HIGHER EDUCATION OF WOMEN IN ISLAMIC COUNTRIES: EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN THE NEW ERA OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY T. Mahrouzadeh Consultant, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology Islamic Republic of Iran Executive Secretary of Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World

 Nowadays all countries are pursuing to attain sustainable development. To acquire sustainability, it needs cultural, social and political development that are based on the development of human capital. The growth and development of countries essentially depends on the production of knowledge-base products. Knowledge-based economies always considered the importance of education, especially higher education  Providing statistics and a general picture of higher education of women in Islamic countries can prepare the ground for better understanding to policy makers, planners, executives, experts and analysts of higher education in the Islamic countries. The statistical data would include the following indicators Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

Statistics and a General Picture of Higher Education of Women in Islamic Countries Gender Parity Index (GPI) Gender Parity Index for Gross Enrollment Ratio, Tertiary Gender Parity Index for Gross Completion Rate, ISCED/5A, First degree Percentage of Female Researchers in different Fields The data presented in this research is derived from the 2008 and 2009 statistics of UNESCO Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

Proportion of women and men graduates in tertiary education by program level and those employed as researchers, 2008 Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW) Researcher: professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new knowledge, products, processes, methods and systems. They are also involved in the management of these projects.

Number and the Percentage of Female Researchers in Each Field Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW) Total Natural Science Engineering & Technologists Health & Welfare Humanities &Art Social ScienceAgriculture Country R F% R F% R F% R F% R F% R F% R F% Pakistan /97%416815/02%125713/02% /70%21841/83%294043/53%7429/25% Azerbaijan /35%257751/52%106349/35%46064/24%97957/72%38154/66%35245/30% Kuwait 14937/06%4828/40%2935/36% /125%5243/69% Iraq 47431/18%31739/92%6421/02%342/85%1638/77% /46% Uganda 68840/39%5846/4%7 25% 23935/51% /16%6930/94% Gabon 11822/22%2231/42%520%1458/33%1420/28%1815/12%1330/23% Saudi Arabia 181/41%52/43%112/01%222/22%--- Kazakhstan /48%--- Kyrgyzstan 99443/44%--- Palestine 29118/77%--- Libya 10121/95%--- Turkey /28%---

Number and the Percentage of Female Researchers in Each Field Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW) Total Natural Sciences Engineerin g & Technology Medical & Health Sciences Humanitie s Social Sciences Agricultura l Science Country R %F%F %F%F %F %F %F%F %F%F %F%F %F%F Pakistan Azerbaijan Kuwait Iraq Uganda Gabon Saudi Arabia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Palestine Libya Turkey

Gender Parity Index (GPI) GPI is the ratio of female-to-male values of a given indicator. A GPI of 1 indicates parity between sexes. In 2003, UNESCO had determined the range of gender parity between 0.97 and Among 34 Islamic countries: in13 Islamic countries, the number of women are more than men In 21 Islamic countries, the number of men are more than women Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

Percentage of Female Students, Total Tertiary According to the world statistics of 101 countries of the world, 10 countries which have the least proportion of female students, 6 of them are from Islamic countries. Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

Gender Parity Index for Gross Enrollment Ratio, Tertiary Gender Parity Index for Gross Completion Rate Country GPI for Enrollment Ratio GPI for Completion Rate Azerbaijan 0/990/80 Qatar 6/3110/36 I. R. Iran 1/071/38 Indonesia 0/960/92 Morocco 0/960/88 Lebanon 1/191/29 Kazakhstan 1/451/38 Uzbekistan0/700/78 Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

Female Tertiary Graduates as percentage of all Graduates in different fields Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW) 1 st Place in Islamic Countries 2 nd Place in Islamic Countries 3 rd Place in Islamic Countries Field of StudyCountry World Rank F%Country World Rank F%Country World Rank F% Engineering, Manufacturing & Construction Indonesia249٪Brunei344٪Kirghizstan638٪ Natural ScienceSaudi Arabia269٪ I.R. Iran Qatar 368٪UAE464٪ Social Science, Business & Law Saudi Arabia1860٪ Qatar Brunei 2064٪I.R. Iran3557٪ Humanities & ArtQatar384٪UAE582٪Algeria779٪ EducationLebanon692٪Azerbaijan790٪Kyrgyzstan1187٪ AgricultureUAE267٪Saudi Arabia958٪Indonesia1950٪ Health & WelfareUAE883٪Kirghizstan1879٪Brunei2477٪ ServicesIran1457٪Lebanon1555٪Morocco2650٪

Nowadays, the gap between the developed, developing and less developed countries is widening day by day due to fast scientific and technological changes. Mixing of scientific fields, creation and expansion of interdisciplinary scientific areas, field of study, convergences such as in Nano, Bio, Cognitive and Information technology, have made it feasible for this result which is economical, cultural and social development. In addition it has imposed knowledge management and reorganization of development and change policies in educational system of countries. The member countries of the Islamic Conference must make the idea of “sharing of knowledge is power” as their slogan. But expansion of this idea is dependent on cultural development and exchange of views and approaches. Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW) Emerging Sciences and Technologies

Knowledge Management “ knowledge is valuable when it is accessible to human beings”. “knowledge management” has become important as a tool which is capable of gathering and organizing the existing knowledge. We need organization culture that provokes cooperation, trust, sharing of knowledge, learning and creativity. Knowledge management is trying to prepare the ground for participation of interactivity among experts. Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

The development of emergent technologies have direct effect on national wealth. Therefore stronger Islamic countries should help other countries by using and sharing knowledge management. The Network of Women Scientist of the Islamic World is pursuing the realization of these world ideal through: Strengthening expert women of the Islamic world in scientific activities, through: Motivating expert women of the Islamic world with the priority of young women scientists, through: Introducing top expert women of the Islamic world. Providing annual rewards for top women scientist and researchers of the Islamic world Providing rewards for publishing scientific articles in accredited periodicals and conferences Allocating budget for travel and expenses of attending accredited international conferences

Strengthening expert women of the Islamic world in scientific activities, through: Organizing and establishing e-learning system for special professional programs Organizing pilot networks in different national, regional, and international levels Supporting and facilitating the access to digital and non- digital scientific resources from famous world publisher Planning for knowledge management through: Holding short seminars, workshops, gatherings, conferences and other events in digital and non-digital world Providing educational and research scholarships and grants for expert women candidates such as: Signing bilateral agreements with the Japan Foundation for short term study programs in Japan in humanities for members of the network Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

Establishing special information bank of expert women of the Islamic world in national, regional and international levels and expanding the cooperation among them through different channels of communication such as scientific forum. Provide information for active expert women in the following areas: Conferences, workshops and special educational programs Books, websites and scientific associations Scholarship, grant from top universities and scientific centers Single gender scientific centers Career opportunities Acceptance of joint proposals with other international institutes and organizations in science and technology with emphasis on potentials and capabilities of expert women in local, regional and international levels; and initiation of joint scientific projects Documenting and publishing the list of researches and articles by expert women of the Islamic world in validated periodicals Network of Women Scientists of the Islamic World (NWSIW)

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