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Science, Technology and Innovation Reforms for Sustainable Development of the GCC Countries

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2016) | Viewed by 42454

Special Issue Editor

Center of Excellence in Information Assurance, King Saud University, Riyadh 11653, Saudi Arabia
Interests: cybersecurity; digital authentication; biometrics; multimedia security; cloud computing security; technological innovation management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) pervade all walks of our modern life. Investment in STI is essential for socio-economic progress of a nation to foster its sustainable development. STI policies and their successful implementation could help to strengthen the capacity to build the necessary infrastructure and train future generations of political, social, business, and science leaders. This vision can only be achieved through increased investment in education, technical competences and training, as well as science, technology, research, and innovation.

The major purpose of this Special Issue is to introduce the World about these new STI reforms of the GCC countries. It will also cover the newly introduced policies, management practices and strategies for technology transfer and readers will be able to find a broad range of papers, ranging from success stories, case studies, and comparative analyses, etc. In addition, the adopted models for STI, knowledge exchange and technology transfer by the GCC countries will be a good motivation and indication for other developing nations. 

The scope of this Special Issue is as follows:

  • National, Regional, and Technological Innovation Systems
  • Science and technological capacity building for sustainable development
  • Technological capability building
  • University-Industry relations
  • Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy
  • Science and Technology collaboration in and among these countries
  • Case studies on the aforementioned topics

Prof. Dr. Muhammad Khurram Khan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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1479 KiB  
Article
The Role of Engineering Design in Technological and 21st Century Competencies Capacity Building: Comparative Case Study in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe
by Mahmoud Abdulwahed and Mazen O. Hasna
Sustainability 2017, 9(4), 520; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9040520 - 30 Mar 2017
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4063
Abstract
Engineering design is considered an effective means for developing engineering technical skills. Normally, engineering design is conducted in teams and is a collaborative open-ended approach under constraints. This nature of engineering design involves engagement of several interpersonal, cognitive, and management skills or competencies [...] Read more.
Engineering design is considered an effective means for developing engineering technical skills. Normally, engineering design is conducted in teams and is a collaborative open-ended approach under constraints. This nature of engineering design involves engagement of several interpersonal, cognitive, and management skills or competencies such as teamwork, communications, decision making, problem solving, etc. While modern engineers are supposed to be technically competent, they need to posses a wide set of interpersonal, cognitive, and management competencies to function effectively in the workplace. Increasingly there has been more deployment of engineering design competitions (EDCs) in engineering education to address some gaps in current curricula system. In this study, the impact of a complex engineering design competition on developing 21st century competencies of engineering and technology talent is investigated. A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods in the approach to self-reporting perceptions were utilized. Data was collected through interviews from students and faculty, and through surveys from students. Triangulating quantitative and qualitative data from students and faculty indicate that the investigated EDC have positive impact on a large set of 21st century engineering and technology competencies, this has been consistent across groups of students from the EU, Middle East, and Asia, as well as across genders. This is one of the few available investigations that sheds light in further depth on the impact of engineering design on non-technical skills. Full article
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1049 KiB  
Article
Science, Technology and Innovation through Entrepreneurship Education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)
by Irfan Hameed, Muhammad Babar Khan, Atif Shahab, Imran Hameed and Faisal Qadeer
Sustainability 2016, 8(12), 1280; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121280 - 09 Dec 2016
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 10430
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways of achieving Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in UAE. Previously, sustainability within an entrepreneurship context has been related to economic viability as opposed to sustainability in its broadest sense. Through a survey research [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study is to investigate the ways of achieving Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in UAE. Previously, sustainability within an entrepreneurship context has been related to economic viability as opposed to sustainability in its broadest sense. Through a survey research method, we have highlighted the effects of three independent variables and two intervening variables on three important outcomes, innovation, need for achievement and motivation, which ultimately contributes towards STI. These data have been collected from the students of a well-known university in Al-Ain, UAE. The responses of 251 students have been utilized for analysis. For hypotheses testing, we used AMOS 18 (Structural Equation Modeling) and SPSS 20. The study revealed that all of the predictors have a strong effect on the outcome variables, which leads to STI in UAE. There is a strong need to revise the curriculum of higher education institutions of UAE to develop self-confidence, locus of control and risk taking propensity among students. The study provides novel insight into entrepreneurship education and serves as an initial benchmark in the field. Full article
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518 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Innovative Capability and Sustainability of Saudi Firms
by Fahad Assad Al. Othman and Osama Sohaib
Sustainability 2016, 8(12), 1229; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8121229 - 25 Nov 2016
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 6020
Abstract
The Saudi Arabian government has recognised the need for an alternative path to national development in the form of a knowledge-based economy (KBE). One of the key drivers of a knowledge-based economy KBE is innovation. Therefore, to achieve this aim, it is important [...] Read more.
The Saudi Arabian government has recognised the need for an alternative path to national development in the form of a knowledge-based economy (KBE). One of the key drivers of a knowledge-based economy KBE is innovation. Therefore, to achieve this aim, it is important to understand the various factors affecting organisational innovation capability and sustainability. This empirical research study was conducted to provide a better understanding of the interrelationships among the key constructs, socio-technical factors, diffusion of innovation, and knowledge-sharing process towards Saudi organisational innovation capability. The results offer a number of implications, which are beneficial towards the adoption of the knowledge-based economy seeking to enhance the Saudi organisations towards enriching the organisational innovation capability and sustainability. Full article
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2916 KiB  
Article
Urban Scale Application of Solar PV to Improve Sustainability in the Building and the Energy Sectors of KSA
by Muhammad Asif
Sustainability 2016, 8(11), 1127; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8111127 - 03 Nov 2016
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 6183
Abstract
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the largest country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region in terms of population, geographic area, economy, and construction and utility infrastructure. The rapid growth of the building sector in general and residential buildings in particular [...] Read more.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is the largest country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region in terms of population, geographic area, economy, and construction and utility infrastructure. The rapid growth of the building sector in general and residential buildings in particular is creating huge energy and environmental challenges for the country. To address these problems and reduce its reliance on an oil-based energy infrastructure, the country aims to install 9.5 GW of renewable energy by 2030. Traditionally the emphasis has been on large-scale renewable projects. Globally, the recent success of solar energy has been significantly contributed by the application of photovoltaics (PV) in buildings. This is an area that has been overlooked in KSA. This study investigates the prospects of application of PV in buildings to improve the sustainability standards in the building and energy sectors of the country by considering the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) as a case study. PVsyst and RetScreen software programs have been used to model the application of PV on building rooftops in KFUPM. The study also discusses the concerned policy. It is found that the rooftop application of PV can annually produce 37,746 MWh of electricity, meeting over 16% of the KFUPM’s total energy requirements. Full article
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216 KiB  
Article
The Attitudes of Agricultural Extension Workers towards the Use of E-Extension for Ensuring Sustainability in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
by Adeel Afzal, Faisal Sultan Al-Subaiee and Abdulrahman A. Mirza
Sustainability 2016, 8(10), 980; https://doi.org/10.3390/su8100980 - 30 Sep 2016
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6646
Abstract
E-extension as a modern mode of communication can be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of extension services for agricultural sustainability. E-extension is the delivery of extension services using the Internet and the latest information communication technologies (ICTs), which allow networking, online [...] Read more.
E-extension as a modern mode of communication can be used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of extension services for agricultural sustainability. E-extension is the delivery of extension services using the Internet and the latest information communication technologies (ICTs), which allow networking, online sharing, and collaboration. Extension workers are a key factor in conducting an effective agricultural extension work plan; therefore, understanding extension workers’ attitudes towards the use of E-extension is important. It has been noted in some studies that, before implementing ICTs, positive attitudes from extension workers is required. This study analyzed the attitudes of extension workers towards the use of E-extension in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A survey questionnaire was developed comprising statements regarding E-extension and then distributed through the post to all 230 extension workers in the Kingdom with the help of the Ministry of Agriculture. The findings show that extension workers generally had a positive attitude towards the use of E-extension. Significant relationships were found between the overall means of extension workers’ attitudes towards E-extension and their age, years of service, and computer experience. In the light of the results, recommendations drawn are as follows: encouraging extension workers, especially those who are older, to use the E-extension system through exclusive training programs and refresher courses; and incorporating combined workshops for extension workers with few and more years of service to eliminate the generation gap and instigating a better understanding of the E-extension system. Full article

