It is a matter of great pride for me to witness the IDB scholarship programme reaching its 25th year of launching. Indeed, IDB has not only launched this noble project, but has taken immense interest and caution in planning its steps to sustain and progressively move forward with this project. As a consequence, over these years, the scholarship programme has gradually and steadily progressed to cater for the increasing need of education in science and technology in IDB member countries and Muslim communities worldwide.
The IDB has launched the scholarship programme 25 years ago, at the very beginning of its inception, with a foresight and realizing the fact that the key to sustainable development is with the development of human resources, especially in science and technology. While OIC member countries possesses 70% of world’s energy resources, the Muslims countries and communities are lagging behind in many aspects of human development. The only way to change this scenario is to invest in education of value and by the context of this era of science and technology.
IDB scholarship programmes have so far produced over 5000 science graduates in medicine and engineering, nearly 90 M.Sc. graduates and over 200 scientists and scientific professionals. The number may not appear so significant, yet its impact is enormous. The approach is to create an environment of scientific environment through the leadership of IDB graduates and scholars. The creation of that environment is in the process through the IDB scholarship programmes
Overtime, the IDB development perception has changed and focus on education has grown by the charter of its IDB 1440H that implies human development to be among its core activities. Thus, the IDB scholarships programmes have come under tremendous focus to be enhanced as a means to achieve the objective of human development.
IDB Scholarship Programmes will remain at the heart of its activities and continue to grow toward making a knowledge-based society and nations in its member countries and Muslim communities worldwide.
DR. MALEK SHAH BIN MOHD. YUSOFF
HEAD, Scholarship Programme Offic
