ICTs and Innovation, The Role of African Universities

1
ICTs and Innovation, The Role of African
Universities

• Farouk Kamoun
• Cristal Multimedia Networking Research
  Laboratory
  
• Ecole Nationale des Sciences de lInformatique
• University of Manouba, Tunis, Tunisia
• Science with Africa
• Addis Ababa, UNECA, 3-7 March 2008

2
Outline

• What is Innovation?
• Why is Innovation so Important Knowledge
  Economy
  
• Role of Universities in Innovation Systems
• Can ICT Improve Role of University in
  Innovation?
  
• African Universities Innovation A Tunisian
  Experience
  
• Vision African Universities Key Players in
  Innovation Systems
  
• Conclusion

3
What is Innovation?

• Innovation the process of making changes to
  something established by introducing something
  new may refer to both radical or incremental
  changes to products, processes or services
  (Wikipedia)
• Definitions often vary! Innovation is not the
  same as invention
  
• Innovation isn't what innovators do....it's
  what customers and clients adopt. (Schrage -
  MIT)
  
• Invention (discovery of new ideas) followed by
  innovation (implementation of new techniques)
  drives economic growth (Mokyl)
  

4
Innovation a Typology

• Classification According to
• object
• technological Innovation
• Organizational Innovation
• market Innovation (Introduction of products in
  new markets)
  
• Size of Change
• Breaking Innovation   radical innovation
• incremental Innovation noticeable improvements
  but no shake up of the actual situation

5
University and Innovations Findings

• University good at research
• From research to Innovation there is a gap!! Only
  a few universities bridge it
  
• University good at producing assimilating and
  disseminating new knowledge
  
• Industry good at developing know how at making
  products and selling them!
  
• Need Bring knowledge and Know how closer to each
  other to foster innovation Build bridges
  
• Geographical Proximity is important for knowledge
  spillovers and linkages
  
• University a key player in National, Regional,
  Innovation Systems (NIS)
  

6
Why is NIS so Important Knowledge Economy (KE)

• A Knowledge Economy (KE) is one that utilizes
  knowledge as the key engine of economic growth.
  It is an economy where knowledge is acquired,
  created, disseminated and used effectively to
  enhance economic development (WorldBank)
• Four pillars of the Knowledge Economy framework
• Economic Incentives Institutional Regime
• Education Human Resources
• Innovation System
• Information Infrastructure
• A new measure of economic development Knowledge
  Economy IndexKEI
  

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4 Pillars of KE (World Bank)

• An economic incentive and institutional regime
  that provides good economic policies and
  institutions that permit efficient mobilization
  and allocation of resources and stimulate
  creativity and incentives for the efficient
  creation, dissemination, and use of existing
  knowledge.
• Educated and skilled workers who can continuously
  upgrade and adapt their skills to efficiently
  create and use knowledge.
  
• An effective innovation system of firms, research
  centers, universities, consultants, and other
  organizations that can keep up with the knowledge
  revolution and tap into the growing stock of
  global knowledge and assimilate and adapt it to
  local needs.
• A modern and adequate information infrastructure
  that can facilitate the effective communication,
  dissemination, and processing of information and
  knowledge.

8
Role of universities in innovation systems

• Major Roles of University as key player in NIS
  (Todtling)
  
• Antenna for adopting external knowledge
• and mediator for local knowledge circulation (U
  is inserted in global knowledge communities)
  
• Source of highly qualified labour
• In university-industry linkages U increasingly a
  knowledge source and innovation partner (RD
  collaborations, contracts)
  
• Incubator for academic spin-off companies
  (transfrom inventions in products)
  

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How can ICT Improve Role of University in
Innovation?

• ICT a key enabler for Innovation within the
  University
  
• Access to universal Knowledge
• Innovation in Education e-learning, distance
  learning, life long learning, continuing
  education
  
• Networking with research communities, WG's,
  Standardization bodies)
  
• ICT a key enabler for the University to play its
  role in NIS
  
• Information on scientific activities WEB
  (expertise, events), a hub (crossroads) of
  cultural and scientific activities
  
• Diffusion of Knowledge
• U-Industry linkages (formal and informal
  networking)
  
• Linkage with Alumni

10
Role of University in ICTs

• ICT fast evolving area, 2 dimensions
• Technological innovations
• Application and user oriented innovations
• U role in Technological innovations (more
  visible)
  
• Highly qualified and up-to-date skills and
  knowledge
  
• Strong U-I linkages
• Many U Inventions converted to innovations
  products (start-ups)
  
• U role in Application oriented Innovations
• Management, commerce, health, environment, energy
  etc.
  
