Prof. Abdullah H Abdul-Gader

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Road Map to National IT Plan for Saudi Arabia
Prof. Abdullah H Abdul-Gader Vice Rector Graduate
Studies and Scientific Research King Fahd
University of Petroleum Minerals Dhahran 31261,
Saudi Arabia agader_at_kfupm.edu.sahttp//users.kfup
m.edu.sa/misac/agader Telephone
966-3-860-2100 Telefax     966-3-860-2992
SCS meeting, Dhahran, Nov. 6, 2001
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Steering Committee

• Dr. Jarallah Al-Ghamdi
• Dr. Saud Al-Semari
• Dr. Mahmood Nagadi
• Dr. Mohammed Al-Homoud
• Dr. Sadiq M. Sait
• Dr. Abdullah Al-Abdulgader

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The Road Map for the plan

• Data collection and analysis
• Adopting Guiding Principles
• Drafting the IT plan
• Vision and Mission
• Identifying Strategic Thrusts
• Setting strategies for Strategic Thrusts
• Identifying Key Areas for each Strategic Thrust
• Proposing Initiatives/projects for Key Areas
• Recommending the management of the plan

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Data collection

• Studied several IT national plans of other
  countries,
• Conducted local surveys
• Carried intensive library/internet research.
• Held meetings with the private sector (IT
  companies, experts and industrialists).
• Collected data from various government
  organizations.

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Guiding Principles of the IT plan

• To comply with Islamic values and teachings,
  which form the basis of all our analysis and
  guide our recommendations.
• The Plan should contribute to
• improved quality of life
• increased level of literacy
• social uplift
• diversification of economy
• job wealth creation

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Guiding Principles of the IT plan

• Call for a proactive role from the private
  sector, with the government playing the role of a
  facilitator, wherever applicable
• Enhance and develop the innovative and
  entrepreneurial potential of young Saudi
• Synchronize with the 7th Development Plan

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Vision

• We envision the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the
  forefront in the development and exploitation of
  Information Technology (IT), and the adoption of
  IT as the basis and the drive for the development
  of industry, commerce, education, public sector,
  and society at large large in accordance with
  Islamic values .

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Mission

• To outline a plan to harness, embed, and exploit
  Information Technology (IT) for a thriving
  industry, economic growth, enhanced quality of
  education, and the betterment of the society in
  the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Strategic Thrusts
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Jordans Strategic Thrusts

1. IT Industry Development
2. Policy and Regulatory Strengthening
3. Human Resource Development
4. Government Support
5. Capital and Financing
6. Infrastructure Improvement

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Egypts Dimensions

1. IT Usage Stimulation
2. IT Export
3. Human Resource Development
4. Partnership with Multinational Industries
5. Infrastructure
6. Policies and Legislations

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Canadas Initiatives

• Developing Information Highway
• Making Sure Canadians can seize its benefits
• Providing a prominent place for Canadian Content
• Ensuring affordable, accessible and responsive
  government

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Pakistans Focus Areas

1. Human Resource Development
2. Infrastructure Development
3. Software Industry Development
4. Hardware Industry Development
5. Internet
6. Incentives
7. IT Usage
8. Legislation and Regulations

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Singapores Strategic Thrusts

• Singapore as Premier Infocomm Hub
• Singapore Businesses Online
• Singapore Government Online
• Singaporeans Online
• Singapore as Infocomm Talent Capital
• Conducive Pro-Business and Pro-Consumer
  Environment

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South Africas Areas

• ICT sector Development
• ICT Usage Stimulation
• Human Resources Development
• ICT Innovation

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Catalonias Specific Areas

• Infrastructure and Basic Services
• Industry, Commerce and Content
• Education and Training
• Administration and Services for the Citizen
• Health Care and Quality of Life
• Society and Cultural Change

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Frances Priority Areas

• IT in education  
• An ambitious cultural policy for new networks
• IT for modernising public services
• IT for companies
• Meeting the challenges of industrial and
  technological innovation
• Regulation and a protective framework for new
  information networks

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Saudis Strategic Thrusts
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Strategies (1) IT-Industry

• To establish an environment where a vibrant IT
  industry will be an integral factor of wealth
  creation primarily through innovation and
  entrepreneurship, meeting regional and global
  market demands.