Other

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3254 KiB  
Concept Paper
Technology Innovation and Engineering’ Education and Entrepreneurship (TIEE) in Engineering Schools: Novel Model for Elevating National Knowledge Based Economy and Socio-Economic Sustainable Development
by Mahmoud Abdulwahed
Sustainability 2017, 9(2), 171; https://doi.org/10.3390/su9020171 - 25 Jan 2017
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 8200
Abstract
The Technology Innovation and Engineering Education (TIEE) is a proposed Unit/Center/Department concept model inside a college of engineering. The TIEE concept has been developed in particular taking in consideration the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and/or Qatar contextual needs and National Vision in the [...] Read more.
The Technology Innovation and Engineering Education (TIEE) is a proposed Unit/Center/Department concept model inside a college of engineering. The TIEE concept has been developed in particular taking in consideration the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and/or Qatar contextual needs and National Vision in the transformation into a Knowledge Based Economy (KBE). The main purpose of such structure is to enable engineering colleges to better respond to these emerging needs of the GCC countries. In this paper, the concept of TIEE is provisioned as an abstract example of organizational structure development for other engineering education institutions that aim to play a key role in innovation and sustainable socio-economic development. The concept is derived from similar global examples and contextualized regionally; it is generic and can be deployed elsewhere with slight modifications. The TIEE concept is in particular vital for engineering institutions in the Middle East and North Africa as a vehicle for economic and technological development. The paper outlines the organizational structure of TIEE, together with its various programs and activities for implementing its stated vision, mission, and strategic objectives. Within this context, the paper also provides a thorough account on advances in engineering innovation, education, scholarship of engineering education, and developments of similar entities. Full article
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