If you want to know the speed of change and depth of change that is taking place in the pension sector across the Arab world, do not just look at changes in pension-savings for expats in the UAE, or the government\u2019s subsidy for ministries and companies to introduce Thrift Plans in Saudi Arabia, or launch of supplementary pension in Egypt, or incentives to life-policy buyers in Tunisia, the transfer of managing End-of-Service Benefit for expats from employers to government in Bahrain, or the new pension legislation that will cover private sector employees for the first time in Lebanon!<\/p>\n
But also look at the profound change in mindsets running the social insurance sector!<\/p>\n
After decades of managing the affairs of pension organisations as part of the country\u2019s sovereign system where access to information, reports, and financial forecasts for researchers and journalists aren\u2019t available (easily), today we see our national pension institutions launching public initiatives to encourage public scientific research on pensions!<\/p>\n
Of course, this will create a new, positive societal and academic culture that views social insurance sector as a vital, interactive and catalyst industry in any country\u2019s social and economic life.<\/p>\n
The civil pension and social insurance oganisations in the GCC have just announced the first edition of \u201cThe Scientific Research Award on Pension & Social Protection\u201d.<\/p>\n
Organised every two years under the supervision of GCC pension organisations and GCC General Secretariat, the current edition is led by the Sultanate of Oman.<\/p>\n
The award aims to support scientific research in the areas of social insurance system, and to provide a platform for researchers throughout the Arab Gulf countries to study contemporary issues and challenges related to social protection and pension economics.<\/p>\n
The award covers several areas, including, but not limited to: actuarial science, pension legislation, governance best practice, economic risks, artificial intelligence and role of civil pension systems in national economic development.<\/p>\n
The award targets PhD and Master Degree researchers, as well as bachelor\u2019s holders amongst citizens and residents of the GCC countries.<\/p>\n