CAIRO – What is happening to scientific research in Egypt? This is a very serious question. Today, many young researchers are fleeing to Western countries like those in Europe, Japan and the United States, looking for a better future, as their research here has been completely neglected by senior professors. “Scientific research is an essential component of our educational system, so we must support and foster Egyptian researchers, who are the key to the stability and success of Egypt,” says Dr Omaima el-Hawari, a researcher at the National Research Centre. “We should co-ordinate the scientific research activities that are scattered across ministries and different governmental agencies. “Scientific research is in danger today, because there is a decline in qualified teaching staff in the universities, capable of teaching students how to do good-quality research.” Dr Omaima explains that this decline can be blamed on the profusion of private universities here. There are now about 20 such universities in Egypt. It can also be blamed on the decline in the research budget, as Egypt spends less money on student education than most Arab countries. “There are many scientific disciplines such as life sciences, earth sciences, physics, mathematics, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and technology. Anyone working in these fields wants to be paid a high salary. “The expenditure on research in Egypt is very low; we are in urgent need of boost spending on scientific research in all its fields. We need external funding for research projects from the private sector and big industrial companies,” she stresses. Dr Mohamed Reda, a researcher and an expert at the Desert Research Centre, says: “The question of research and development is an ongoing issue in the Arab world. There is still no serious strategic plan to support effective scientific research in the fields of health, water, renewed energy, etc. “Egyptian university graduates face a lack of laboratories, research equipment, resources, motivation for research and a strategic research plan. “The most important thing is to change the Egyptian scientific research administration and rebuild its infrastructure.” He adds that we must encourage Egyptian scientists to stay in Egypt and not travel abroad, so we can benefit from their experience. We must provide them with an appropriate atmosphere and facilities to help them advance Egypt's technological development. “We should increase their incentives, according to the quality of their research,” he adds. “There must be co-operation between the senior professors and young researchers. They must work as a team to do good-quality research, and the research mustn't be duplicated,” says Dr Abdel-Gelil Ahmed, a researcher at the Agricultural Research Centre. He adds that Egyptian universities do not foster productivity or innovation. We should encourage innovative research to try and solve the real problems facing society and the environment. “To progress, Egyptian science needs an appropriate atmosphere and more money,” he concludes. Walaa Atef, of the Faculty of Sciences, Cairo University, says: “There are many highly qualified researchers in Egypt, but they don't have wasta [friends in high places], which means they don't get appointed at the research centres or the universities. “This means that they have to do a second job to earn enough to survive. In so doing, their research suffers.” She adds that the scientific research in Egypt is going backwards, as the senior professors don't help young researchers to find sufficient information to support their research. “There is a big gap in education at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, when it comes to teaching students how to do research and write up the results,” says Marwa Mohamed, a pharmacist. “Students should learn at school and university how to write up their scientific research results. They need to be taught that there is a big difference between memorising information and searching for information in a special field and then applying it. “Egypt's educational system must develop at every stage, and students must also develop from A to Z.”
