Scientists and experts in the field of information and communication technology (ICT) shared their insights on IT research and implementation and its impact on societies at the 10th International Conference on Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries, hosted by the Dubai School of Government. Held under the theme “Assessing the Contribution of ICT to Development Goals”, the two-day event ended on Thursday. In her keynote address, Chrisanthi Avgerou, professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), led a discussion on “Discourses on Innovation and Development in Information Systems in Developing Countries” Research.' Several scholars from six continents were among the noted speakers at the three-day conference that brought together policy makers, leading members of the global information and communication technology research community, as well as representatives of non-profit organizations. Organized in conjunction with International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP), the conference explored the role of ICT in achieving development goals and addressing challenges to sustainability. Avgerou said “we as researchers are ever curious to see a particular society's depth of ICT adoption. While there are several underlying factors, culture, political climate and willingness to take risks additionally play an influencing role. Developing countries need to really look at ICT adoption carefully, as disruptive transformation can occasionally cause conflicts within a society's development process.” During a presentation on healthcare information systems, researchers from the University of Oslo pointed out several case studies where technologies such as open source are helping the transition of societies from primitive to advanced technology. Research papers from Nigeria and Kenya highlighted the adoption of ICT in the healthcare information systems in managing the data, as well as challenges in the healthcare system. Dr. Tarik Yousef, dean of the Dubai School of Government, said: “We at the Dubai School of Government are proud to host this event that has brought together scholars who share a passion for impacting their societies through research and work related to the use of ICT. We believe that in terms of a larger policy framework and research, this gathering is very significant for this part of the world.”
