promoting science, technology and innovation (sti) in developing countries: challenges,...

Promoting Science, Technology and Promoting Science, Technology and

Innovation (STI) in Developing Countries:Innovation (STI) in Developing Countries: Challenges, Opportunities and ActionChallenges, Opportunities and Action

Mohamed H.A. HassanMohamed H.A. HassanExecutive Director, TWAS, Trieste, ItalyExecutive Director, TWAS, Trieste, ItalyPresident, AAS, Nairobi, KenyaPresident, AAS, Nairobi, Kenya

International UNESCO/ICSU/TWAS Symposium on the Follow-up of WCS: Harnessing Science for Society: Further Partnerships2-5 March 2005, Venice, Italy

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Overview

Problems and Challenges Opportunities Action UNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

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Problems and Challenges

How to reduce the growing disparities between countries and regions in production and utilization of STI?

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Disparities: North-South

Population 80 %

Researchers 28 %

R&D Expenditure 20 %

S&T Publications 12 %

Technology Innovation (patents) 2 %

The South's Share

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Disparities: South-South

Overall number of SCI papers

1992-2001

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Disparities: South-South

SCI-Listed Publications in Nanotechnology(January-August 2004)

Country Publications

1 China 3,621

2 USA 3,182

3 Japan 3,010

4 Germany 2,075

5 France 1,330

6 South Korea 1,263

7 United Kingdom 941

8 Russia 856

9 Italy 758

10 India 647

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Disparities: South-South – within Africa

33

19

7 75 4

25

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

%

SouthAfrica

Egypt Morocco Nigeria Kenya Tunisia Other

African output of ISI-listed scientific papers 1996-2000 (1.5% of world output)

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Disparities: South-South – within Africa

African patents listed by US Patent and Trademark Office (1997-2001)

Country % of patents

South Africa 92

Egypt 3.0

Kenya 1.3

Nigeria 1.3

Morocco 0.8

Other 1.6

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Disparities: South-South – within country

96.5

1 0.5 2

92

3 14

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

white black coloured Indian

19901998

Impact of past policies: South Africa's research output (%)

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Problems and Challenges

How to reduce the growing disparities between countries and regions in production and utilization of STI?

How to elevate the status of science education and research in least developed countries (LDC)?

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Problems and Challenges

How to reduce the growing disparities between countries and regions in production and utilization of STI?

How to elevate the status of science education and research in least developed countries (LDC)?

How to train and retain a critical mass of highly qualified problem-solving scientists?

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Problems and Challenges

How to reduce the growing disparities between countries and regions in production and utilization of STI?

How to elevate the status of science education and research in least developed countries (LDC)?

How to train and retain a critical mass of highly qualified problem-solving scientists?

How to build and maintain strong institutions of excellence for scientific research and education?

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Problems and Challenges

How to reduce the growing disparities between countries and regions in production and utilization of STI?

How to elevate the status of science education and research in least developed countries (LDC)?

How to train and retain a critical mass of highly qualified problem-solving scientists?

How to build and maintain strong institutions of excellence for scientific research and education?

How to build a strong case for increasing investment in STI?

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Opportunities

Rich biodiversity, natural resources, traditional knowledge

Applications of new technologies Biotechnologies Information and communication

technologies New materials (incl. nanotech)

Growth of STI in several developing countries and new opportunities for increased South-South cooperation

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making

5. Increasing funding for STI

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems Commitment by national governments

to support higher education At least one world-class autonomous

university in each country Strong commitment to attain and

maintain highly qualified staff and staff promotion based on merit

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems Innovative methods of teaching to

produce new generations of problem-solving S&T talent with good knowledge of social problems

Twinning arrangements between universities in different countries: staff and student exchange, sharing of experiences and best practices

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems Efforts to upgrade and reform

universities in S&T-lagging countries, especially in Africa

Commitment by large developing countries (Brazil, China, India, …) to support training of postgraduates in S&T-lagging countries

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making

5. Increasing funding for STI

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence Centres of excellence take different

forms: Research groups within universities or research

institutions National centres of excellence Regional centres of excellence International centres of excellence

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence Establish a number of centres of

excellence in each country within universities or research institutions

Focus on upgrading existing competent institutions

Ensure institutional autonomy and sustained funding

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence Maintain leadership of international

quality: merit-based hiring and promotion

Focused research agenda addressing local, regional and global issues

Networks of centres of excellence to address specific problems

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making

5. Increasing funding for STI

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education Establish an Internet-based 'bulletin

board' listing programmes of various organizations and funding opportunities, to act as a central information source for students and researchers in developing countries, and to promote greater coordination of the activities of donor agencies

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education Assist in providing research and

training centres of excellence in developing countries with adequate ICT infrastructure to facilitate online dissemination of information about their activities

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education Assist in providing universities and

research institutions in developing countries (especially in LDC) with affordable and reliable Internet connections to ensure access to information on centres of excellence and opportuninties for education and research collaboration

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making

5. Increasing funding for STI

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making Engage S&T leadership in formulating

national science policy and major national, regional or global development initiatives (e.g., NEPAD, Commission for Africa)

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making Academies of science to provide

independent, objective and unbiased advice on scientific issues of importance

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making Establish "World Sustainability Forum":

Periodic high-level event involving scientists, development practitioners and decision-makers

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

1. Reforming higher education systems

2. Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence

3. Harnessing ICT to promote research and education

4. Influencing public policy and decision-making

5. Increasing funding for STI

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

5. Increasing funding for STI Increase national funding for R&D to at

least 1% of GDP (UNESCO, WB, IAC) Establish – through national

foundations or research councils – schemes to support STI on the basis of merit and competition

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ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships

5. Increasing funding for STI Increase funding for organizations and

programmes supporting competent researchers and research groups in poor countries (IFS, ISP, TWAS, ICSU, TWOWS, ICTP, IBSP, …)

Thank you for your attentionThank you for your attention

Mohamed H.A. HassanMohamed H.A. HassanExecutive Director, TWAS, Trieste, ItalyExecutive Director, TWAS, Trieste, ItalyPresident, AAS, Nairobi, KenyaPresident, AAS, Nairobi, Kenya

mhassan@twas.orgmhassan@twas.org