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Promoting Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Developing Countries: Challenges, Opportunities and Action. Mohamed H.A. Hassan Executive Director, TWAS, Trieste, Italy President, AAS, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Promoting Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Developing Countries:Challenges, Opportunities and Action Mohamed H.A. HassanExecutive Director, TWAS, Trieste, ItalyPresident, 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
Overview • Problems and Challenges • Opportunities • Action UNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships
Problems and Challenges • How to reduce the growing disparities between countries and regions in production and utilization of STI?
Disparities: North-South The South's Share
Disparities: South-South Overall number of SCI papers 1992-2001
Disparities: South-South SCI-Listed Publications in Nanotechnology(January-August 2004)
Disparities: South-South – within Africa African output of ISI-listed scientific papers 1996-2000 (1.5% of world output)
Disparities: South-South – within Africa African patents listed by US Patent and Trademark Office (1997-2001)
Disparities: South-South – within country Impact of past policies: South Africa's research output (%)
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)?
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?
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?
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?
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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • Reforming higher education systems • Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence • Harnessing ICT to promote research and education • Influencing public policy and decision-making • Increasing funding for STI
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • Reforming higher education systems • Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence • Harnessing ICT to promote research and education • Influencing public policy and decision-making • Increasing funding for STI
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • Reforming higher education systems • Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence • Harnessing ICT to promote research and education • Influencing public policy and decision-making • Increasing funding for STI
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • Reforming higher education systems • Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence • Harnessing ICT to promote research and education • Influencing public policy and decision-making • Increasing funding for STI
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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)
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • Influencing public policy and decision-making • Academies of science to provide independent, objective and unbiased advice on scientific issues of importance
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • Influencing public policy and decision-making • Establish "World Sustainability Forum": Periodic high-level event involving scientists, development practitioners and decision-makers
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • Reforming higher education systems • Establishing, strengthening and maintaining centres of excellence • Harnessing ICT to promote research and education • Influencing public policy and decision-making • Increasing funding for STI
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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
ActionUNESCO-ICSU-TWAS partnerships • 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 attention Mohamed H.A. HassanExecutive Director, TWAS, Trieste, ItalyPresident, AAS, Nairobi, Kenya mhassan@twas.org