UNIVERSITIES FOR ALL: A NEW MODEL FOR
EDUCATION AND RESEARH FOR AFRICA
by
O. A. BamiroProfessor of Mechanical Engineering
Faculty of TechnologyUniversity of [email protected]
Delivered on 1st April 2012
KEY INITIATIVES OF RELEVANCE TO KEY INITIATIVES OF RELEVANCE TO EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RESEARCH RESEARCH
Production of new generation of academics to address the acute problem of academic human capital in the region.
Triple Helix applied to:Development of innovative Clusters (PACF)Tshumisano Model of technology diffusion (South
Africa)Separate mechanisms for the funding of
Research (Research Fund) and Innovation (Innovation Fund) in relation to the ‘valley of death’
KEY INITIATIVES OF RELEVANCE TO KEY INITIATIVES OF RELEVANCE TO EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EDUCATION, TRAINING AND RESEARCH RESEARCH
Establishment of professionally managed Research and Innovation Management Office and the promotion of regional research and innovation management associations.
Promotion of multidisciplinary research laboratories for the conduct of cutting-edge research involving top-end research and laboratory equipment.
Establishment of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the institutional level to link the university to the business sector as well as for the training and nurturing of students in entrepreneurship.
Academic Human Capital Development Academic Human Capital Development InitiativesInitiatives
MacArthur Foundation support for capacity building.
Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA)
Carnegie-IAS Regional Initiative in Science and Education (RISE)
The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA)
African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)The Pan African University (PAU) of the African
Union.
Academic Human Capital Academic Human Capital Development InitiativesDevelopment Initiatives
Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA) comprising:
◦ Rockefeller Foundation◦ Ford Foundation◦ MacArthur Foundation◦ Carnegie ◦ William and Flora Hewlett Foundation◦ Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
◦Kresge Foundation
PHEA InterventionsPHEA InterventionsInformation and Communications
Technologies (ICT) and Higher Education
Regional Approaches to Postgraduate Training and Research
Higher Education Research and Analysis
Developing and Retaining the Next Generation of Academics
Academic Human Capital Academic Human Capital Development InitiativesDevelopment Initiatives
Carnegie-IAS Regional Initiative in Science and Education (RISE) aimed at strengthening higher education in sub-Saharan Africa by increasing the population of qualified faculty teaching in Africa’s universities. RISE is to prepare PhD- and MSc-level scientists and engineers through university-based research and training networks in selected disciplines. RISE was established in response to the request by university heads across Africa at the University Leaders’ Forum in Cape Town in November 2006 for faculty development which was recognized as the single most pressing need in higher education in our countries.
Academic Human Capital Academic Human Capital Development InitiativesDevelopment Initiatives
RISE took off with the following networks:(a) African Materials Science and Engineering
Network (AMSEN): aimed at developing skills in materials science and engineering to develop and add value to the extensive mineral deposits of the Southern region. This involved some universities across the region.
(b)Natural Products Research Network of Eastern and Central Africa (NAPRECA): This is aimed at developing Africa’s rich biodiversity into a natural products industry of social and economic significance.
Economic Globalisation: Industrial Economic Globalisation: Industrial Competitiveness.Competitiveness.
It is a competition for the control of markets and resources between global corporations and financial markets on the one hand and locally owned businesses serving local markets on the other
The ChallengeThe Challenge
Reclaiming and building our local Reclaiming and building our local economies by working to create economies by working to create and sustain locally owned and sustain locally owned enterprises that sustainably enterprises that sustainably harvest and process local harvest and process local resources to produce jobs and the resources to produce jobs and the goods and services that we need goods and services that we need to live healthy, happy, and to live healthy, happy, and fulfilling lives in balance with the fulfilling lives in balance with the environment.environment.
The Triple Helix PartnershipThe Triple Helix Partnership
Government
Academia Industry
Triple Helix
Sustainable Socio-Economic
Development
TRIPLE HELIX AT PLAYTRIPLE HELIX AT PLAY
The Pan-African Competitiveness Forum (PACF) for the development of innovative clusters in Africa.Where is Africa on the scale of competitiveness index?
What is the state of our Industrial What is the state of our Industrial Competitiveness?Competitiveness?
According to the 2009 Africa Competitiveness Report, 23 African countries out of the 31 that were surveyed remain at the most basic stage of the competitiveness index of a factor-driven economy (that is, one whose ability to compete is based on unskilled labour and natural resources). Only five countries – Algeria, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia - have reached the second stage of competitiveness – the efficiency driven stage (which is driven by efficient goods, sophisticated labour and financial markets, a large market size and the ability to utilize technology effectively). No African country has reached the innovation-driven stage, that is, a stage based on an ability to compete with new and unique products, and the use of sophisticated production driven competition.”
The industrial processing of mineral resources can serve as a trigger for industrial diversification of the economic basis of Member States. This will trigger a carry-over effect on the development of technology, well-trained labour and managerial methods. Industrialization based on mineral processing can have as objective, the creation of a regional industrial base, geared towards producing intermediate products to meet national and regional needs and the export of a part of those products to meet foreign demand. The key drivers for these include having, among others:
Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI)
A significant entrepreneurial base looking at opportunities to service local, regional and export markets; Competitive production (high productivity, low costs compared to competitors); Craftsmanship and specific skills; Access to markets (domestic and foreign); Good market intelligence; and Research and development.
Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI)
Import substitution and the 2012 Agric Import substitution and the 2012 Agric BudgetBudget
In Nigeria, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adesina has been challenging all stakeholders, including research establishments, to join hands in achieving complete replacement of imports of rice especially while diversifying the industrial uses of cassava. We probably all witnessed Mr. President eating the cassava bread from the IITA Lab!
