1258 



Building Trained Professional Manpower Eesources.— -Above all 

 else, a sound scientific-technical infrastructure requires trained profes- 

 sional manpower. Professor Moravcsik cited this requirement as "one 

 of the most important elements" in building a scientific environment : 



In science and much of technology, productivity per capita is the dominant 

 factor in success, and to increase that, one needs highly trained, competent re- 

 searchers, teachers, and technicians. Furthermore, since science and technology 

 often progress through "breakthroughs", and these breakthroughs are due to 

 ' the efforts of a very few people at the apex of scientific or technological creativ- 

 ity, there must be great emphasis on the quality of manpovi^er as well as on the 

 quantity. Second best in science and technology is often only tenth best when it 

 is converted into its effect on the economic development of a country.**" 



Lacking an adequate supply of trained professional manpower, an 

 infrastructure cannot take form, and development cannot be advanced. 

 But the lack of trained scientific manpower is one of the most serious 

 deficiencies in the LDCs. According to Professors Moravcsik and Dart, 

 the "shortage of adequately trained manpower is one of the most im- 

 portant obstacles in the development of the emerging countries. In 

 fact, many believe that as far as the development of science is con- 

 cerned, it is the most important obstacle." ^^° In most LDCs scientific 

 manpower is "minuscule, fragmented, not always well trained, and 

 lacks the critical mass and coherence to be effective." ^^^ These authors 

 suggest that "one of the most valuable forms of help . . . that the 

 more developed countries can offer, is assistance in training 

 personnel." ^^^ 



Establishing Educational Base in Science and Technology. — To es- 

 tablish a solid educational base is another requirement in building the 

 infrastructure of science and technology in the LDCs. Professor 

 Moravcsik believes that in principle indigenous scientific education at 

 all levels is "absolutely essential in every country that contemplates 

 any kind of scientific or technological activity." The alternative would 

 be reliance on training abroad of all or most scientific and technical 

 personnel. In the long run, this would be "impossible, and hence a 

 development of indigenous education is a necessity." ^^^ 



Indigenous education has the potential value of designing training 

 programs that are geared to the practical needs of the LDCs and cor- 

 related with their research and development requirements. Though 

 often flawed by an excess of educational formalism in methods of 

 teaching to the neglect of problem-solving, indigenous education can 

 develop "schools" of research and establish a larger scientific and tech- 

 nological tradition.^^* 



However, until the LDCs succeed in establishing a self-contained 

 educational system through graduate school, they are obliged to rely 

 on the advanced countries to train their professionals. There are in- 

 herent risks in such foreign study : it is necessary to match training 

 abroad with development needs, select students carefully to insure re- 

 turn, maintain contacts with them while abroad, and facilitate their 

 employment on returning home.^^^ 



8'» Moravcsik. "A Chance to Close the Gap?" p. 2. 

 <^ Dart and Moravcsik, "Physics Interviewing Project," p. 1. 

 051 Moravcsik, "A Chance to Close the Gap ?" p. 3. 

 962 Dart and Moravcsik. "Physics Interviewing Project," p. 1. 



«53 Moravcsik, "Education and Kesearch in Scientifically Developing Countries," p. 1. 

 <^ Ibid., pp. 3-5. 



«=* Report of U.N. Secretary General, Outflow of Trained Personnel from LDCs, Nov. 5, 

 1968, p. 56.121. 



