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  The 2000 International Arab Conference on Information Technology was concluded
  at Zarqa Private  University, Jordan, during the period of 31/10 - 2/11/2000, which
  was organised by ZPU in cooperation with the following 26 Arab scientific
  institutions and universities:

  - AlBalqa’ Applied University, Jordan
  - AlHadba University College, Iraq
  - Al-Isra Private University, Jordan
  - Al-Neelain University, Sudan
  - An-Najah National University, Palestine
  - AlQuds Open University, Palestine
  - AlQuds University, Palestine
  - Applied Science University, Jordan
  - Arabia Online, Jordan
  - Association of Arab University
  - Asyout Uiversity, Egypt
  - Baath University, Syria
  - Babylon University, Iraq
  - Colleges of Computer & Information Society
  - Federation of Arab Scientific Research Councils
  - Institute of Higher Studies for Computers and Information, Iraq
  - Irbid National University, Jordan
  - Jordan Telecommunications Co., Jordan
  - Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan
  - Menoufia University, Egypt
  - Mintouri University, Algeria
  - Nestle Co., Jordan
  - Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan
  - Shoman Foundation, Jordan
  - Thamar University, Yemen
  - Yarmouk University, Jordan

  The opening ceremony took place on Tuesday 31/10/2000 in Al-Quds Auditorium at
  ZPU under the  patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, represented by his
  Excellency Prof. Dr. Khaled Toukan, Minister of Education. Attending the ceremony
  also were: His Excellency Prof. Dr. Ishak Farhan, ZPU president, His Excellency
  Dr. Fawaz Zu'bi, Minister of Telecommunications and Post; His Excellency
  Prof. Taha T. Na'eemi, Secretary General of  the Federation of Arab Scientific
  Research Councils; Prof. Dr. Mohammed AlHaj Hasan, Dean of Faculty of Science at
  ZPU and Chairman of the conference.  The opening ceremony was also attended by
  a number of representatives from participating Arab scientific institutions
  sponsoring the conference, in addition to imminent specialized scholars and
  professors. Around 300 specialists took part from the following Arab countries:

  Jordan, Sudan, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Iraq, Egypt, Lebanon, Algeria, Yemen,
  Palestine, Tunis, and Libya.

  And from six non-Arab countries: USA, Austria, Germany, Malaysia, UK, and
  Moldavia.

  The conference incorporated 39 papers on pertinent topics, adding to those are
  three main keynote lectures and one seminar entitled "Information Technology: The
  New Challenge ... to e or not to be".  The participants, moreover, are cognizant of
  the following facts:

  1- This present era is the age of technology resulting from the accelerating
  development in telecommunications and information accompanied by
  a development in computer technology.

  2- The advancement in information technology and its excessive speedy networks
  resulted in an easy and quick exchange of information not to mention a large-scale
  dissemination of distance learning.

  3- The advancement in information technology and computerization decreased
  costly communications among nations and resulted in an increase in the number
  and speed of services rendered like: marketing, advertising, commercial exchange
  in addition to scientific information and research in various fields.

  4- The Arab countries have not yet coped with the standards required in software
  industry and making up of advanced high-speed information networks as they are
  still relying mainly on new products of information networks in the developed
  countries.

  5- In view of the papers deliberate discussed in the conference sessions and the
  first-day evening seminar and based on the results of the three main keynote
  lectures presented by eminent scholars from non-Arab countries, the participants
  recommend the following:

  First:Conclusions

  1- Most Arab countries lack clear plans for coping with the innovations and
  developed technology required for the exchange, dissemination, and proficiency in
  software industry.

  2- Information networks in most Arab countries are not integrated, and some of
  these do not maintain good communication means with Arab, regional, and
  international networks.

  3-Some Arab universities textbooks lack accurate and updated topics pertaining to
  information technology and networks, not to mention scarcity of research in this
  area.

  4-The ongoing advancement and updating in information technology and the low-
  cost and rapid devising of information exchange networks paved the way for
  remote learning, which helped people of different ages from vast segments of the
  society to pursue education at home. This would in turn lead to a large-scale
  expansion and dissemination of learning and knowledge in a considerable short
  time.

  5- Cooperation and coordination is poor and deficient between the parties
  concerned with the exchange of information via the various means on one hand
  and universities, research centers, and Arab institutions in the same country and
  with other countries on the other one, often leading to duplicity in work.

  6-It is noticed that there is a keen interest on the part of Arab countries to
  promote, update, and employ their information technology and networks and that
  serious efforts are exerted by them to create an advanced software industry.

  7- Several sectors in the Arab countries are showing real interest in promoting the
  use of Arabic in the filed of information technology, networks, and software
  industry.

  8- There is a significant expansion in promoting different programs and majors
  related to information technology at various Arab universities, colleges, and
  research centers, which is attracted by quite a good number of the youngsters.

  Second: Recommendations

  1-It is necessary for scientific institutions in the Arab countries (universities,
  colleges and, research centers) to work on:

  a- Gearing research at specialized colleges and departments including that of
  graduate students towards innovation and improvement in the filed of information
  technology and high-speed networks, in addition to the research in software
  industry as a prelude to entering the phase of industrialization thereof, and
  maintaining cooperation between the academic and industrial sectors in this field.

  b- Introducing to higher-education textbooks, modern issues pertaining to
  information technology and networks, for the purpose of founding human resources
  qualified and capable of dealing with these technologies and employing them for
  the service of the society.

  c- Adopting the methodology required for activating the role of the academic
  community and research centers in production sectors, and exerting serious
  efforts for the exchange of expertise and experience in this field.

