Date:  Friday, 28 November 2014
Time: 12:30  – 14:00
Venue:    VCRs, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban

On 3 July 2014, the African Union adopted the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa – 2024 (STISA-2024). This policy document, which is central to shaping Africa’s science, technology and innovation activities in the years to come, has the potential to have significant implications for the socio-economic development of the continent. The strategy has received a range of responses across the continent and internationally. The seminar provided a platform for knowledge exchange amongst academics, policymakers, civil society, think-tanks and the business community.

 “Now more than ever, we need to be creative in considering innovation through a lens that includes problem solving, local knowledge and ways of doing, wisdom and processes of learning”.
– Professor Gillian Marcelle

Critical issues explored include:

• the main objectives of STISA-2024;
• underlying assumptions within the strategy;
• the roles that relevant research, policy and practice can play in operationalising STISA-2024;
• and potential impacts of STISA-2024 on innovation-led growth, development and competitiveness of the continent.

Speakers:

1. Mr. Hambani Masheleni, Senior Policy Officer, Human Resources, Science and Technology Department, African Union Commission. Hambani Masheleni hambanim@africa-union.org
2. Dr. Mahama Ouedraogo, Africa Union Commission: OuedraogoM@africa-union.org
3. Dr. David Ockwell, STEPS, University of Sussex, UK: D.G.Ockwell@sussex.ac.uk   
4. Associate Professor Clapperton C. Mavhunga, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA: mavhunga@mit.edu
5. Mr. Daan du Toit, Deputy-Director General: International Cooperation and Resources, Department of Science and Technology, RSA: Daan.duToit@dst.gov.za
6. Mr. Chux Daniels, SPRU (Science Policy Research Unit), University of Sussex, UK: c.u.daniels@sussex.ac.uk
7. Prof. Gillian Marcelle, Deputy-Executive-Director, Human Sciences Research Council, and Head, Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators, RSA: gmarcelle@hsrc.ac.za

Downloads:

Presentations:

Seminar background documents:

Opinion pieces:

The seminar may be attended in Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban

RSVP by 27 November
Cape Town: Jean Witten (021) 466  8004, jwitten@hsrc.ac.za   12th Floor, Plein Park Building, Plein Street, Cape Town
Durban: Ridhwaan Khan (031) 242 5400, rkhan@hsrc.ac.za   1st Floor, 750 Francois Road, Ntuthuko Junction, Pods 5 and 6, Cato Manor
Pretoria: Arlene Grossberg (012) 302 2811, acgrossberg@hsrc.ac.za  1st  Floor, HSRC Building, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria