Following the merger of two ministries into the Ministry of Industries and Mines in 2001 in compliance with the law for centralization of industry and mine affairs under the country's Third Five-Year Economic Development Plan, the Center for Modern Industries was established at the ministry in order to make plans and formulate policy for the development of modern industries in the country.
Modern industry projects, now around 10 years old, are run by this center which was relocated to the Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IDRO) in 2008 in the light of commercialization and industrialization of modern technology-based projects. The Center for Modern Industries was merged into the Office of Research, Technology and Education and continued its mission as the Group of Modern Industries.
In 2013 and after the establishment of the Office of Deputy Minister for Education, Research and Technology, the Group of Modern Industries was detached from the Office of Research, Development of Technology and Modern Industries and has been independently pursuing the following objectives under the title of the Center for Development of Technology and Advanced Industries. It comprises three subgroups known as Development of Advanced Industries and Knowledge-Based Companies, Commercialization of Technology and Futures Studies, and Formulating Advanced Industries Strategy.
· Paving the ground for the entry into and access to technology and modern industry markets inside and outside the country.
· Ongoing studies to improve management of advanced industries.