  2-  The Arab ministries of higher education and scientific research and ministries of
  education should designate committees comprising as members a number of
  specialists in remote education, in order to carry out serious and programmed
  studies for the infrastructure of this type of education.  They should also
  concentrate on information technology, networks, computers, and multimedia
  taking the following into their account:

  a- Completing local information networks and using unified and standard types
  and means for storing information.

  b- Maintaining links between local information networks and Arab, regional, and
  international ones.

  c- Devoting attention for distance learning and providing for the required support
  and embarking upon it in line with modern information technology, making use of
  other Arab and non-Arab experience in this field and paying attention to the fact
  that Arab countries speak the same language, which spares a trouble that face
  many other international communities, such as the EU, in cooperation in many
  fields.

  d- Working out a plan for activating the use of Arabic in the field of computers and
  information as well as in the production of Arabic constructive and useful software.

  e- Increasing awareness, via available mass media, of the importance of
  information technology and the vital role it plays in supporting distance learning, in
  order to prepare the society to accommodate such a learning system.

  3- The competent parties in the Arab countries should set up the practical policy
  required for the software industry, and should work out a mechanism for
  implementing them, taking into their account the following factors:

  a- Social enlightening with regards to adhering to the intellectual property  and
  copyright laws in the field of information technology and software industry.

  b- Defining Arab joint research projects in the filed of information technology with
  special emphasis on software industry.

  4- Institutions entrusted with communication in the Arab countries should update
  its communication networks to keep pace with modern technologies.  They should
  also resort to using modern and advanced telecommunication media in this field, in
  order to promote the infrastructure of this sector, which will contribute to the
  achievements of subsequent successes.  

  5- It is necessary to increase cooperation and coordination among Arab scientific
  institutions in the following fields:

  a- Facilitating the updating process of Arab scientific information networks to insure
  a speedy and easy exchange of information and research results.

  b- Exchanging expertise and experts for consultation on issues pertaining to
  information technology, networks, and means of their management, and using
  international and Arab standard models, which will lead to the success of unbarred
  exchange of information.

  c- Holding  periodic scientific Pan-Arab meetings on information technology.  


  A marginal meeting was held to discuss a paper by the Secretary General of the
  Federation of Arab ScientificResearch Councils on the creation of a league for
  information research centers in the Arab world, and choosing one of these
  advanced scientific centers in one of the Arab countries to head the
  aforementioned league.


  The executive committee of the Colleges of Computer & Information Society, also
  held a marginal meeting to 


  follow up the recommendations taken in its foundational meeting held at Suez
  Canal University at Ismaelya in Egypt during the period of 1-3/9/2000.  


  Also, the steering committee of the 2000 Arab Conference on Information
  Technology  held a number of meetings and came up with the following decisions:

  1- Whereas this conference has been an Arab in terms of organisation and
  representation, and international in terms of content and participation, the
  subsequent meetings of this conference shall be held under the name: "The
  International Arab Conference on Information Technology" (Acrongin ACIT).

  2- The conference will be regularly and annually held in the third week of December
  at an Arab university.

  3- The conference shall have a permanent General Secretariat charged with
  following up the future and development of the conference; cooperation with
  sponsoring and supporting universities and institutions in order to promote it and
  realise its objectives; and annual cooperation with the university chosen for the
  conference to organize and make it a success. 


  Appreciating ZPU's initiative in holding the conference and its good planning,
  organisation, and convening of it for the first time, the steering  committee has
  decided that ZPU will be the permanent General Secretariat of the conference.

  4- Dr. Mohammed AlHaj Hasan and Dr. Emad Abuelrub from Zarqa Private
  University, where the conference was held for the first time and which its
  permanent secretariat, shall be entrusted with the preparation of an internal draft
  law for the conference and its General Secretariat, with cooperation with those in
  charge close to them. They shall also be in charge to circulate the draft to all
  concerned parties for revising and ratification purposes.

  5- The General Secretariat with coordination with the host university shall follow up
  and update the conference website.

  6- Pursuant to requests from representatives of Jordan University of Science and
  Technology and Applied Science University/ Jordan, to host the second conference
  in 2001 upon obtaining permission from their universities, and upon examining
  these requests and aiming at gaining momentum and active subsistence of the
  conference, and in order to give enough time for the next host to start early
  planning, organisation and preparation, the committee agrees that Jordan
  University of Science and Technology will host the second conference (ACIT’2001).
  The committee, therefore, calls Dr. Ahmad Dalal'ah, JUST representative, to:

  a- Submitting to the General Secretariat an official request by Jordan University of
  Science and Technology,  where by it confirms its wish to host the second
  conference.

  b- Taking up the procedures necessary for the realization and success of the
  second conference.


  At the end of the conference, the participants send a cable to His Majesty King
  Abdullah II voicing their gratitude and appreciation for his royal patronge of
  the conference and delegating His Excellency Prof. Dr. Khalid Toukan, Minister
  of Education, to attend the opening ceremony. They take upon themselves to
  exert every effort available for the service of scientific and technological
  advancement in Jordan and other Arab countries.


  The participants are also pleased to express their thanks to Zarqa Private
  University and to sponsoring institutions, particularly His Excellency Prof. Dr. Ishak
  Ahmad Farhan, the rector, Dr. Mohammed AlHaj Hasan, Dean of the Faculty of
  Science and Chairmanof the conference, Dr. Emad Abuelrub, Chairman of the
  program committee, and all other members in the scientific, organizational and
  information committees for their excellent preparation and organisation. They also
  hope that the ZPU-based General Secretariat of the conference will follow up
  pertinent matters in its subsequent meetings, and attend to any other activities
  that would promote the course of progress in information technology and software
  industry in the Arab world, and wish ZPU all the best.