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Strategies (2) eBusiness

• To enable, facilitate, and promote the
  efficient and effective use of the Internet in
  the society, government, and, business and
  economy for development and growth while
  maintaining local, traditional and Islamic
  values.

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Strategies (3) Infrastructure

• To provide fast, easy, secure and affordable
  access to facilitate a modern internationally
  linked e-enabled infrastructure.

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Strategies (4) eLearning

• To integrate IT into the Saudi educational
  system thereby bringing the Kingdom to the
  forefront of educational technology

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Strategies (5) Human resources Development

• To have self-sufficiency of a well trained
  competent, qualified, and self-reliant workforce
  through dynamic educational and training
  programs, which will produce quality IT graduates
  of international caliber and also for IT to be
  used pervasively in the society.

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(1) IT-Industry

• IT industry spans a wide range of products
  hardware, software, and services
• It is one of the largest and fastest growing
  industrial sectors in the world

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Sales of IT Hardware, Software, and Support
Services (in Millions)
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IT-Industry Strategy

• To establish an environment where a vibrant IT
  industry will be an integral factor of wealth
  creation primarily through innovation and
  entrepreneurship, meeting regional and global
  market demands.

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IT-Industry Key Areas
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IT-Industry challenge

• What can be done to realize IT industry
  strategy through each key area?
• What in your opinion are the recommended
  national initiatives and projects for each key
  area?

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(2) eBusiness

• eCommerce The capability of buying and selling
  products and information over the Internet and
  other on-line services by automating business
  transactions and workflow.
• eGovernment An electronic means of providing
  more effective government-to-government,
  government-to-business and government-to-citizens
  services and relations.

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(2) eBusiness

• eReadiness describes the extent to which a
  countrys business environment is conducive to
  Internet-based commercial opportunities.
• eReadiness model tallies scores of six categories
  
• connectivity,
• business environment,
• eCommerce consumer and business adoption,
• legal and regulatory environment,
• supporting eServices, and
• social and cultural infrastructure.

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eReadiness rankings (May 2001)

1. eBusiness leaders These countries already have
   most of the elements of eReadiness in place,
   though there are still some concerns about
   regulatory safeguards (USA, Australia, UK,
   Canada).
2. eBusiness contenders These countries have both
   a satisfactory infrastructure and a good business
   environment but parts of the eBusiness equation
   are still lacking (Ireland, France, Austria,
   Taiwan)

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eReadiness rankings (May 2001)

1. eBusiness followers These countries form the
   largest group and have begun to create an
   environment conducive to eBusiness, but have a
   great deal of work to do (Greece, Czech
   Republic).
2. eBusiness laggards These countries risk being
   left behind, and face major obstacles to
   eBusiness growth, primarily in the area of
   connectivity (Bulgaria, China, Ecuador)

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(2) eReadiness rankings

• Egypt and Saudi Arabia who represent the Arab
  countries are among the eBusiness followers
  group.
• The large Saudi population compared to other
  Arabian Gulf Countries and the presence of large
  IT companies based in Saudi Arabia give Saudi
  eBusiness advantage and competitive strength in
  the region.

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(2) eBusiness Strategy

• To enable, facilitate, and promote the
  efficient and effective use of the Internet in
  the society, government, and, business and
  economy for development and growth while
  maintaining local, traditional and Islamic
  values.

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eBusiness Key Areas
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eBusiness challenge

• What can be done to realize eBusiness strategy
  through each key area?
• What in your opinion are the recommended
  national initiatives and projects for each key
  area?

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Growth of Teledensity (number of standard access
lines per 100 inhabitants) in Saudi Arabia
(3) IT infrastructure
14 in 2001
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(3) IT infrastructure

• Global trends show countries like Australia,
  Korea, Canada, UK, USA and UAE have teledensity
  figures of 40 and above.

