1st meeting of Islamic higher education minister next october in Riyadh

Islamic higher education and scientific research ministers will meet next October 15 in Riyadh to "devise enforcement mechanisms of a strategy to develop sciences and technology in Islamic countries."

Organized by the Rabat-based Islamic Educational, scientific and cultural organization (ISESCO, an OIC body) and the Saudi higher education ministry, the session will study a series of reports by ISESCO assessing the situation of higher education in Islamic countries and a report by the Federation of the Islamic world universities.

ISESCO will award, at the opening ceremony, the excellence medal to the late Prince Faysal Ibn Fahd Ibnu Abdelaziz, former general manager of the Saudi youth department. The same medal will be extended to Dr Ahmed Ewil Egyptian-born chemistry Nobel.

Debates will focus on how to implement a strategy for the development of science and technology in Islamic countries.

Ministers from member-countries of OIC and of the standing committee for technologic and scientific cooperation and delegations representing Islamic, Arab and International institutions will be taking part.