• A way to go for African Universities!

11
The African Scene Tunisia's Case

• Huge Investment in Higher Education
• Increase in Number of Students from 44,000 in
  1987, 415,000 in 2007 to reach a peak of 492000
  in 2011.
  
• About 11 of Students majoring in ICT
• Big Challenges Professors, Keeping Quality
• Elaboration of Resarch and Technological
  Development Policy (late 1990's)
  
• Launching of Ministry of Research
• Creation New Research Institutions, Technological
  Parks
  
• Launching of Research Labs and Units within
  universities (in 1999) with autonomous budgets
  
• In 2008
• 1.20 of GDP devoted to research
• more than 20 institutions, 6 technological parks
  (4 more to come)
  
• More than 150 laboratories, 500 Research Units
• About 27000 Researchers (16,500 equivalent full
  time researchers)

12
Tunisia's Case Some Findings

• University
• Good research activities with recognized
  publications
  
• Good Linkages with Research Labs mainly in Europe
  
  
• Availability of skills but challenged with
  increasing number of students
  
• Industry
• Facing major challenges competition,
  globalization
  
• There are plenty of real challenging problems to
  be solved (waste products olive oil, chemical
  fertilizer out of phosphate, increase added value
  of local industry )
• Linkages
• Very few U-I Linkages , very few joint projects
• Few Contributions to innovative solutions to
  problems
  
• A general Impression of very little direct
  impact on economy
  
• Expectations
• Some Impatience to show impact on economy!!!
• Could produce a boomerang effect on research
  financing.

13
Recent Tunisian Initiatives

• At National Level
• Symposium on Research open to all stakeholders.
  To define strategic priorities, Improve Research
  productivity and Impact on Economy (Nov 07)
  
• At a Regional Level University of Sfax
  Initiative
  
• Organization of a seminar "the university and the
  regional development"
  
• Launching of a task force "innovation
  competitiveness" bringing together academics and
  industrialists to develop a local strategy and
  action plans based on 2 surveys
• Collect information on actual research results
  and academic skills
  
• Identify Business Needs, Real Problems
• Objectives
• Match Ind. Problems and Univ. Skills
• Valorization of Research Results, Identify New
  Research Domains
  
• Build Linkages and Foster Innovation
• Build U-I Trust

14
Where does Africa stand?
15
Vision African Universities Key Players in
Innovation Systems

• Excellence in Education and Training
• Develop Research and Get Involved in
  International Projects
  
• Information Communication on Education,Research,
  Skills (web, brochures, seminars..)
  
• Build Linkages with Socio-Economic Stakeholders
  to foster Innovation
  
• Create in each University Council on Innovation
  and competitiveness
  
• Work with stakeholders to identify their needs
  and build confidence
  

16
Support Actions At country level

• Endow U with Advanced ICT infrastructures
• High Speed Internet, Campus full Connectivity and
  accessibility to all students and Staff
  
• Create financial incentives, grants, that enable
  companies to call upon university skills and
  expertise? Academia will get to learn about and
  solve real problems and bring back to the
  university more research oriented topics!
• Launch Calls for proposal of Joint projects
• Falicitate Project Management Procedure and
  Unleash Academia Creativity!
  

17
Support Actions At African level

• Launch African Research and Innovation Programs
  Dealing with Strategic Issues with Emphasis on
  Problem Solving
  
• Support Countries in Developing a better
  understanding of Innovation processes and
  mechanisms and to integrate Innovation in their
  ST policies

18
Conclusion

• The winners in these global games will be
  those who can put together the worlds best in
  design, manufacturing, research, execution,
  and marketing on the largest scale.
• Rarely are all of these elements found in one
  country or on one continent.
  
• Welch,J.F.Jr.Evolving Industrial Alliances,
• The Bridge, 1987,17(4),p.10
• Thank you for your attention