Wednesday, Mar 09, 2011
Gulf News
Malaysian expert throws light on the success of his country’s model
Social sciences crucial to sustain economic development
Abu Dhabi In addition to the development of hard sciences, sustainable development requires equal attention on the soft sciences and humanities, a leading development expert said in the capital yesterday.
While the hard sciences help in industrialising an economy, social sciences ensure that this industrialisation and development follow a prescribed, sustainable sequence, said Dr Mohammad Aslam Haneef, professor of Economics at the International Islamic University in Malaysia.
“Development is not purely an economic or monetary phenomenon. The right attitudes and work ethics also need to be developed as production grows, which is only possible by including social sciences in higher education,” Dr Haneef told Gulf News.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the seminar on Industrial Structure Diversification to Promote Job Creation for Future Generations, which concluded in the capital yesterday. The seminar saw leading intellectuals from the Middle East and North Africa exchange ideas and experiences with their compatriots from Far East Asia.
Dr Nasser Arif, director of the Islamic World Studies Institute at the Zayed University and a conference attendee, said the Malaysian model of development was well worth learning from.
By Samihah Zaman?Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2011. All rights reserved.
