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
[email protected]@twas.org