Amman, Jordan
Rida A. Shibli
Professor of Plant Biotechnology and Biodiversity, University of Jordan
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Steer Creative Research Towards Achieving Economic Development Goals in the Arab World
Mohammed A. Khasawneh, Nathir M. Obeidat, Rida A. Shibli, and Nael H. Thaher
University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
Abstract
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Steer Creative Research Towards Achieving Economic Development Goals in the Arab World
Mohammed A. Khasawneh, Nathir M. Obeidat, Rida A. Shibli, and Nael H. Thaher
University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
Developed nations operate within well-established industrial models that are closely aligned with long-term national development strategies, including defense, security, and economic priorities. These models have traditionally acted as guiding frameworks that steer research agendas within universities and industrial institutions toward clearly defined and productive outcomes. As a result, strong alignment between industrial needs and academic research has contributed significantly to sustained innovation and the economic success of industrialized countries. In contrast, many developing regions, including Arab nations, often lack similarly integrated industrial models. This absence has contributed to fragmented research directions, where much of the academic output is driven by individual faculty efforts linked primarily to promotion requirements, rather than coordinated national priorities. Consequently, research activities are frequently disconnected from real industrial needs, leading to limited impact on economic development and a tendency toward sporadic, uncoordinated scholarly output. In this context, artificial intelligence presents a significant opportunity for developing countries to better align research systems with national development objectives in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. AI can help identify institutional strengths and gaps, map them against strategic economic priorities, and guide more coherent research directions aligned with national agendas. It can also support the matching of research expertise with development needs, enabling more structured and impactful innovation ecosystems. Ultimately, this approach can contribute to the gradual emergence of viable industrial models that are better suited to the economic realities and aspirations of these nations.
Biography
Rida A. Shibli
Prof. Dr. Rida A. Shibli is Professor of Plant Biotechnology and Biodiversity at the University of Jordan and one of Jordan's leading scientists in plant biotechnology, plant genetic resources, biodiversity conservation, and agricultural innovation. Born in Mursa, Jerash, Jordan, on July 15, 1962, Prof. Shibli earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Plant Production from the University of Jordan before obtaining his Ph.D. in Horticulture, Plant Physiology, and Plant Tissue Culture from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, USA. He also completed postdoctoral research at the University of Illinois and Langston University, USA, and held a Fulbright Fellowship at Purdue University. Throughout his distinguished career spanning more than three decades, Prof. Shibli has held numerous academic, scientific, and governmental leadership positions. He currently serves as Professor at the University of Jordan and is on sabbatical at the Jordan University of Science and Technology, where he continues his research on plant biotechnology and cryopreservation. He previously served as Director of the Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research at the University of Jordan, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Dean of Scientific Research at Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Vice President of the University of Jordan, President of the University of Jordan–Aqaba Branch, President of Mu’tah University, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Jordan University of Science and Technology, Minister of Agriculture of Jordan, and Member of the Jordan Senate. Prof. Shibli is the Executive Secretary of the Association of Agricultural Research Institutions in the Near East and North Africa (AARINENA) and President of the Jordan Society for Scientific Research, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. He also serves on numerous national and international scientific councils, advisory boards, and editorial boards concerned with agricultural research, biodiversity, food security, higher education, and scientific policy. His research focuses on plant biotechnology, plant tissue culture, cryopreservation, conservation of plant genetic resources, biodiversity, molecular characterization, nanobiotechnology, plant physiology, and sustainable agriculture. He has supervised numerous graduate students, led many nationally and internationally funded research projects, and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers, several book chapters, and patents. Prof. Shibli has received numerous prestigious national and international awards, including the ISESCO Prize in Science and Technology, the University of Illinois ACES Award of Merit, multiple Distinguished Research Awards, and several honors recognizing his outstanding contributions to agricultural sciences, biotechnology, and scientific research. With extensive experience in academia, research leadership, public service, and international scientific collaboration, Prof. Shibli continues to contribute actively to advancing agricultural research, innovation, biodiversity conservation, and higher education in Jordan, the Arab region, and internationally.