The Human Sciences Research Council’s (HSRC) participated in the Northern Cape Provincial Innovation Ecosystem Collaboration Workshop, held on 16–17 October 2025. The HSRC presentation highlighted our diverse contributions to, and examples of, evidence-informed transformation in the Northern Cape innovation landscape in recent years.
Hosted by the Northern Cape Innovation Forum at Sol Plaatje University, the workshop brought together stakeholders from government, academia, business, and civil society. Exciting inputs and lively discussions showcased the Northern Cape’s potential in innovation-driven local economic development, with an emphasis on diversification, sustainability, inclusive growth, and resilient stakeholder networks.
The HSRC shared its expanding repository of evidence about innovation in different districts and local municipalities with workshop participants. Our study on mapping the Francis Baard District innovation landscape informed the NCIF strategy. Through the use of our Local Innovation Advancement Tools, we are helping the DSTI-SALGA partnership for regional economic development across the Karoo Region, including the Northern Cape. Results of these studies, ranging from maps of innovation actors to innovation networks and infrastructure, have been disseminated through a wide range of local platforms in the province.
The Human-Centered Design Activity, a highlight of the workshop, involved participants in identifying obstacles to Northern Cape’s innovation ecosystem transformation and options for co-creating workable solutions. Discussions were engaging and further explored the upcoming Phase 2 of the Karoo Innovation Mapping Project, part of ongoing HSRC and DSTI work through the ILED Centre. These exchanges reflected a shared commitment to deepening collaboration and ensuring that the province’s innovation strategies remain evidence-driven and community-informed.
Through this engagement, the HSRC reaffirmed its commitment to turning research into action, helping the Northern Cape leverage innovation for inclusive, sustainable development.
For more information on work conducted by the ILED research team, see: https://hsrc.ac.za/eee/eest/innovation-for-local-economic-development-iled/