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Telecom and Internet indicators in OECD countries
Standard access lines per 100 inhabitants 52 (year 1999)
Mobile subscribers per 100 inhabitants 32.4 (year 1999)
Internet subscribers per 100 inhabitants 11.4 (year 1999)
DSL per 100 subscribers 2.4 (year 2000)
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Internet Infrastructure Dimensions (Sept. 2001)
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Internet Access

• The personal computers (PCs) penetration (PCs per
  100 inhabitants) in the Kingdom stands at 5,
  which is very low when compared to other Arab
  countries such as UAE and Bahrain that boast a
  penetration rate in the range 10-15
• The number of Internet subscribers (those paying
  for access to the Internet) rather than users is
  a precise indicator of access. Until March 2001,
  the number of Internet subscribers was 275,000.
• The Kingdoms user to subscriber ratio for the
  year 2001 is estimated to be 2.5

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Infrastructure Strategy

• To provide fast, easy, secure and affordable
  access to facilitate a modern internationally
  linked e-enabling infrastructure.

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Goals for Infrastructure plan

• Increase the percentage of Internet subscribers
  from 1.2 (2001) to 15 by 2003.
• Increase the mobile density (number of mobile
  subscribers per 100 inhabitants) from 11 in 2001
  to 40 by 2003.
• Improve broadband access by increasing the number
  of DSL lines to 10 per 100 subscribers by 2003.
• Increase the teledensity (number of telephone
  lines per 100 inhabitants) from 14 in 2001 to 40
  by 2003.

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Infrastructure Key Areas
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Infrastructure challenge

• What can be done to realize Infrastructure
  strategy through each key area?
• What in your opinion are the recommended
  national initiatives and projects for each key
  area?

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(4) eLearning

• eLearning is any form of learning that utilizes a
  computer network for delivery, interaction, or
  facilitation of the educational material.
• Compared to conventional learning, eLearning
  leads to
• about 30 greater learning in up to 40 less
  time.
• higher performance in exams by about 26 to 37
  on the average.
• higher Long-term retention by 15 on the average.

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(4) eLearning

• By fall 2000, almost all public schools in the
  United States had access to the Internet 98
  were connected.
• In Europe, the eEurope initiative calls for
  special attention to education where member
  states have committed themselves to put all
  schools online by 2002.
• China envisions providing broadband access
  networks interconnecting 800,000 Chinese schools.

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(4) eLearning Strategy

• To integrate IT into the Saudi educational
  system thereby bringing the Kingdom to the
  forefront of educational technology

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eLearning Key Areas
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eLearning challenge

• What can be done to realize eLearning strategy
  through each key area?
• What in your opinion are the recommended
  national initiatives and projects for each key
  area?

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(5) IT Human Resources Development

• The shortage of qualified IT workers in U.S,
  Europe, and other countries became a matter of
  considerable concern.
• Western Europe has a current shortage of 850,000
  IT sector jobs with the shortage expected to grow
  to 1.7 million by 2003.
• Germany alone is reported to have a shortage of
  between 75,000 to 80,000 IT professionals
• Canadian researchers expect a demand for nearly
  half a million IT professionals by 2010.
• Local studies carried in early nineties and 2001
  clearly reveal the severity of human resources
  issue.

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(5) IT Human resources Development Strategy

• To have self-sufficiency of a well trained
  competent, qualified, and self-reliant workforce
  through dynamic educational and training
  programs, which will produce quality, IT
  graduates of international caliber and also for
  IT to be used pervasively in the society.

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Human Resources Key Areas
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Human Resources challenge

• What can be done to realize Human Resources
  strategy through each key area?
• What in your opinion are the recommended
  national initiatives and projects for each key
  area?

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Managing the Plan

• Who should be responsible for developing the
  plan, approving and funding its initiatives,
  executing them, overseeing the execution, and
  updating the Saudi IT plan?

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Managing the Plan in other countries
Country Structure Role
Philippine the National IT Council Executive
Malaysia The National Information Technology Council Advisory/ Think Tank
Tasmania The Information Technology Industry Council Advisory/ Think Tank
Korea Ministry of Information and Communications Executive
Singapore Infocomm Development Authority Executive
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Summary

• We have clear vision and mission statements
• Five Strategic Thrusts
• Twenty-two Key Areas
• Initiatives/projects
• Several Tens of Recommendations
• Management structure

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Thank you

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