Royal Scientific Society Participation in EU Projects
Success Stories and Lessons Learnt
Dr. Saqer Abdel-Rahim,
Director, Information Technology Centre
Royal Scientific Society
Email: saqer@rss.gov.jo
Third Jordan National TEMPUS Day, 4th March 2008
Introduction
The Royal Scientific Society (RSS) was established in 1970 in accordance with a Royal
Decree. RSS is a not-for-profit institution enjoying financial and administrative
independence.
It aims at conducting scientific and technological research and development work related
to the development process in Jordan with special attention to industrial research and
services. It also aims at disseminating awareness in the scientific and technological
fields and providing specialized technical consultations and services to the public and
private sectors. The RSS includes 9 technical centres and four administrative centres.
The Information Technology Centre
The Information Technology Centre (ITC) was founded in 1972, two years after the
establishment of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS). It was the first to introduce
computerization in Jordan. In 1992 the centre expanded its operations to cover
industrial studies and conduct long term specialized training courses in the field of
Information Technology at the regional level in cooperation with Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA).
ITC is committed to maintaining well-performed applied research and specialized
technical consultation and services based on approved national and international
standards, procedures and methods of software development and studies, ITC has
been ISO 9001 certified since January 2001 and has also adopted RUP
(Rational Unified Process) in project implementation.
At the same time RSS has concentrated on building capacity and
professional expertise in important fields like Project Management ( 10
RSS IT Project Mangers attended the 3 week PMP Training and are
preparing for PMP certification), Presentation Skills, Customer Relations,
Database Design and Administration and Software Development (.NET,
Oracle, Java,
PHP ..etc)
Fields of work:
- Research and Development
Conducting applied research locally and internationally through partnership with
concerned international institutions in the various fields of information
Technology utilizing an advanced network of computers and the skillful manpower
available at the centre.
- IT consultations & requirement analysis
This involves the identification of the computerization needs of institutions in terms of
information systems, hardware, software, applications, and training. In addition,
master plan of implementation, network design, evaluation of bids, and supervision of
implementation are provided. Many institutions and ministries have taken avail of
these services.
- Software development
Software development entails establishment of integrated management information
systems, including system analysis, design, programming, testing, system integration,
acceptance, user training, and documentation. Applications include financial and
administrative systems, election systems, web sites & applications, billing systems,
WAP application, e-applications, student registration systems, library systems, and so
on.
Clients include local and international organizations, such as IBM.
- Advanced training
Conducting specialized training courses in the various IT fields including short-term
and long-term. the center is recognized by the Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JICA) as a regional training center in software Engineering, web computing,
multimedia and networking design courses.
The centre is also accredited by UNISCO as a training and testing centre for the
International Computer Driving License(ICDL).
EU Projects
Completed EU Projects
Textile Application of High Performance Computing in the Middle East (THEME)
Textile Application of High Performance Computing in
the Middle East (THEME): THEME project aims at
Project Description: increasing the uptake of High Performance Computing
(HPC) based quality control within the textile industry in the
Middle East.
Partners: Jordan, Germany, Greece and Egypt.
Duration: 30 Months (November 1998 – May 2001)
Project Description:
Mediterranean Science and Technology Information
Network (MEDISAT)
Partners:
Jordan, Malta, Cyprus, Turkey, Germany and United
Kingdom.
Duration:
26 Months (January 1998 – March 2000)
Project Description:
CJIS: to set up a framework to build distributed
interactive multimedia networks over the Internet
and World Wide Web that would act as Electronic
