Preliminary Survey on forming an Africa-Lics network Erika Kraemer-Mbula & Watu Wamae All African Globelics Seminar on Innovation and Economic Development Dar-es-Salaam, 22 March 2012

Outline of presentation Profile of respondents Networks and interactions Expectations for Africalics

Outline of presentation Profile of respondents Networks and interactions Expectations of Africalics

Which institutions have you interacted with on your research in the past five years? Universities – 48.3% (57 out of 118)

Participants and their Institutions

(different view) There are 52 people belonging to 44 organization in this network. Note which institutions have more than one member from this dataset…

Participants and Institutions that they interact with

Network of institutions that respondents interact with

TUT (Tshwane) UNU-MERIT People Belong Interact with Participants, their institutions and the institutions that they reporting interacting with There are 52 persons and 118 organisations in this network

Science/Engineering Backgrounds (Some also Social Science, Humanities) Humanities/Social Science Backgrounds Organizations

Participants grouped by country of origin, their institutions and the institutions that they reporting interacting with

Further analysis Participants provided names of up to 10 people with whom they have most regular formal or informal contact about your research over the last 5 years 212 names of the “extended” network of Africalics Participants indicated up to 5 STI related events in which they have participated in over the last 5 years that they consider most important for their research

Considerations for network – collaborations and interactions Improving coverage of the mapping exercise Adding Globelics Academy students Scanning relevant STI journals Identify African expertise living abroad (students or employees of universities/other similar organizations) Strengthening ties Exploiting the “strength of weak ties” Understanding existing research practices across the continent and with external networks

Number of papers per country ( ) Source: Calculated by Science-Metrix using Scopus

Scale-adjusted collaboration affinity between countries ( )

Positional analysis of Egypt’s scientific fields ( ) Source: Calculated by Science-Metrix using Scopus Note: The figure shows how a classification of science can be used in a positional analysis of scientific fields in a given country

Outline of presentation Profile of respondents Networks and interactions Expectations of Africalics

Suggested themes for Africalics Innovation and social inclusion Innovation systems in Africa Sectoral studies Governance of STI Innovation & Global challenges Micro-studies (a) Innovation in the informal sector (b) Gender and STI (c) Innovation for poverty reduction (d) Innovation in healthcare systems (a) Emergence & transformation of Innovation systems in Africa (b) Urban Local Economic Development (c) University- industry- society linkages (d) Public Understanding of STI (a)Innovation in agricultural sector (b) Medicinal plants and health (c) Infrastructure (d) Resource- based sectors and diversification (e) ICTs (f) Green industries (a)Evidence- based innovation policy making in Africa (b) STI indicators (c) Political Economy of Innovation (d) Legal frameworks & IPRs (Traditional Knowledge ) (a) Climate change (b) Waste management in Africa (c) Green energy (d) Pollution management in Africa (a) SMMEs (b) Adoption and appropriation of technology by the urban small firms (c)Grassroots innovation

Keywords of thematic areas of work

3. Dissemination of research outputs Create a database of STI research outputs Publication of research output Having a series (book series on STI) Produce an official journal Dissemination of working papers 5. Addressing context- specific research gaps Development of conceptual frameworks and methodologies Good research practices & methods that engage beneficiaries and are replicable Case studies on innovative firms Develop relevant indicators for policy making 4. Establishment of the network Information sharing platform Support mobility of scholars across Africa Improved networking across Universities Scanning and dissemination of joint funding opportunities Establish Africalics Center for coordination of activities Mapping of partner organizations Broad mapping of scholars working on STI in/on Africa 2. Promotion of research capacities Small grants to undertake research in Africa Develop a regular capacity building module on STI & policy Support & promote joint research projects across Africa Funding collaborative regional research Organise research workshops 1. Formation of young scholars Support research internships Summer schools for PhD students Africa-LICS academy focusing on Masters level Create a mentorship programme Suggested Activities for Africalics

Active participation in Africalics 35% of respondents have some role of leadership in their organisations 89% of respondents would like to actively participate in Africalics activities – 69% organising conferences, workshops and seminars

Willingness to support Africalics

Suggested sources of funding

Considerations for expectations for Africalics Themes  Expected themes correlate relatively well with areas in which people are already working : e.g. sectors, issues around competitiveness and economic growth based on firms, context-specific issues relevant for Africa  Capability development – although there is a lot of activity in this area but was not suggested as a relevant theme for Africalics Activities  Building STI research and policymaking capacity across the continent through a “non-conventional” model Funding  Most respondents suggest bilateral funders and African governments as main funding sources for Africalics  Engaging the private sector in supporting Africalics

Thanks to all survey participants! and thanks for your attention