ESTABLISHMENTThe Islamic World Academy of Sciences (founded as the Islamic Academy of Sciences) was established in 1986, following a proposal by the Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC); which was approved by the 1984 Casablanca Summit Conference of the OIC.
The Academy Secretariat, which is based in Amman, is the IAS executive arm responsible for maintaining its institutional set-up and implementing its plan of action. Through its Secretariat, the IAS has implemented regular and ad hoc programmes that address development issues, with the aim of formulating remedial policies that can be adopted by developing countries in their quest to achieve their development objectives.
OBJECTIVESThe IAS main purposes are: to serve as a consultative organization of the Islamic Ummah in the field o£ science and technology; initiate science and technology programmes and formulate standards of scientific performance; promote research on major problems facing the Islamic countries, and to award prizes and honours for outstanding scientific achievements in science and technology.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTUREThe Academy is a sovereign body governed by a General Assembly, in which all its (102 at present) Fellows are member, and is managed by an 11-member Council which is elected by the General Assembly for a 4-year term of office.
MAJOR ACTIVITIESMajor current activities: A major activity of the IAS is the convening of international scientific conferences –each of which is held in a different country every year and supported academically and financially by many international agencies. The Academy has thus far organized fifteen such conferences which addressed serious issues confronting the Third World. The Academy publishes annually the proceedings of these conferences, and also publishes a quarterly refereed science journal (ISSN-l016-3360). The IAS also organizes and supports capacity-building specialised workshops in Basic Sciences in developing countries, and provides experts and consultants in S&T to developing countries wherever requested.
The Academy publishes books on Islam’s contribution to science, a twice yearly Newsletter, as well as monographs on a variety of contemporary topics.
COOPERATIVE PROGRAMSThe Academy has Memoranda of Understanding with the following academies: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the TWAS, ISESCO, RSS (Jordan). The Academy also undertakes regular activities with the COMSTECH, UNESCO, ISESCO, IDB as well as the World Bank.
FOR THE CURRENT BIENNIUM
The IAS is providing advice to OIC and Developing Countries in the domain of Transformational Technologies: Information Technology; Biotechnology; and Nanotechnology. The IAS is also involved in a long term project to upgrade some selected universities in the OIC.
IAS is also actively promoting Vision 1441 which represents a set of targets that OIC Member States are urged to achieve by the year 2020 (corresponding to 1441 in Hijri Calendar).
HEADQUARTERSThe Headquarters is in Amman, Jordan.
ADDRESS
P.O. Box 830036,
Zahran, Amman, 11183
Jordan
Tel: (+962 6) 552-2104; 552-3385
Fax: (+962 6) 551-1803
Email: ias@go.com.jo; secretariat@ias-worldwide.org
Website:
www.ias-worldwide.org
