This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

221034Z Dec 05

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 008601 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS 
STATE FOR IO/UNESCO Kevin Pilz, OES BARRIE RIPIN, 
OES/STAS ANDREW W. REYNOLDS 
STATE FOR NSC GENE WHITNEY 
STATE FOR NSF INTERNATIONAL OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: UNESCO KSCA SOCI SCUL KISL TSPL FR
SUBJECT: UNESCO CONFERENCE EXAMINES MEANS OF ENHANCING 
HISTORY OF SCIENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN ISLAMIC WORLD 
 
 
¶1.  Summary and Introduction:  An international 
conference on "The Introduction of History of Science 
in the Higher Education Level of the Muslim Countries" 
took place December 15-16, at UNESCO; the conference 
was organized by UNESCO's Culture Sector, with the 
participation of the Natural Sciences Sector.   The 
conference included roughly 25 participants, mainly 
academics in history, science and medicine from Muslim 
countries, including Syria, Iran, and Turkey. Two 
professors from American universities also 
participated. 
 
¶2.  The aim of the conference, according to one of the 
organizers, was to study means of enhancing the 
teaching of the history of Science at the university 
level in the Islamic world; knowledge of the pioneering 
achievements of Muslim scientists and scholars between 
the eighth and fifteenth centuries will encourage 
Muslim youth to pursue the study of modern science. 
The "hidden agenda" is to turn the attention of these 
youth from "traditional schools and fanaticism." 
Discussion of next steps (PARAS 4-9) was hampered by 
the fact that the event had not been coordinated with 
UNESCO'S Education sector.  End Summary and 
Introduction. 
 
¶3.  Participants at the conference agreed that the 
history of science is often overlooked in secondary and 
higher education curricula.  The utility of coursework 
in the history of science was discussed, with many 
agreeing that its dissemination is limited by the fact 
that some researchers claim that the study of the 
history of science will not enhance success in modern 
science.  For this reason, additional efforts are 
needed to raise the interest of students in the history 
of science, outside the framework of the "religion 
versus science debate".  It was agreed that in teaching 
the history of science in Muslim countries, the link 
between religion and science must be discussed, as 
there are over 750 verses mentioning science in the 
Koran.  In addition, Historical influences must be 
considered when establishing curricula.  Participants 
noted that few Muslim researchers and scientists are 
well known for their work, in comparison to Western 
researchers and scientists. 
 
Participants from U.S. Institutions Outline Challenges 
 
¶4.  On day two, Dr. F. Jamil Ragep, a self-described 
Arab-American (Ph.D. Harvard) and acting-chair of the 
Department of the History of Science at the University 
of Oklahoma, highlighted the declining interest in the 
U.S. in teaching the history of science in the Islamic 
world.  He said that prominent positions have gone 
unfilled at Harvard, Brown, Yale and New York 
University but that his own employer - the University 
of Oklahoma where he holds a permanent position in a 
history of science program - is a bright exception. He 
noted how odd it is that the University of Oklahoma is 
"more concerned about the history of Arabic/Islamic 
science than Cairo University.  Sadly, this is the 
case." 
 
¶5.  Dr. Gul A. Russell, professor of History of 
Medicine and the Humanities at Texas A&M University 
Health Science Center (Ph.D. Indiana) suggested a task 
force to create guidelines, through UNESCO, to enhance 
the teaching of the history of science in the Islamic 
World at top institutions in the East and the West. She 
said these could be modeled on guidelines put out by 
the History of Science Society.  (Note: the 
participation of the two American experts was described 
by a Culture sector contact as "invaluable".  End 
Note.) 
 
Training Trainers -- without the Education Sector? 
 
¶6.  Over the course of the conference, participants 
discussed possible "recommendations" that could emanate 
from the meeting.  Participants agreed that in order to 
introduce the study of the history of science in 
universities in the Muslim world, more teachers - 
"trained in an objective way" -- are required.  To 
achieve this, some participants advocated fostering 
inter-institute cooperation to develop a model 
curriculum.  It was suggested that scholars, sponsored 
by Islamic universities, study the history of science 
in Western universities, including in the United States 
and Great Britain.  This suggestion was dismissed due 
to the high percentage of students who do not return to 
their home institutions after completing such studies. 
 
¶7.  Despite the consensus on the need for more 
"training of trainers" to teach the history of science 
-- as well as on the need for more research and 
dissemination of findings -- precise modalities 
remained TBD.  When a participant asked: "How do we 
train people in the history of science?", the absence 
of anyone from UNESCO's Education Sector was 
highlighted.  The conference was organized by UNESCO's 
culture sector, with the participation of the science 
sector; no one with teacher education expertise from 
the Education Sector was present to field questions on 
this issue. 
 
¶8.  Participants also raised the possibility of UNESCO 
making a film highlighting the accomplishments of 
Muslim scientists. They tossed around other ideas 
before deciding to create a drafting committee to come 
up with recommendations to be shared with the UNESCO's 
Natural Sciences Sector.  A culture sector contact 
envisaged two areas of future work:  one relating to 
higher education -- he assured us that the Education 
Sector's input would be solicited; the other relating 
to the "popularization" of the history of science, via 
high school studies and publications.  On funding, our 
contact confided that UNESCO's budget had provided 
11,000 USD for the conference, the rest coming from 
"The World Islamic Call Society."  Funding for any 
follow-up activities would need to be considered. 
 
¶9.  Comment:  We find the lack of prior consultation 
with the education sector in preparing this event 
worrisome.  Nilse Ryman, chief of staff to 
ADG/Education Peter Smith, said he would look into why 
there was no coordination between the science and 
culture sectors and the education sector in the run-up 
to this meeting.  End Comment.  KOSS