The Inter Islamic Network on Information Technology (INIT) in collaboration with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), Rabat, Morocco, the Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS), Islamabad, Pakistan and the Royal Scientific Society (RSS), Amman, Jordan convened the 3rd International Workshop on ‘Applications of ICTs in Education, Healthcare and Agriculture’ in Amman, Jordan from 31st May to 1st June, 2016. The first Workshop of the series was held in Islamabad, Pakistan on December 15-16, 2014 whereas the second Workshop was held in Rabat, Morocco on November 25-27, 2015.
The objectives of the workshop included orientation of participants to the potential opportunities of new ICT innovations; identification of mechanisms to strengthen collaboration among working groups of member countries and provide means for efficient exchange of data, knowledge and technologies in the Islamic world. More than twenty senior Information and Communication technology specialists, researchers and managers from different countries shared their experiences during the technical sessions of the workshop.
The inaugural session of the workshop was held on 31st May, 2016. The technical proceedings were spread over four sessions consisting of both invited and contributed talks and highlighted the impact of ICTs in the fields of Education, Healthcare and Agriculture and how these fields have benefited from the use of said technology. Knowledge disseminated covered topics ranging from risk assessment in hospitals to web based surveillance for hepatitis patients, from creative content for children to e-learning initiatives and from the use of GIS in aiding agriculture production to the role of ICTs for online water monitoring thus encompassing all fields relative to the workshop.
It was agreed that each country should develop strategies to impart relevant skills required to instill a culture of learning. The need for continued dialogue on a sustained basis was recognized for effective exchange of communication. It was observed that Institutional diversity with policies promoting interaction and interdependence among institutions has a positive effect on increasing national competitiveness thus enhancing the effects of ICTs in the fields of Education, Healthcare and Agriculture.
Around fifty resource persons, speakers and participants from Arab Republic of Egypt, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, People’s Republic of China, State of Palestine and United Republic of Tanzania participated in the workshop.
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