Bahraini Society for Intellectual Property

Supporting innovators is the cornerstone of building a knowledge economy and sustainable development
The Gulf Day Forum for Giftedness and Creativity, organized by the Bahraini Society for Intellectual Property yesterday morning at the House of Traders, concluded with the following: The system of creativity and innovation is the cornerstone of building a knowledge economy, and it is one of the basic indicators that Make the country developed or developing. As the economic indicators are based on elements, including measuring the productivity of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. There is also a close relationship between supporting the talented and developing their potential while achieving the goals of sustainable development It is sought by 162 countries around the world, as “there is nothing that can contribute to raising The level of well-being of nations and peoples is better than individuals capable of creativity because they will be the most capable of facing development technology and problem-solving.

At a time when Bahrain is considered the first Gulf country to have an integrated system for gifted care, studies confirm that The percentage of female creators in the Gulf region is greater than that of men. On the other hand, studies indicate that men reap more honors and awards than women.

A group of speakers and experts in the field of gifted education and care participated in the event. The forum included a series of lectures and a training workshop aimed at developing the innovation and creativity skills of the participants.

In her opening speech, the president of the association, Asmaa Al-Najdi, explained that this forum coincides with the celebration of the Gulf Day For talent and creativity, an exhortation that focuses on the concept of creativity, innovation, talent, creative thinking strategies, discovering, employing and investing talents In order to achieve the goals of sustainable development.

century requirements
For her part, Dr. Amthal Al-Aifan from the sisterly State of Kuwait gave a lecture on "Creativity and Innovation... What And why - creative thinking strategy». She began by pointing out that studies confirm that the percentage of female creators in the Gulf region is greater than that of men. On the other hand, studies show that creative men reap more honors and awards than women.

She said that the importance of creativity has doubled and has become a necessity for everyone for several reasons, the first of which is that it has become one of the most prominent requirements of the century The twenty-first, which is characterized by four basic skills: creativity, critical thinking, cooperation, and communication.

The other reason is that the creativity and innovation system is considered the cornerstone of building a knowledge economy and one of the basic indicators that Make the country develop or develop. As the economic indicators are based on elements, including measuring the productivity of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

In addition to the above, creativity helps to adapt to life and internal and external events. The Corona pandemic has produced many creative models that have emerged as a result of the challenges. Creativity also reflects positively on the individual and society. At the individual level, it raises the level of self-confidence, helps in self-discovery, promotes mental health, and helps To solve problems and improve productivity

At the community level, it helps create new job opportunities, raises the cultural value in society, enhances experiences And competencies, increases social communication, and ultimately raises the state's economy.

Dr. Amthal indicated that creativity is the basic rule on which the concepts of invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship are based. While the invention is something new and unprecedented, innovation comes to renew or develop what has been done His invention, then entrepreneurship comes as an opportunity to enter the market through innovation and invention.

Also, creativity is more related to the individual level, and innovation to the collective level, so we say a creative person and an innovative company. Besides, creativity is more of a skill than an individual's instinct. Most creative ideas start in the subconscious mind. Therefore, an innovative idea may come to a person even when he is asleep. Here, the original product or idea must be followed by some kind of innovation and improvement.

The lecturer asked: Every year, large numbers of graduates graduate looking for opportunities, so what makes a person creative? Is it the sum and the educational attainment? Is it the completion of the study in a shorter time? Get opportunities and scholarships

She added: All of this is positive, but it is not enough for a person to be creative without having basic skills to focus on Major companies when selecting employees from them: the ability to solve problems in a creative way, the ability to deal with various challenges, the ability to come up with new ideas through brainstorming.

After the lecture, Dr. Amthal Al-Aifan conducted a workshop on solving problems in a creative way, starting with discussing the problem Determining the causes and possible solutions and setting appropriate criteria for choosing solutions, then selecting the best solutions and developing an action plan to apply.

Talented traits

In her turn, the gifted education specialist, Dr. Lulwa Al-Fadhel, delivered a lecture on “Gifted Education and the Role of Society”. It contains the most prominent features of the gifted, which can be divided into mental and psychological features. Among the mental characteristics is a high mental ability, according to curiosity and curiosity, the ability to solve problems, and the ability to present innovative solutions.

Among the psychological characteristics are a sense of difference from others, a tendency to loneliness, and a good sense of humor.

Al-Fadil pointed out that the gifted have needs that may differ from others, the most important of which is awareness of the nature of these needs you meet, otherwise, it turns into a problem. Therefore, it is necessary to know these details and provide adequate support to the talented. This leads to an important axis, which is social support, which represents a system of social interactions with others It includes extended relationships that the individual trusts and feels reliable.

Social support includes three dimensions: emotional support, which includes acceptance, attention, care, and love. And material support through the participation of the talented in the field in which he is distinguished. And informational support by providing advice, advice, and information, and integrating him with activities and programs that develop his talent.

With regard to the sources of support and social assistance, Dr. Al-Fadhel explained that parents play a pivotal role in providing support For the child, then the family, followed by teachers, colleagues, and friends. In recent years, social media has emerged as one of the means of support, as young people have become virtual relationships through Through these means, which affects them and their abilities.

She concluded by emphasizing that the main point in dealing with the gifted is awareness of his excellence and needs and the importance of supporting him, including This includes dealing with negative traits such as difficulty integrating with others and feeling different. This requires counseling programs that address the negative repercussions in the personality of the gifted.

Gifted Challenges

In the last paragraph of the forum, the educational expert specializing in creativity and talents, Dr. Bodour Buhijji, lectured on « Talented and the goals of sustainable development. In her introduction, she stressed that Bahrain is the first Gulf country to have a single system for the care and development of talented people. And that one of the most important obstacles to achieving the concepts of sustainability and visions in the countries of the world is the lack of care and meeting the needs of the talented. As investing in talent contributes to increasing the number of innovators and creators, and provides an appropriate environment that contains Various stimuli to stimulate their abilities. It also encourages economic and educational institutions to adopt the concepts of innovation, leadership, and the discovery of talented people.

Buhijji cited the Maryland definition adopted by the US Department of Education, which indicates that the creative and gifted are They are children who have extraordinary abilities that appear in their outstanding performances and include one or more of the following: Following features: high mental and linguistic abilities. Academic ability and excellence in intelligence tests. Leadership and problem-solving ability. Technical and performance skills. spatial and physical abilities.

She added: The relationship between talented people and the goals of sustainable development is highlighted here. Where more than 162 countries around the world seek to achieve the goals of this development. However, there are still gaps in this aspect. This is what Torrance confirms, that there is nothing that can contribute to raising the level of The well-being of nations and peoples is better than individuals capable of creativity because they will be the most capable of facing technological development growth and problem-solving.

Buhiji reviewed the most important challenges that talented people may face. Such as

Excessive idealism and striving for perfection may lead to psychological maladaptation or failure. High expectations from parents, confuse the gifted and hinders his progress. Social isolation, falling victim to mood swings, and depression. Excessive sensitivity as a result of permanent self-criticism and behavioral control. Multiple interests and abilities. The negative view of some individuals towards them, such as describing them as workaholics, leads to a kind of social isolation and frustration.

Dr. Bodour Buhiji concluded by summarizing the most prominent needs of talented and creative people, including the need for academic expertise commensurate with their abilities. The need to develop higher-order thinking skills, the need to participate in activities that highlight and develop their abilities, The need for social integration, the need to develop positive self-concepts, the need to express their emotions and their feelings, and the need to acquire teamwork skills.