Roads for cultural and historical exploration in five
Euro-Med countries with particular emphasis on
the cross national links of these Electronic Roads.
Partners: Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and Spain.
Duration: 36 Months (November 1998 – October 2001)
Project Description:
MEDRSSA II: To provide access for European SMEs to
emerging markets in the Mediterranean countries.
Partners: Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Morocco, Tunisia.
Duration: 33 Months (March 2001 – December 2003)
WWW: www.medressa.com
HERMES: To boost Euro-Mediterranean collaboration in
areas that constitute the intersection of the Information
Project Description:
Society Technologies Program & IT Nodes activities. This is
part of the EU-EUMEDIS initiative
Partners: Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Greece, Germany and Turkey.
Duration: 37 Months (December 2001 – January 2004)
WWW: http://hayyam.srdc.metu.edu.tr/webpage/projects/hermesProject/
ICT-MED-SMEs
Information & Communications Technology solutions
in the Mediterranean SMEs (ICT-MED-SMEs):
promoting ICT solutions among Small and Medium
Project Description: Enterprises
from eight third Mediterranean
Countries. On a more general scope, it intends to
contribute to facilitate the access to the New
Economy to the SMEs from this region.
Partners:
Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco,
Cyprus, Turkey, Denmark and Spain.
Duration: 40 Months (October 2002 – June 2006)
WWW: www.ictmedsme.com
Project Description:
EmedTex: development of an Euro-Mediterranean
partnership network in the textile sector. This involves
the compilation of a database of Mediterranean textile
companies and rendering it available through the
Internet, and training of concerned parties in ecommerce
Partners:
France, Greece, Jordan, Syria, Germany, Egypt,
Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco
Duration:
24 Months (November 2002 – November 2004)
WWW:
http://www.atc.gr/emed-texnet/
Improving Competitiveness of SMEs through ITbased Environmental Planning
(SMITE): A
Project Description: Mediterranean web-based node is to be created to
provide information for the food, textile & hotel
sectors and support networking activities.
Partners:
Jordan, Palestine, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Lebanon,
Malta, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and Denmark.
Duration: 36 Months (April 2002 – April 2005)
WWW: http://smite.chemeng.ntua.gr/
Project Name:
Daedalus: to provide the professionals and the mass
market with a flexible, dynamic, cost-effective, easy
to deploy Mediterranean reference framework that
will enable the establishment and the management
of local communities of interest working in the area
of tourism and culture heritage.
Partners:
Jordan, Tunisia, Turkey, Cyprus, Luxemburg, Italy,
Greece and France.
Duration:
58 Months (August 2001 - June 2006)
ONGOING EU Projects
Project Description:
Partners:
Starting date:
WWW:
Portable system for analyzing paintings and
polychrome objects (InfrArtSonic): development of
an integrated portable analytical system for the nondestructive "sampling" and characterization of
paintings and polychrome objects. The system will
be employed at first priority into the investigation of
Euro Mediterranean cultural heritage objects.
Jordan, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Germany, Greece,
Italy and Cyprus.
Expected 36 Months (January 2006 – January 2009)
www.infrartsonic.org
Mediterranean Information Society
The ICT Research Link between Europe
and all Mediterranean Partner Countries
20
Aims of the Project
1. Help the MPC to develop ICT Research Agendas
towards EU research collaboration, and develop a
Policy Paper for the EU for targeted research
integration of the MPC
2. Create awareness for the opportunities of the EU
Framework Programme for Research &
Development
3. Identify promising players in the region
4. Train them to become knowledgeable partners in
Framework proposals
5. Establish networks across the region and with
Partners
Planet S.A. (Coordinator)………………………………
Greece
IT Consult GmbH…………………………………………..
Germany
Ministry of Communications & Information
Technologies……………………………………………….
Egypt
Ministère des Affaires Economiques et Générales….Morocco
Euromag Consulting………………………………………
Algeria
Centre National de l’Informatique……………….....……. Tunisia
Royal Scientific Society…………………………..……….
Jordan
Palestine Academy of Science & Technology…..…… Palestine
Ministry of Telecommunications………………………….
Lebanon
Ministry of Communications & Technology…………….. Syria
WP 1: The MPC Research Agenda
