solutions for a more affluent life.

Whoever does not invest today, not tomorrow, in humans will not be able to invest in Artificial Intelligence and will lose his leading presence in the arena of influential and developed countries in the future...

We always say to our university students that the purpose of every science, whatever its kind, is the development of society. The first task of the researcher is how he can play a role in achieving development and growth within society.

 We find in United States of America (USA), unlike Europe and other continents, that communication between researcher and community is the connection of soul with body, and billions of dollars are spent on it.

In addition, the process of grading professors and increasing their salaries takes place mostly through the accurate committees' evaluation, which based on the professor’s contribution, not only in indoctrination and teaching processes, but in research and authoring processes, and not all authorships, but those that are directly related to the impact on society... Eid Mubarak.