IBSAC2009 is now over. Thanks to all those who attended the conference and contributed to its success. The following is an initial report on the conferece; a more detailed report will be published here soon.

Attendess and organisers agreed that the conference was a great success.

The conference was very successful in:

1. Introducing IBScientific and its activities to the audience
2. Opening a discussion among attendees about the academy and its role in a knowledge based economy.


Feedback:

The feedback we received was extremely positive and very useful, the attendees agreed:

1. The necessity of the academy.
2. To be active in discussing it with colleagues in Algeria and outside it.
3. To commit to play a role in building it.

Some attendees were not fully aware of the historical backbground to IBScientific or some of the speakers and raised some valid points about the organisation that we will improve on, Inshallah.

The program and its reception:

The program was extremely well received. Prof. Saad was a great debate opener and very inspiring. He focused on the Algerian University as a seat for innovation mangemnet and addressed in the way key challenges facing the academic family in Algeria. These challenges, especially social (e.g. trust between individuals and institutions; the difference between relationship versus task-oriented methods of interactions ), were unique and require therefore new methods to make the university a motor for innovations in Algeria.

This was followed by Dr Saidani-Scott talk that focused on building an Algerian academic group. Dr Saidani-Scott convinced attendees that for such a group to be a reality we need to think simple and aim large. She gave examples and methods to achieve coherent group based on simple approaches used effectively everywhere. Such group is necessary to build any professional institution.

In the afternoon, Dr Essafi gave IBScientific talk on the role of the academy in promoting basic sciences and their applications including the role of entrepreneurship. The talk focused the fact that an independent institution that transcends personal intentions such as the Algerian Academy of Science will create a strong innovation environment and will rely on Algerian academic group will promote a knowledge-based economy. Such an institution of scientists in Algeria and outside it can be achieved in stages culminating in the formation of the academy.

The latter talk was a fitting introduction to Dr Zerhouni’s recorded talk (first given in the 2007 Algiers conference). Dr Zerhouni, through the story of NIH, has showed the clear conditions needed to be met for an institution such as the Algerian Academy to be a success. His inspiring talk prompted all of us to not ask “Why” but ask “Why Not” and to have Patience.

The discussion:

The attendees have taken part in discussing four key tenets of the Academy:

1- LEARN; what should be the first steps of the AAS
2- TEACH; the teachers; how to identify people?
3- COMMUNICATE & COLLABORATE; the bridge between researchers in and out of the country, between policy makers, academia and business
4- CREATE; what would you like AAS to do?

The details of these will be made available by the end of January 2010 in a fuller and more detailed conference report.

Meanwhile, please visit this forum to contribute to an open discussion about the conference.