Dubai, UAE, 29 March, 2022 – The UAE ranked first in the Arab World and 11th
globally in the Global Knowledge Index 2021 issued by the Mohammed Bin Rashid
Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP). The index measures global knowledge in countries
based on their sustainable development policies, ability to build knowledge
societies, and develop future oriented policies.
The index was implemented among 154 countries globally
and contained seven secondary indicators that marked the performance of six
crucial knowledge sectors namely, pre-university education, technical education
and professional training, higher education, information and communications
technology ICT, research development and innovation, and economy. It also had a
secondary indicator that noted the social, political, economic, health and
environmental context under which these sectors were being managed.
The results of the Global Knowledge Index 2021 underwent
a comprehensive review during the seventh edition of the Knowledge Summit 2022 that
was held recently at Expo 2020 Dubai. The index indicated that the UAE displayed
exceptional performance in terms of knowledge infrastructure and came 11th
among 154 countries globally, and 11th among 61 countries with very
high levels of human development.
The UAE took sixth place globally in the
pre-university education indicator, eighth place in the technical education and
professional training indicator, 16th place in the higher education
indicator, 28th place in the research development and innovation
indicator, 14th place in the ICT indicator, second place in the
economy indicator, and 27th place in the enabling environment
indicator.
The index also highlighted five strengths in the UAE’s
2021 results, which were– data upload and download speeds on cellphones, broadband
internet subscriptions on cellphones per 100 people, families with internet
access at home, individuals with standard ICT skills, and the percentage of
internet users.
The fifth edition of the Global Knowledge Index included
155 variables which were chosen from over 40 sources and international
databases, including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO), the World Bank, the International Telecommunication
Union, the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic
Co-operation and Development, the International Labour Organization, and more. The
results saw Switzerland taking 1st place for the fifth year in a
row, followed by Sweden, USA, Finland, and the Netherlands.
