Why R&D activities are limited in GCC countries?
Despite their high per capita incomes, the Gulf countries today have low levels of R&D spending, around $3 billion per year. In contrast, US tech companies such as Amazon, Intel, and Novartis individually spend more than $10 billion per year on R&D. The low levels of innovation we see in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries impede long-run economic growth and the ability to diversify their economies.
In this article Dr. Omar Al-Ubaydli, examines an important component: the weaknesses of PhD programs in Gulf countries.
Dr. Omar Al-Ubaydli, Director, Studies and Research