Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Director-General of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), and Dr. Saad bin Othman Alkasabi, Governor of the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO), Vice-Chairman of its Board of Directors, discussed prospects for cooperation between the two sides in quality standards, raising awareness of their importance, and adopting them as a key driver for enhancing performance across various sectors.

At the outset of the meeting, held on Friday 7 February 2025, at ICESCO headquarters in Rabat, Dr. AlMalik reviewed the international awards and quality certifications ICESCO has received in recent years in management, governance, and innovation. Dr. AlMalik highlighted the Organization’s adherence to scientific and methodological standards to enhance performance, positioning it as a distinguished organizations recognized by international bodies, organizations, and governments.

Dr. AlMalik outlined key initiatives undertaken to achieve this progress, including reviewing the staff regulations, recruiting outstanding talent from diverse countries without discrimination, strengthening transparency and credibility, and adopting an intensive work approach in the Organization’s fields of action. Dr. AlMalik also emphasized ICESCO’s commitment to renewal, with young professionals comprising over 40% of its staff and women holding 50% of leadership positions. This strategic approach has resulted in significant achievements across projects and activities in collaboration with Member States and global partners. Many of these initiatives have gained international prominence due to the added value they offer participants across various fields and disciplines.

Moreover, Dr. AlMalik highlighted Organization’s rigorous performance evaluation and continuous development processes, which have strengthened its position as a center of expertise in education, science, and culture. Through its open and inclusive approach, ICESCO has expanded cooperation with a broad network of partners, securing additional funding for its projects and programs. Many of these initiatives align with the priorities of key stakeholders, particularly those focused on youth and women’s capacity building, heritage preservation, and the protection of heritage sites in the Islamic world. Dr. AlMalik further emphasized ICESCO’s efforts in publishing cultural indicators guide, promoting coexistence, peace, and civilizational dialogue, countering extremist ideologies, and fostering investment in technology, innovation, space science, and artificial intelligence.

In this regard, the Organization has launched the Islamic World Charter for Artificial Intelligence, advanced the culture of foresight, and strengthened the global standing of the Arabic language. These initiatives, along with other strategic programs, are executed through ICESCO’s specialized centers, which adhere to high standards. Among these the Center for Arabic for Non-Arabic Speakers, Civilizational Dialogue Center, Translation and Publishing Center, and the Center of Foresight and Artificial intelligence. Additional centers, such as the Center for Calligraphy and Manuscripts, are set to be launched soon.

Dr. Alkasabi commended ICESCO’s efforts in advancing its areas of expertise across the Islamic world, expressing particular interest in the Organization’s approach to aligning its work with international quality standards while also developing specialized standards tailored to its needs. He highlighted key areas such as artificial intelligence, heritage preservation, and Arabic calligraphy and manuscripts.
Dr. Alkasabi emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation to integrate ICESCO’s quality standards into the SMIIC’s framework and proposed nominating these standards for ISO certification to establish them as globally recognized benchmarks.

Given the historical significance of metrology and standardization in the Islamic world, Dr. Alkasabi underscored ICESCO’s role as a modern extension of this legacy. He further advocated for the development of a comprehensive document outlining the distinctive characteristics of this field in the region, incorporating new advancements, and promoting public and educational awareness on it.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed to collaborate on organizing specialized forums and workshops in quality, measurement, and standards, and to work together to have the newly developed quality standards adopted by the relevant Islamic and international bodies.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Sally Mabrouk, Head of the Office of Director General, Mr. Mohamed Hedi Shili, Head of Legal Affairs and International Standards Department, and Dr. Ahmed Albanyan, Head of the Translation and Publishing Center.