The the
Project
Workplan
Defining
Consultation
Process –
Conducting the Workshops – Recommendations for a Research Agenda
WP 2: Mapping of
Research Organisations
WP 3: Mentoring
Workshops
Identifying relevant
organisations
Preparation of training curricula
Mapping of skills and
capabilities
Delivery and evaluation of
training courses
Set-up of ICT Help Desk Services
Creating the
Directory of MPC Organisations
WP 4: Network Facilitation & Dissemination
Website development – Promotion in EU
Dissemination in MPC
ICT-IN-SYRIA
Software Development and Technical Assistance for
NISFED. E-Government and ICT Standards
Application in Syria. The project aims at
Project
transferring the entire EU experience and best
Description:
practices in this regard to Syria, by designing and
implementing a number of complex ICT systems in
a form of three main streams.
Partners: Jordan, Syria, Greece, Germany
Starting date: 24 Months August 2006 – August 2008
Examples of Successful projects
401. ICT solutions for Mediterranean SMEs
This project has been partially funded by the European Commission
DG AIDCO under the EUMEDIS initiative. The contet of this
publication is the sole responsibility of the project partners listed
herein, and in no way represents the view of the European
Commission or its services.
Contract number: B7-4100/2000/2165-075 p401
Project acronym: ICT Med SMEs
Project name: ICT Solutions for Mediterranean SMEs
Action line: ICT applied to Industry and Innovation
Total cost (€): 2.374.912 €
Commission funding (€): 1.899.930 €
Project Coordinator
Fundació CIREM
Centre of European Initiatives and Research in the Mediterranean
Project Coordinator: Inés GÓMEZ
Address: Travessera de les Corts, 39-43 lat. 2ª
08028
Barcelona
SPAIN
Tel.: + 34 93 440 10 00Fax.: + 34 93 440 45 60
e-mail: i.gomez@cirem.org / f.cirem@cirem.org
http://www.cirem.org
Partners of the project
F. CIREM (Spain) is the co-ordinator of the project in partnership with DTI
(Denmark)
Morocco:
Algeria:
Tunisia:
Formation
Ecole Mohammadia d'Ingenieurs. Université Mohammed V
Ministère de l'Industrie et du Commerce
Institut Nacional pour le Travail
Association Nationale pour l'Entreprise et le Travail
Institut de Formation Professionnelle de Birkhadem
Cemaref. Centre Mohamed Ali de Recherches, d'Etudes et de
Ministère de la Formation Professionnelle et de l'Emploi
Jordan: Royal Scientific Society (RSS)
National Centre for Human Resources Development (NCHRD)
Vocational Training Corporation
Lebanon: Centre for Sponsored R+D. Lebanese American University
Syria:
Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technologies (HIAST)
Intermediate Computer Engineering Institute (ICEI)
Turkey: Hacettepe University
Turkish Foundation for Small and Medium Business (TOSYOV)
Cyprus: Cyprus Institute of Technology
Project Goal
Contribute to SME development in Mediterranean
countries by providing IT solutions enabling enterprises
to improve their internal work procedures, management
of knowledge, transfer of innovations, production and
commerce.
Target Groups:
(i) Young graduates and employees who receive
training
(ii) SMEs that benefit from qualified personnel and
from the ICT advising services
(iii) SMEs who are users of the virtual network
Area of intervention
(*) Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey & Cyprus
Project Specific Goals
WP0 - Management and Co-ordination
 Promoting the project
 Monitoring and quality control procedure of the project
 Administrative and financial report to the Commission
WP1 – Survey
• To know the strengths and weaknesses of the Mediterranean countries
for facing the challenges of the Information Society
• SMEs needs regarding IT applications and human resource requirements
WP2 – Training Plan
• Preparing people to face the needs of the SMEs regarding ICT
• Establishing continuous training mechanisms and procedures within SMEs
Project Specific Goals (II)
WP3 – Pilot Projects
• Setting up innovative ICT solutions in Mediterranean SMEs
• Contributing to the north-south transfer of knowledge and innovations
• Acquiring experiences that may then be spread to all SMEs
WP4 – Virtual Community
• Exchanging experiences and information among the participants
• Network at the service of SMEs for information, communication,
experience sharing and benchmarking on best practices in the field
WP5 – Dissemination of the Project
• Promote the Eumedis Programme in countries where there are partners
• Disseminating the scopes of the project to achieve the greater
collaboration of authorities, partners and means of communication
WP0 - Co-ordination Results