But who will address the value chain – from the cassava farm to the processing bay and the bakeries for onward transmission of the innovative cassava bread to our dining tables?
Lesson from AfDBLesson from AfDB
The African Development Bank (AfDB) approved US $63.24 million funding package for the implementation of a five-year agricultural research project. The project, dubbed, ‘Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops in Africa (SARD-SC), involving research establishments in the region, was meant to enhance the production of staple food items like cassava, rice, maize and wheat. Surely, this is an excellent step towards achieving food security in the region.
Triple Helix: The South African CaseTriple Helix: The South African Case
This is based on the Presentation by This is based on the Presentation by David Phaho of the David Phaho of the Tshumisano Trust, Department of Science and Technology titled:titled:
“LEVERAGING UNIVERSITY EXPERTISE TO ENHANCE INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION & COMPETITIVENESS”
“TSHUMISANO”
Tshumisano Trust is an Agency of
The Department of Science and
Technology to Strengthen
Technology Transfer and Diffusion
Initiatives at Universities to
Support SMME’s.
Technology Diffusion
It is any process by which basic understanding, information and innovations move from Universities, Institutions or Government Agencies to Individuals or Firms in the Private Sector.
Economic Growth Imperatives in South Africa
Skills Development in Areas of National Priority Mineral Beneficiation – From a Resource driven to a Knowledge driven economy Enhanced Manufacture and
Export of Finished Products from key industries: Automotives, Chemicals, Plastics, Metal products etc.
TECHNOLOGY STATIONS Agri-food Processing at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (Cape Town) Chemicals at Tshwane University of Technology (Ga-Rankuwa) Composite Materials at Vaal University of Technology (Vanderbylpark) Downstream Chemicals at NMMU (Port Elizabeth) Chemicals at Mangosuthu Technikon in Umlazi (Durban) Clothing and Textile Technology at CPUT (Bellville)
Automotive Components at NMMU (Port Elizabeth) Metals & Manufacturing at Central University of Technology (Bloemfontein) Moulded and Reinforced Plastics at Durban Institute of Technology (Durban) Metal Casting and Foundry Technologies at University of Johannesburg Electronics at Tshwane University of Technology (Tshwane)Agri-food Processing at University of Limpopo (Polokwane)
Technology Station
SME’s Assisted FY
2003/4
SME’s Assisted FY
2004/5
SME’s Assisted FY
2005/6
*SME’s Assisted FY
2006/7
Agrifood (CPUT)* - 5 38 24
Electronics (TUT) 22 7 65 44
Materials Technology (VUT)
19 20 117 110
Reinforced and Moulded Plastics
(DUT)*
- 66 65 76
Downstream Chemicals
(NMMU)
- - - 408
Automotive Components
(NMMU)
68 107 139 113
Clothing and Textile (CPUT)
34 96 127 72
Metal Casting (UoJ)*
- 10 25 42
Chemicals (MangosuthuTechnikon)
30 29 80 60
Product Development
(CUT)
42 85 59 136
Chemicals (TUT) 18 23 72 113
Total 233 448 787 *1658*Annualised for FY 2006/7. **Projects and Services and Technical Consultancy.*Annualised for FY 2006/7. **Projects and Services and Technical Consultancy.
Funding of Research and Innovation
Establishment of Research Management Establishment of Research Management Office: Functions of RMOOffice: Functions of RMO
Advancing the Mission and Vision of the university as they relate to research
Assisting in proposal preparation and electronic submissions, i.e., packaging of proposals
Facilitating financial accountability in the administration of grants and research-related contracts, i.e., financial management and research compliance oversight
Collaborating with the relevant units in identifying, developing, protecting, and marketing the institution’s intellectual property and promoting knowledge transfer networks with the private sector
Functions of RMOFunctions of RMORegulatory complianceFacilitating the ethical conduct of
researchDissemination of research funding
informationFacilitating the institution’s liaison with
external funding agencies
Multidisciplinary ReseMultidisciplinary Researarch ch LaboratoriesLaboratories
Promotion of multidisciplinary research laboratories for the conduct of cutting-edge research involving top-end research and laboratory equipment.
Centre for Entreneurship and Centre for Entreneurship and InnovationInnovation
Establishment of Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the institutional level to link the university to the business sector as well as for the training and nurturing of students in entrepreneurship.
Thank You
Techno-Economic Impact of the Innovation
ITEMTRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGY
NEW TVS TECHNOLOGY
Duration of rearing to slaughter 56 38
Total no. of rearing cycles per year 5 7
Average weight per bird (kg) 1.9 2.0
Feed requirement in kg per kg of flesh 2.52 1.88
No. of birds per pen (of standard size 40ft by 320ft) 10,000 20,000
Cost per kg of flesh N191.52 N142.8
Key LessonsKey LessonsInnovation can take place outside the R & Innovation can take place outside the R &
D system D system Innovation is not necessarily big science Innovation is not necessarily big science
as it can utilize the technological as it can utilize the technological knowledge already in the public domain.knowledge already in the public domain.
It can however become a sustainable It can however become a sustainable instrument of competition if it is backed instrument of competition if it is backed up by R & D institution for incremental up by R & D institution for incremental innovation.innovation.
Government can scan an industrial sector, Government can scan an industrial sector, identify technological needs, challenge an identify technological needs, challenge an R & D institution to undertake necessary R & D institution to undertake necessary R & D for diffusion of solutions to the end R & D for diffusion of solutions to the end users. This must be a deliberate policy as users. This must be a deliberate policy as in the case of South Africa.in the case of South Africa.