Evolution of Computer Science Research in Middle East and Africa Countries: A Two Decade Overview of Research Development and Trends

Industry 4.0 (IR4.0) has stimulated unprecedented interest in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, driving significant advances in computer science research within the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region over the last decade. This paper provides an overview of the research productivity, trends, and collaboration dynamics across 22 MEA countries, utilizing publication data from the Web of Science (WoS) database from 2000 to 2022. The findings reveal rapid growth in publications starting in 2013, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the leading contributor in the region. Computer science research in the MEA region is primarily associated with engineering and telecommunications, with key topics including artificial intelligence, theoretical derivations, and information science. Research trends have shifted from image processing to robotics, the Internet of Things, and machine learning. Collaboration among MEA countries has increased, with at least 50% of publications in the last decade involving non-MEA collaborators. The collaboration network exhibits a smallworld phenomenon, encouraging knowledge circulation and supporting the development of the MEA region in computer science research during the IR4.0 era.