Science as a Gateway to Understanding International Workshop Proceedings, Tehran, Iran (2008) / Chapter Skim
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14 Science, Technology, and Innovation in the Knowledge Economy: Prospects for Cooperation--Ousmane Kane
14 Science, Technology, and Innovation in the Knowledge Economy: Prospects for Cooperation--Ousmane Kane
Pages 129-140
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From page 129... ...
This raises many possibilities for enhancing growth and competitiveness by increasing productivity in all sectors of the economy and by adding value to local raw materials and natural resources. In this regard, the knowledge economy has brought revolutionary changes to virtually all markets and sectors, but at the same time it also carries the risks of marginalization for countries, firms, or organizations that do not keep up with those rapid changes.
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From page 130... ...
The pervasive technological revolution resulting from these advances is now disrupting all kinds of relationships, transactions, and production systems of goods and services. As a consequence of the ICT explosion that has led to worldwide interdependency and connectivity, globalization and competition have drastically increased and are leading to extensive shifts in world trade patterns and economic relations.
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From page 131... ...
it is also the means by which Africa will entrench a culture of peace, gender equality, and positive African values • research is critical for providing fundamental data on education in each country as well as essential information about instructional practice in school classrooms • teacher education institutions should be engaged in research of a high order, as well as training teachers to do action research within their own teaching environments Investing in human capital resources, research and development, and the promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship should be taken into due consideration through the establishment of trust and strong partnerships among all key stakeholders. These include government policy makers, higher education and research communities, production entrepreneurs, funding agencies, and consumer associations.
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From page 132... ...
This situation is due in part to lack of strong innovative science and technology strategies with clear vision, firm commitment, and strong political will and leadership. These strategies should be endowed with the required resources, whether human, physical, or financial, and should be fully articulated in national socioeconomic development plans.
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From page 133... ...
Also, the continent is confronted with many challenges, in cluding the following: • weak strategies for technology innovation and transfer • Inadequate higher education and research systems with little innovative and inventive potential, a large brain drain (which must now be converted into brain gain) , and the lack of national technological higher education, research, and innovation systems • Lack of reliable data on scientific and technical potential (human resources, institutions, programs)
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From page 134... ...
134 SCIENCE AS A GATEWAY TO UNDERSTANDING • Lack of capacity and adequate resources – human, physical, financial, communicational, informational • Africa is the region with the lowest expenditures devoted to higher education and research and, consequently, has the lowest number of scientists and engineers, with poorly equipped laboratories and packed lecture rooms; • Adaptation to new world integrated higher education systems, such as the "license-master-doctorate" approach • Inadequacy and fragmentation of curricula and research programs • Partitioning and disarticulation of national socioeconomic development plans and enterprises, particularly in the private sector • Lack of motivation, leading to brain drain • Lack of assessment of teachers, researchers, and program • Lack of cooperation and partnerships among institutions, at national, regional, and international levels • Poor management procedures and bureaucracy and frequet strikes • • Accordingly, the AU considers that the following priority areas should be addressed for the second decade of education: • • Improving supply and utilization of teachers • Enhancing teacher competence • Institutionalizing systematic career-long development of teachers • Professionalizing and enhancing capacity for school leadership • Improving teacher morale, working conditions, and social benefits • Intensifying pedagogical research for continued improvement of teaching and learning
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From page 135... ...
A relevant innovation system should be put in place with appropriate manpower, institutional framework, rules, and procedures, aiming at efficient and useful acquisition, master appropriation, dissemination and proper utilization of technological knowledge and packages. The major elements of a strategy for technology innovation and transfer should be a specific component that is fully integrated into the national policy for science and technology.
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From page 136... ...
• Capacity building or strengthening of Africa's scientific and technical potential to address development problems which is crucial with regard to human resources development, infrastructures, and equipment for research and development • Information and awareness to sensitize policy makers, economic operators, and civil societies as well as public opinion on scientific and technological achievements and their key role in development processes • Cooperation and partnership to share experiences from success stories at the national, subregional, regional, and international levels in order to stimulate research activities and production, for example in agricultural or industrial sectors • Assessment to measure and analyze achievements and gaps together with the incidence of key factors Maintaining information and experience exchange is essential to stimulate research activity or industrial production. As a result of efficient and vibrant higher education and research systems, the establishment of technology innovation strategies in our countries, like in any other region of the world, could tap into global knowledge through trade, foreign investment, collaborative programs, and technology transfer within relevant channels.
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From page 137... ...
An international approach can harmonize national scientific and technological development as well as technological innovation strategies, including within the context of subregional political and economic organizations. With regard to the need to support African technological higher education and research systems through dynamic interinstitutional partnerships, the following elements could be taken into consideration: • Needs assessments of faculties of science, technology, and engineering • Creation of a national strategy for science, technology, and innovation through interactive seminars involving higher education teachers and researchers as well as top policy makers
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From page 138... ...
, an intergovernmental organization established in 1977 in Kaduna, Nigeria, under the aegis of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the OAU, became operational in 1980 with its headquarters in Dakar, Senegal. According to its objectives, the ARCT aims to become an efficient tool in initiating, strengthening, coordinating, and integrating national, subregional, and regional technological capacities and strategies of African states.
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From page 139... ...
To that effect, it is necessary to significantly increase the global resources allocated to technological higher education and research institutions to enable them to fully contribute to Africa's sustainable development and to define promptly for potential promoters all the technical and financial specifications and the practical modalities for the commercial exploitation of technological results at the industrial or craft level. In this regard, strong partnerships involving other developing countries in the South (Asia and Latin America)
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From page 140... ...
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
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