7th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals (STI Forum) – Side Event
May 4th @ 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM EAT on Zoom
The event
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted to the world the importance of local supply chains and manufacturing capabilities, the extent of home-grown innovation, the struggles of small and medium sized businesses in the formal and informal sectors as well as, what is possible if the right incentives and enabling systems are put in place and, overarchingly intensified recognition of the transformative power of science, technology, and innovation (STI). However, in many African countries there are few education programmes (at any level) that aim at developing a cadre of graduates who can shape the direction of policy, communities, and business so that STI is always used to improve livelihoods, sustainability and inclusion. This virtual session was focused on answering two overarching questions: why do we need research on innovation processes in Africa and how do we build a pipeline in education for such research? In so doing, it was asking participants to think about how we can ensure STI is used to build back better from the effects of COVID and to enable the continent to be able to respond to future shocks more effectively.
The session took the form of a roundtable discussion. The topic was introduced by Prof. Rebecca Hanlin, the Innovation and Development specialist in the AfricaLics network. AfricaLics is an African network of researchers who investigate issues at the intersection of innovation and development processes. It is made up of economists, sociologists, political scientists as well as engineers and agricultural and health specialists who are passionate about building capacity in the field of innovation studies in Africa. Innovation studies is a multidisciplinary field that grew out of questions about why different economies developed the way they did. In Africa, the subject area has been focused not just on explaining patterns of economic growth and the role of innovation in explain these patterns. It has also been intrinsically linked to questions of inclusion, equity, poverty and increasingly sustainability.
Prof. Hanlin was joined at the table by Dr. Titilayo Oluposi who heads one of the first teaching and learning centres on the continent in the field of technology policy, the African Institute for Science Policy and Innovation (AISPI) at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria. The second speaker was Dr. Diran Soumanni from Wits Business School in South Africa who runs one of the only dedicated Masters degrees of Management in Innovation Studies on the continent. The final speaker was Dr. Shawn Cunningham who is Professor of Practice at the Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation, the 4IR and Sustainable Development at the University of Johannesburg.
Through a series of interactions between the panel members and assisted by comments and questions from the audience, the participants discussed how it is possible to move research and teaching on innovation forward (i.e. the study of innovation processes, what fosters innovation and what may help new solutions (innovations) get accepted and adopted) as opposed to just research and teaching in innovation (i.e., the promotion of research and development in different science, technology and engineering fields). The participants highlighted the importance of focusing research and teaching on real world problems such as efforts towards ensuring SDG7 on energy access. Linked to this was a call for attention on social and environmental development issues as much as, if not more than economic development, through the lens of inclusive development. A key area of focus that some participants focused on was facilitatory STI policy and the importance of teaching understanding of STI policy processes. Many focused on the importance of researching and teaching the politics of innovation and the need to understand the trust and power relations necessary for successful innovation.
Moving from the topic of what to research and teach, the participants also argued for a need to change how we teach and research this subject. They emphasised the need to include a multitude of voices who do, use and support innovation activities with a focus on those whose voices are not usually heard but also the need to recognise divergent or different voices. The participants also emphasised the need to enhance the focus on short learning courses for professionals outside of academia and inclusion of the course as electives in different disciplines (especially STEM) inside academia.
The session closed with a plea from the panelists for cross pollination of ideas and confirmation from the moderator that the AfricaLics network will take these comments on board as they move into further curriculum development and research promotion activities.
The session was attended by 55 participants across Zoom, YouTube LiveStream and the Forum’s Whova platform.