Establishment of a strong regional network of 12 public and private institutions
across the region.

Collaboration of national and regional authorities within the project.

External funding from the Spanish ant the Catalonian Governments.
• www.ictmedsme.com
Design of a virtual platform for the
partners communication, debate and
interchange
of
experiences,
documents and information.
WP1 – Results of the Study: Computers
Com puter Users w ithin SMEs
27%
No users
Users
73%
Portable Com puter Users
5%
< The enterprises have an average
of 26.73% of employees using
information technologies, witch is
consistent with the 27.99% of
workers with PC/ workstation in
the workplace.
< The number of workers with
portable computer decreases down
95%
to 5,35% and the proportion of
workers with cellular is, the
24,4%.
The operating system used by the enterprises of the survey is
Microsoft technology up to the 89,5%.
Non users
Users
Internet Connections
SMEs Internet Acces
The 78,8% of enterprises are connected
or
have
the
connection
in
perspective. The browser used is the
Microsoft Internet Explorer with an
overwhelming 93,9%. >
21%
79%
No internet
Internet acces
Level of introduction
SMEs Internet Connection
80
60
40
75,2
20
24,8
0
Modem
Broadband
Type of connection
< The mentioned connection is
usually done through the
modem+phone
line
option.
Only
the
20,1%
uses
broadbandwidth.
Use of Email within SMEs
The
use of external e-mail is
widespread among the firms up to
the 69,9%. Usually firms have just
one mailbox for the whole
company (53,7%) and only the
18% have personal mailbox for
each employee. Microsoft is again
the computer brand used through
the 72,5% of firms.
Use of Em ails w ithin SMEs
External email
Corporative email
30%
70%
In fact the 50,9% of enterprises of the survey have not corporate website
even that the 14,1% plan to have it.
WP2 - Training

Development of the training curricula on ICT Basic Skills and Support for
Local Networks Administration.

Training of trainers on the internal communication platform.

Training of partners on the MEDSME Platform

More than 250 young people trained in handling basic new technologies.

More than 600 employees of SMEs trained within the project.
WP3 – Pilot Projects
• To develop the DODI Methodology for the Diagnosis and Analysis of the
SMEs participant into the Pilot Projects
• Identification of technological needs within 35 SMEs participating in the
pilot projects
• Setting up innovative ICT solutions (new technology and training) within
35 SMEs
WP4 – Virtual Platform
Development of the virtual platform www.medsme.com
More than 2000 SMEs registered and acting on the MEDSME
platform.
WP5 - Dissemination
• Promotion of the EUMEDIS Programme with the celebration of the
ICT MED SME International Conference in Barcelona (Spain, April
2004) within the framework of the Forum Universal of Cultures.
• Dissemination of the activities of the project in the region, through
the celebration of seminars and info-days on the MEDSME Platform.
• Publication of news on e-media and local newspapers.
Publications
WP1
WP4
WP5
Impact
• Development of mechanisms of co-operation among the various actors within the
MEDA region
•Development of close links among the users of the virtual community
 Better performance of the companies where the pilot projects are successful
 Adaptation of all the project contents to the particular needs on each country
• Additional value for trained people and improvement in their working life
• Improvement of the education of the young graduates and employees
ICT-MED-SMEs
Amman
RSS Achievements in
the project
WP01:Survey of SMEs in Jordan
Requirements
Findings : needs for
 Training on computer skills
,network management ,and project
management
 Introducing ICT solutions
 Using internet for eCommerce.
WP02:TRAINING COURSES
 Computer skills course (ICDL) for 20
participants, August 2003
 Network management course for 20
participants, September 2004
 Project Management for Professionals
(PMP) for 20 participants, august 2005
 Benchmarking ,Dubai ,November 2005
WP03: PILOT PROJECTS
Computerization requirement analysis study for 5 companies in
Jordan representing the following sectors :





