Summit to reveal Knowledge Index
Dubai event to also present report on ‘Forecasting the Future of Knowledge’
Anew global report will analyse how well or not the world will survive the rapid rise and impact of new technology and the knowledge economy, Gulf News can reveal.
In an interview, Saif Al Mansouri, head of the organising committee for the Knowledge Summit, said the new report, titled Forecasting the Future of Knowledge, will be revealed at the fifth edition of the Knowledge Summit in Dubai this week.
The annual summit, organised by the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation (MBRF), will be held from December 5 to 6 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
Al Mansouri, who is corporate affairs adviser to the CEO of MBRF, told Gulf News that disruptive change is the only constant of our times, and countries must anticipate and adopt the innovations or lag behind.
Country rankings
Countries around the world will also find out where they rank in the results of the new Global Knowledge Index 2018, which will also be released at the summit.
Last year, the UAE ranked 25 out of 131 — the best performer in the Arab world. Switzerland ranked number one globally in the 2017 index, followed by Singapore and Finland.
Every year the results of the Arab and Global Knowledge Indexes are revealed at the summit. Al Mansouri said since knowledge was the foundation and driver of national progress and development, there was a need to “create an accurate and objective measuring tool to track and monitor the status of knowledge around the world, as well as the challenges and opportunities around it”.
He added: “This diagnosis can then support governments and relevant entities to evaluate performance and design plans that drive development across all sectors. These indexes have undoubtedly highlighted the deep correlation between knowledge and development around the world.” ■
third report, Analysing the Results of the Global Knowledge Index 2017, will also be discussed at the summit, providing a deeper, more analytical look into the previous index. All three reports are drafted by MBRF in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Speaking about the broader agenda, Al Mansouri said the theme of this year’s summit is Youth and the Future of the Knowledge Summit.
“The youth are a cornerstone in any future plans. The segment plays a pivotal role in building a sustainable knowledge economy and our wise leadership has always prioritised youth issues.”
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