President ECOSF was invited by ICCIMA to deliver presentation on “Digital Trade, STI and Sustainable Development: Implications for ECO Region”
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April 13, 2024 - Following an invitation from Mr. Keshani, Chairman of the Isfahan Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ICCIMA), President of ECOSF, Prof. Seyed Komail Tayebi, delivered a presentation on “Digital Trade, STI, and Sustainable Development: Implications for the ECO Region” Professor Tayebi discussed that development is about people, not necessarily the economy. He added that sustainable development is a process that improves the welfare of the population by creating an enabling environment for people. He emphasized that enhancing the digital economy, STEM, and STI are key instruments to achieve the SDGs.
Prof. Tayebi also discussed the Digital Economy, which incorporates all economic activities reliant on or significantly enhanced by digital inputs, including digital technologies, digital infrastructure, digital services, and data. He mentioned that we are in the midst of a 4th Industrial Revolution, where entire sectors of the economy are going digital. Even though we may not know what tomorrow’s occupations will be, most research agrees that these future jobs will require strong critical thinking, adaptability, and continuous learning. It is therefore urgent to develop global competencies and technological skills that will allow individuals and SMEs to thrive in the world of tomorrow for a sustainable future.
President ECOSF concluded that developing digital competencies is essential for ECO SMEs to thrive in the digital era. ECO SMEs can unlock new opportunities, drive innovation, and achieve sustainable growth in the digital landscape. Hence, they need to cultivate digital literacy, data analytics skills, an agile mindset, customer-centricity, collaboration and communication abilities, and cybersecurity awareness.
In the second part of his speech, Prof. Tayebi provided an introduction to ECOSF, outlining its main objectives, programs, and activities, which focus primarily on promoting and funding STI research collaboration, popularizing science at the grassroots level, and harmonizing science, technology, and innovation policies among ECO countries. By pursuing these objectives and activities, ECOSF acts as a catalyst for science and technology for sustainable development in the ECO Region.
At the end, Prof. Tayebi answered questions raised by the audience.
