The Arab Knowledge Project builds on three Arab Knowledge Reports, the Arab Knowledge Index and the portal knowledge4all.com. The three Reports are: the “Arab Knowledge Report 2009: Towards Productive Intercommunication for Knowledge”, the “Arab Knowledge Report 2010/2011: Preparing Future Generations for the Knowledge Society” and the “Arab Knowledge Report 2014: Youth and Localisation of Knowledge”. Throughout the preparation stages of all three reports, it has been continuously confirmed that there is a significant lack of credible data and research that can feed the decision making process in the areas of knowledge and development. This led to the development of the Arab Knowledge Index, an index that best reflects “knowledge from a development perspective” in the Arab region, while taking into consideration the Arab region’s specific context, needs and challenges, and focusing as well on the critical role of Arab youth in the establishment of the knowledge society in the Arab region. The Arab Knowledge Index focuses on six critical sectors: Education at its Pre-University, Higher and Technical Vocational and Training levels, Research & Development and Innovation, Economy, and ICT.

As part of its new phase, the AKP will be developing the second Arab Knowledge Index, a summary measure that best reflects knowledge accumulation, production and consumption from a development perspective, taking into consideration the specific socio-cultural context, needs and challenges of the Arab region.

Also, as the Arab region is witnessing a big interest on reading providing that it is a cornerstone to culture and education, and as many strategies and initiatives were put to encourage reading, the Arab Knowledge Project will consecrate a part of its work in 2016 to measure Reading in the Arab region through a separate study that would be consisting of a conceptual methodology in addition to indicators and data. The Index would help measure the effect of these initiatives towards achieving higher rates of reading.

As part of the preparation phase of building the second version of the AKI, the AKP will be holding its fourth Core Team meeting to follow-up on the progress achieved by the core team members in the development of the Arab Knowledge Index and Reading Index. This meeting is scheduled to take place on 17-18 June 2016 at the MBRF premises in Dubai. During the meeting, the experts are supposed to submit the drafts of the Index, which will be thoroughly discussed by all members. The surveys shall also be drafted and should reach their finals forms.