Algeria to boost work conditions for scientists
2009-07-27
The Algerian government is implementing new measures to retain its scientific researchers. Some 1,500 scientists had already gone abroad due to less-than-ideal work conditions.
By Fidet Mansour for Magharebia in Algiers – 27/07/09
 [Fayez Nureldine /AFP/Getty Images] Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika announces steps to stop the brain exodus. |
The Algerian government has decided to increase the salaries of scientific researchers and create a bonus system to encourage researchers to stay and work in the country.
The decision was made Thursday (July 16th), at the end of the three-day first National Conference on Scientific Research at the Research Centres and Units in Algiers.
"Algeria wishes to take advantage of the skills in the fields of scientific research, expertise, technological advances, and financial investment in various sectors," President Abdelaziz Bouteflika told participants in the conference on July 14th. "Algeria is working tirelessly to put an end to the exodus of Algerian scientists, skills, and innovators."
According to the ministry of higher education, 1,500 Algerian scientific researchers have already left the country to work abroad because of the lack of work and financial motivations. About 22,000 remain in the country.
"Salaries will be increased in order to improve their financial situation," said the director general of scientific research at the ministry, Ahcen Aourad. "The government has also decided to award bonuses for excellence in research."
The bonus system has no fixed scale, Aourad said. Rewards will vary according to the value of the discovery, its nature, and its importance.
These decisions will take effect in January of 2010 and will include all the registered scientific researchers in the country.
"Algeria is really behind in this area," said Morad Ihabi, who holds a PhD in technology. "I know several researchers who would have chosen Algeria before choosing exile, but had to flee miserable financial conditions."
Ihabi himself has one foot in Algeria and another abroad. He collaborates with a research centre in Paris, "which has opened up new horizons for me in scientific terms." Another advantage, he said, is the financial aspect, which is "very important".
The 1,500 researchers abroad can benefit from the new salary and bonus system if they opt to register in Algeria as associate researchers. If in the future, their expertise is needed, they will be called in.
The government also approved a new strategy to develop the field of scientific research, said Minister of Scientific Research Rachid Harraoubia. He underlined the new plan on July 20th.
The new strategy involves the modernisation of existing laboratories and the installation of state-of-the-art equipment in research centres.
All laboratories will be given special budgets estimated at 18 billion centimes. A total of more than 50 billion centimes has already been spent on updating Internet and Intranet networks in universities and research centres.
Fatima, a biologist and professor at Bab Ezzouar University in Algiers, welcomed the government's decisions and said that researchers do not only need the money, but also "to work in an environment that is conducive to research."
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LAMIRI Mustapha Posted 2009-07-27
This is great news for our Algerian colleagues. This subject has led me to propose to the Moroccan government that it open laboratories for scientific research in Morocco for retired researchers. The themes would be picked carefully and oriented towards applied research. We also need to think about opening a centre where Moroccan citizens who have ideas or projects can propose them and patent them in the presence of two teams: a technical team that will study the feasibility of every project and its realisation and a team that will be charged with funding the project and will provide for the anticipated results.
اقريش رشيد Posted 2009-07-28
The main problem is that there is an imbalance in the structure of the political system in the Arab world. The problem is structural and requires a political diagnosis through marketing. The origin of the problem is political irrationality. This is because legitimization of political systems wasn't based on a free and fair social contract. There was a bitter conflict between actors in the political arena. They fight for power and rule while they forget real management of public affairs. This conflict has lasted for a long time and still persists in the political structure of most third-world systems. When we go back we find coups and counter-coups showing that the struggle for power has caused the loss of the global development process in the Arab world. There is also the structure of the economy based on rents and high taxes. In the face of the political irresponsibility, some currents have emerged in politics under the flag of fundamental Islam, liberal or socialist movements. However, we find that the origin of the western ideology was based on development mainly not political struggle void of any content. As to the issue in Algeria, it is a problem endured by all Arab regimes. I think it would be rational to put things in their places with the right labels. Oppressed people can do nothing because they can do nothing. The main thing is to overcome internal conflicts in order to outline the map of the road to development which takes into consideration the regional aspect of development within an integration of Arab markets and not investing Arab funds in American, European or other markets. It is better in order to profit from senior and expert executives, to set up real programs. Executives should have their word in outlining and planning it such as the high council of senior executive which sets up a coordination cell with the state body in recruiting competent candidates on the basis of statistics and facilitate getting adequate jobs. There should also be coordination between Arab countries and NGOs to eradicate unemployment which is considered a special disability. Rabat, Akrich Rachid.
MIMOUNI Posted 2009-07-28
Dear Director- I am a student with a graduate degree in biology with a major in biochemistry. I have succeeded in realising a project on cancerous cells with genetically altered receptors. I was able to treat them. However, I was unfortunately unable to find any solution for other cancerous cells. Thanks to God, I was even able to imagine a final cure to HIV. All of my work is theoretic, so I am naturally looking for men capable of helping me to apply it. I await your response, sir. -Best regards
mohamed Posted 2009-08-10
This is good news for our colleague researchers and for all of us. It has unfortunately been noted that some university professors have been scraping for positions of authority that will permit them to get a few more hours of vacation time and increase their salary. Given that these positions are not granted to all the professors, this has unfortunately caused some very negative consequences like conflicts between different groups of professors and laxity that has led to a degradation in the quality of teaching. It has also been noted that the some professors are not aware that they are paid for their work as a teacher and to improve the quality of work as a teacher. They devote all of their time toward publication, which will permit them to access a higher rank and thus access to a position of authority. Professor Hafi Aourag is setting up policies that counteract this so that there will be no accumulating rank and everyone will have their position. We wish him all the success.
علي ضيف الجزائر Posted 2009-08-12
Opinions and ideas uniting Maghreb brothers on one word and uniting the neighborhood side is very essential and mandatory for every citizen who belongs to the Arab Maghreb.
tarek Posted 2009-09-28
What you have written is very nice. However the problem is that they are just promises. The reality on the ground is that there is no encouragement for research. Everything is done to pass political decisions and serve personal European interests at the same time. The last thing I say it is remote for Algeria 100000000000000. Yes, I am a researcher in organic chemistry, organic industry. I don't even find money to cover transport to university. I only have the help of my parents.
souad Posted 2009-10-18
I don't have a comment rather than a question and I hope that some one will answer my question. my question is what are requirements to open a medical loboratory in Algeria
mounia Posted 4 days ago
Long live Algeria! We are going to win, God willing. Chehata and its team are going to cry in Sudan! Thank you. One! Two! Three! Long live Algeria!!!
nono Posted 4 days ago
Algeria comes first!
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