1. Context Building Research and Education Capacity Dr Aldo Stroebel Dr Sepo Hachigonta National Research Foundation South Africa 27 May 2015

2. Conceptual Framework From an Africa perspective and Africa context, but globally framed Principled and fundamental components that resonates in both developing and developed countries Intellectual and institutional capacity building –People – but culture and true institutional depth to perpetuate and continually support the growth and excellence endeavour

3. Current Imperatives Africa - highest incidence of poverty –1/3 of world’s poor living in extreme poverty live in Africa –Nearly 50% of population/400 million people live below international poverty line Sub-Saharan African - knowledge constrain –Under-resourced/developed teaching and research functions –Low enrolment/throughput rates –Too few academic staff with PhD –Overburdened academics –Outdated models of doctoral education Scientific output of the African Union – 1.8% of world output (AIO, 2014) –US: 27.2% –China: 16.7%

4. Education as Driver of Change PhD is a key driver for human capacity development –Need disciplinary expertise but also professionals with transferrable skills –New models of doctoral education have emerged – e.g. split-site PhDs –Emergence of graduate schools –New multi-disciplinary/trans-disciplinary PhD opportunities Sub-Saharan Africa trailing behind developed world in terms of doctoral production –Not just about universities – about growing economy/innovation (HE Dr N. Dlamini- Zuma)

5. Health Research/Education Capacity Challenges Example: Ebola – as microcosm of fragility/interconnectedness Plethora of inter-related health challenges (IAMP, 2013) Need robust health systems and health research systems to counteract Opportunities Research investment climate conductive innovative research e.g. Ebola-related/NCDs/etc. Equitable partnerships that build endogenous capacity/research infrastructures critical

6. Agriculture Research/Education Capacity Challenges Agricultural education and training (AET) system has stagnated Poor linkages AET and extension Disconnect: rural realities – student demographics, etc. Need “transformative change” Opportunities Political support e.g. Agenda 2063, CAADP, Sustaining the CAADP Momentum ICTs Women and smallholder farmer focus Africa could be the world’s breadbasket – economic opportunity

7. Capacity Building: Key Dimensions But education capacity comes first… National systems of support – tertiary/primary Institutional framework conditions for knowledge transmission Training and mentoringIncentives 4 “active” dimensions: National systems to identify needs Doing and managing the research Research communication Research use

8. Discussion Points Need for a pipeline approach –Talented students identified/nurtured – honours/masters –Sustainable support for PhD students –Retain researchers through postdoctoral phase Finance is key/incentives Upstream imperative - Partnerships – implies internationalisation –Renewed regional approach needed –Benefits: shared human/financial resources/knowledge spillovers/etc. Downstream imperative – Uptake/Impact –Research must transform society, contribute to new ways of doing, substantiate policy shifts

9. The Argument… Africa must own its place in global development (Agenda 2063/SDGs) Appropriate ‘tipping points’ within education and training systems must be found/leveraged More partnering/working together to leverage scare resources/scale-up More strategic thinking/action – local and global funding communities How to replenish research base? Create new futures? Systems are at risk of depletion/stasis – in context of challenging framework conditions Next Generation African Academics will not emerge automatically – must be cultivated

10. Concrete Action Towards Capacity Development GRC participants should engage in a range of voluntary activities nationally, regionally and globally aimed at research and education capacity strengthening. Examples of specific activities could include: 1.Funding agency symposiums – mutual learning workshops organised by a research council or by a group of research councils on specific technical topics that are of practical interest to staff of research councils (e.g. electronic proposal submission systems, setting up evaluation panels, selection processes, peer-review, administrative and financial management). 2.Staff exchange programmes – to contribute to increasing capacities for operational staff and policy makers employed by research councils, based on short-term professional visits and traineeships which would enable a continued exposure to different models and practices. 3.Institutional pairing that could offer opportunities to implement measures on a more sustained basis.