Islamic Development Bank (IDB) Prizes for Science and Technology (1430H)

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In recognition of the crucial role that Science and Technology (S&T) plays in socio-economic development, the IDB has, over the years, diversified and increased its assistance to member countries in this area.

The mechanisms and initiatives that the IDB undertook in providing this assistance to relevant organizations and institutions in member countries included the following:

• Concluding cooperation agreements and MOUs with S&T partners, including the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH); the Islamic-World Academy of Sciences (IAS); the Islamic University of Technology (IUT); the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO); and an increasing number of UN, regional and national institutions and non-governmental organizations;



• Increasing financial assistance to member countries for S&T projects and programmes, including institutional capacity-building, procurement of advanced equipment for use in laboratories, hospitals and universities; establishment of S&T education and applied research institutions;



• Enhancing cooperation between member countries in S&T through the recruitment of experts, on the job training, scientific seminars and conferences under IDB Science and Technology Office Programmes;



• Offering science education support under two of the IDB scholarship programmes;
  - the Merit Scholarship Programme for Ph.D and post-doctorate;
  - the Master of Sciences/Scholarship Programme for graduates from the Least Developed Member Countries (LDMCs)

In another move aimed at promoting scientific talents and excellence in the S&T education in R&D institutions of its member countries, the IDB launched in 1422H an initiative called the “IDB Prizes for Science & Technology”.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

While the IDB continued to direct its efforts and financing to capacity-building, procurement of equipment and establishment of infrastructure in S&T applications, it has realized the necessity to develop a leading scientific elite among S&T institutions in member countries through the pursuit of excellence. Such a leadership is required to sustain a growing momentum of scientific achievements by S&T centres of excellence in IDB member countries.

The IDB Prizes for Science & Technology are expected to encourage merit institutions and to promote competition among S&T institutions; the prizes would further herald the commitment of the IDB to implement forward-looking policies and integrate advanced S&T applications in the overall development agenda of its member countries. The objectives of the IDB Prizes for Science and Technology are as follows:

• to promote sound and fruitful competition among the S&T education and research institutions in member countries for achieving excellence;
• to encourage and support the successful institutions in this competition;
• to raise awareness among decision-makers and intellectuals about the present and potential contribution of S&T to sustainable development; and
• to highlight S&T related policies and contribution of the IDB.
  
  

NATURE OF THE PRIZES

The IDB Prizes for Science and Technology consist of three prizes awarded on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of the IDB Board of Governors.

Each Prize will consist of a cash award of one hundred thousand (100,000) US dollars, a trophy and a certificate mentioning the name of the winner and its accomplishments.

The Prizes are awarded only to institutions (not to individuals) in IDB member countries in the following categories:

Category 1:
Outstanding scientific or technological contribution to the socio-economic development of a member country.

Category 2:
Outstanding contribution to any of the following scientific disciplines: Engineering Sciences; Agriculture; Medicine; Biotechnology; Information Technology; Optronics; Material Sciences; Pharmaceutical Sciences; Industrial Microelectronics; and alternative Energy Sources.

Category 3:
Noted scientific research institutions in IDB least developed member countries (LDMCs).

PRIZE WINNERS OF 7th EDITION (1430H -2009G)

• Category 1: Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
• Category 2: Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
• Category 3: International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research(ICDDRB), Dhaka, Bangladesh

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE PRIZE WINNERS

The announcement of winning institutions will be made during the 34th Annual Meeting of the IDB Board of Governors scheduled to take place during 2-3 June 2009 G(8-9 Jumad Thani 1430H) in Ashgabat, the Republic of Turkmenistan. It will also be announced through the following channels:

- Members of the IDB Board of Governors;
- Members of the IDB Board of Executive Directors;
- Major S&T and Financial Partners of the IDB;
- International and IDB member countries media;
- OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH)

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