Food
Pharmaceutical
Textile
Plastic
Electronics
Two of them have implemented integrated manufacturing
packages and three have started to partially implement
integrated financial and administrative information
systems.
WP04 :Virtual Platform
 The RSS team redesigned and
developed a new user friendly platform
using low cost tools.
 The website has been hosted at RSS
since 2007.
 445 companies have been registered
to the website
WP05 :Dissemination





Awareness meetings
Visits to SMEs
Press releases
Link to RSS website
Info day on 29th march 2006
Conferences attended
Title
Barcelona Conference
First EUMEDIS International
Conference
IT Forum
Second EUMEDIS International
Conference
Date
Place
April -2003
Barcelona
April - 2005
Dead Sea ,
Jordan
June – 2005
Dead Sea ,
Jordan
February -2006
Egypt
Seminars/Info days organized
Topic
Awareness Day
Info Day
Date
Place
Number and
people
attending
1/2/2004
RSS
80
29/3/2006
RSS
100
MEDRESSA II
MEDRESSA II
Expanding Mediterranean
IT Markets for Europe
Access for
European Small and Medium Enterprises in the Information Technology
domain
to New Markets in the
South Mediterranean Countries
Funded by the European Commission: IST-1999-29058
THE MISSION
•Open New Markets for European SMEs in South Med Countries.
•Run Brokerage and Partnership Events for Europeans in 6 South
Med Countries.
•Run Technology Awareness meetings with companies and
associations in the South Med Countries.
•Provide Europeans with focused analyses of local South Med
markets and business opportunities.
THE MEDRESSA SERVICE
The Brokerage and Partnership Events
•EU Companies will be invited to join these events to
present their products / developments
meet business partners, both for marketing and joint
development
Country Information
•Short reports on the local economy
•Specific reports on the selected sector
•Contact points in the countries
Methodology I
Identify
Companies who developed
Technology in Europe
Applicability in specific SMCs
Interested Companies and End Users in SMCs
Organize Partnership Events in SMCs
Methodology I
24 Partnership Events until end of 2003
Methodology II
The WEB Information Base
•A repository of all products presentations from the Partnership
Events
•Contact data of all EU companies who participated
•Contact data of the Med Participants
•Country and sector reports
•Partnership / Technology requests from both sides at any time
The European View
Share Existing Products or Developments
•Broaden the scope of their applicability
•Direct Exploitation of new markets
Prepare for the Future
•Take into account the requirements of SMCs
•Identify appropriate partners in SMCs
•Pave the way for New Partnerships
The SMCs View
Benefit from existing technology
•Adapt and Utilise existing products and technology
•Take advantage of the know-how
Participate in the R&D Process
•Take into account SMCs needs at an early stage
•Establish strong relationship with the European R&D
community
The Problems
On the SMC Side:
•lack of knowledge of what is available
•lack of experience in certain technological areas
•small or missing IT Company base
On the European Side:
•lack of general knowledge about SMCs
•difficulties in finding business partners
The Medressa II Network
•Standardata in Egypt
•Centre National de l’Informatique in Tunisia
•EMI – Ecole Mohammedia d’Ingénieurs in Morocco
•Higher Institute of Applied Science and Technology in Syria
•
Lebanese University in Lebanon
•Royal Scientific Society in Jordan
•Consorzio Pisa Ricerche in Italy
•Danish International in France
•F2i – Fundació Indústries de la Informació in Spain
•IT Consult GmbH in Germany (Co-ordinator)
Project Main Achievements
Each of the South Mediterranean partners organized four workshops during the
project.
The RSS organized four workshops in Jordan in the following areas:
1. IT in the Textile industry
2. IT and Cultural Heritage
3. e-Procurement
4. e-Health