On 25th and 26th October 2003 Iran’s First Conference on Human Resources Development was held in the Islamic Summit Conference Hall. During these two days, scholars from Iran, as well as from Canada, England, India, Indonesia and the USA delivered speeches on the various aspects of human resource development. EVENTS was present at the Conference and now provides you with highlights of the event.

Keeping with the Times
Eshagh Jahangiri,
Minister for Industries and Mines

During the past two decades we have witnessed large-scale developments in economic and technological systems in which management plays a significant role. Knowledge is formed in the human mind and knowledgeable human being is the basic requirement for human resource development. Nowadays, with modern
developments in management, knowledge and education have gained in importance whereas financial capital has lost its significance considerably. Economic growth is, in our age, impossible without a considerable degree of technological advancement and this is not attainable unless such factors as an industrial culture and a proper human resource structure are created first.

Today, over 50% of total industrial value added is the result of science and technology, and it would be impossible to create value added without capable management – knowledgeable, intelligent, skillful and innovative human resources – no matter how large a financial investment is made. We cannot afford to be introverts any more... to close the doors to the outside world, to see only ourselves and our own affairs. We must be present in the international market and build ourselves industries that can allow us to compete with the best. This is exactly what IDRO is after, and it should be congratulated for its efforts and its achievements.

IDRO is an organization that has a very crucial task and duty. It has a great deal to do and even more to achieve. But it is a type of organization that must keep everyone happy: its clients, of whatever rank, and its employees from the bottom to the top. To move ahead in today’s world we need to give adequate consideration to joint ventures. We must train and educate our people, in order to develop excellent managers, planners and innovators. And this is IDRO’s main duty.

Message from the Chairman of the Conference, Dr Mohammad Ali Najafi

Today humans are no longer simply considered as one of the factors that can promote economic development, but the main driving force in the process.

Their thinking and free social participation are major elements in economic development and that is becoming increasingly clear. Studies carried out during the past two to three decades reveal the increasingly important role of the human beings in economic development, a role that hitherto had been neglected. One other requirement for making progress is keeping ourselves up-to-date in world developments, in the latest scientific and technological findings, in IT systems… and this needs databases and information banks. They must be developed, kept up-to-date and put at the service of both the industry and the academic circles: universities, schools, vocational training centers; and most important of all managers in the administrative, productive, services… sectors.

Finally we need an effective industrial strategy. We have developed one but would like to examine it before it is implemented. We therefore welcome experts in the field to give us their comments on the issue and we promise to use any constructive comment.

Conferences of this type are excellent tools in planning and assisting economic and industrial development and therefore I take this opportunity to congratulate and warmly thank the organizers. In particular I thank Dr Veyseh, the President of the Organization, Dr Najafi, the President of the Conference, and Dr Goodarzi, its Secretary General. Thank you and well done! In the advanced world, it was with the realization of the immeasurable value of the human being that sustainable development was attained. And, our country has no other choice but to follow their example if it too is to attain sustainable development.

For years we have been talking of a dynamic and modern economy but to no avail. Today, we have to accept that without human resource development and proper use of human capital this would not be possible.

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