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Centers of R&D Excellence vs. Silos of Excellence
Alfred WatkinsExecutive Chairman
Global Innovation Summit
Africa Forum On STI For Youth Employment, Human Capital Development, And Inclusive Growth
Nairobi, Kenya April 1-3, 2012
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Africa’s STI Challenge
Science Solve
Technology Transform
Innovation Impact
Source: R.A. Mashelkar presentation at World Bank Global Forum, “STI Capacity Building for Sustainable Development, Washington, DC, February 2007
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THE VISIONPractical solutions to
practical problemsAfrica in the driver’s seat,
setting its own priorities
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The Vision: R&D Part of a system -- Not a discrete silo
R&D for Sustainable Development
Higher Education/
TVET
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Policy Framework
…so it can become an indispensable tool for achieving Africa’s development objectives
Clean, Renewable Off-Grid EnergyFood processing and storage
Food securityAffordable, effective health care
Clean drinking water Infrastructure
Economic competitiveness, job creation and value additionEtc, etc.
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Vision Without Implementation is Hallucination
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IMPLEMENTATION
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Current Status:R&D Vicious Circle?
• Low government funding
• Limited private sector funding
Inadequate governance
• Insufficient quality
• Low relevance
Limited commercial application • Brain drain
• Limited support for funding increases
Vicious Circle
More money alone will not solve the problem …
without appropriate incentives, improved governance mechanisms, and well-designed incremental funding programs
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A modest proposal:From Vicious Circle to
Virtuous Cycle
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Mechanism: Pan-African Inclusive Innovation
R&D Grants Program (IIGP)
Pan-African Millennium Science Initiative (MSI)
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Multi-disciplinary, pan-African virtual teams of scientists and engineers working on a specific sustainable
development challenge receive long-term research grants
Not bricks and mortar centers
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Selection Criteria
(i) relevance of the proposed research program to the defined sustainable development challenge;
(ii) quality of the proposed scientific and engineering research;
(iii)plans for diffusing the findings to local businesses and communities; and
(iv)plans to link research and teaching.
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Architecture
• Administered by?• Funded by?• Foster pan-African scientific collaboration• Guided by an international scientific advisory
board • Proposals evaluated by international peer
review panels
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Questions
• International collaboration• R&D collaboration with private sector • Ownership of IP; commercialization of IP;
distribution of licensing proceeds• Success metrics – Patents? Publications? Other?• Laboratory equipment• Role of existing brick and mortar institutions• Smart procurement/ mission oriented R&D
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Thank you
Alfred WatkinsExecutive Chairman
Global Innovation Summitwww.innosummit.com