Global Knowledge Index launched in Dubai

Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme have released the first edition of the Global Knowledge Index.

The index, unveiled at this week’s Knowledge Summit in Dubai, measures knowledge based on higher education, pre-university education, technical/vocational training and continued education, information and communication technology, scientific research and innovation, economics and enabling environments.

It ranks countries based on 133 variables including enrollment, graduation, and dropout rates, unemployment, life expectancy, literacy and regulation.

Leading the index in its first year is Switzerland with a score of 71.8 out of 100. It is followed by Singapore with 69.5, Finland with 68.5, Sweden with 68.3, the Netherlands with 68, the US with 67.2, Luxembourg with 66.2, the UK with 65.6, Denmark with 65.2 and Norway with 64.3.

Other notable results included the Philippines and Azerbaijan’s rankings of fourth and 11th in technical education and vocational training and the UAE’s rank as second for economy.

Dr Hani Turki, director of the Knowledge Project, described the Global Knowledge Index as “a major step” in the comprehensive and sustainable knowledge-based development drive in the UAE.

In its first edition, the index includes 131 countries, selected based on the availability of reliable and credible data. It is eventually planned to cover the entire world.

Read: Pictures: Knowledge Summit 2017 kicks off