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

alfred.watkins07@gmail.com