Download MSI: A strategic opportunity for research (academia)

MSI: A strategic opportunity for
research (academia) - private
sector/industry linkages
A presentation at the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual meeting,
Chicago, 12th-16th February 2009
By
Dr. Maxwell Otim Onapa
Uganda National Council for Science and Technology
New partnerships for Science in the
cradle of humanity
160,000 Years of Human Migrations
7 Million Years of Hominid
Evolution
The National Geographic Society/ IBM Genographic Project 2005
– 2010 Preliminary Results from Recent Global DNA Analysis
Bob Citron, June 2008
Background



Uganda achieved
recognizable economic
growth in the early 1990s
A fall registered in mid 2000
Population growth rate 3.4%
per year
To attain a middle-income
status economic growth
must average 7%
…….BUT…….
Challenges
Low tech inefficient production
 Agric accounts for 34.3% GDP and employs
more than 2/3 of the population
 Poor environment for the establishment of
competitive industries
Increased productivity and private-sector led
growth requires more and better use of
knowledge in an improved investment
climate
……..Consequently…………

Sector issues

Government giving specific attention
to raising productivity and output in
the industrial and service sectors of
the economy
However, poor skills of available
workers – major constraint
Policy concern: Raising education levels
in firms and increasing exposure to
modern tech and management
practices
Key Sector issues


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Institutional capacity and cooperation has
been weak
Low technology acquisition and little
“technology learning” within firms
Relevance of Tertiary education- stagnant
S&T enrollment
Quality of tertiary education and advanced
training
Connection to Global Knowledge and Local
labour markets
Government interventions
Government strategy for STI
 Increased investment in industrialization, R&D
and relevant technology areas
 Improving science education at secondary level
 Promoting greater academic enrolment in S&T
and economic priority areas
 Policy initiatives to support tech transfer and
commercialization of innovation, Industrial and
innovation fund
 Streamlining agricultural research
Support – Millennium Science
Initiative (MSI)
World Bank involvement
A major development partner
Intervention addresses human development,
productivity and growth issues
 Bank’s intensive involvement in private sector
development

Millennium Science Initiative (MSI)
Funding facility:
provides a competitively-awarded
grants through 3 different windows
Window A:
A1: funds research groups led by a
senior investigator
A2: funds research groups led by
emerging investigator
Millennium Science Initiative (MSI)
Window B:
B1:
B2:
funds the creation of
undergraduate programs in basic
sciences and engineering
funds for upgrading existing degree
programs in basic sciences and
engineering
Millennium Science Initiative (MSI)
Window C:
Main objective:
To give firms greater access to new or existing
technologies and involve academia/research
institutions in addressing industry problems
Expected to promote growth of firms and
accelerate transition to a more S&T driven
economy
Funds to support private sector cooperation
(i)
“Technology platform” for firms and researchers
Mode 1
Mode 2
(ii)
Formal firm-based internships for students in
science, engineering and business administration
Window C: Implementation
Uganda National council for
Science and Technology
(UNCST)
Uganda Industrial Research
Institute (UIRI)
Initial strategy:
Raising awareness
Linking the academia
and industry
Using platforms
Research-academia-industry
linkages

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Proposals jointly developed by
researcher and industry
Reviewed by the sub-committee of the
MSI Technical committee
Research-academia-industry
linkages
Technology platform
Forum that seeks to:

Define a set of technological problems
facing firms to which research or
consultation could provide solution

Identify and evaluate technologies that
exist outside Uganda and could be
profitably transferred for domestic use

Carry out collaborative R&D on issues
identified
Research-academia-industry
linkages
Mode 1
Funds cooperative evaluation of technologies
and the definition of shared R&D problems
confronting partners in the platform
Mode 2
Funds mode 1 grantees to carry out the R&D
agenda developed in mode 1 as a collaboration –
firms and university/research institution partners
So far…..
1.Makerere University:
participatory research for
rural dairy development
using the pubic private
partnership approach
Partners:

Makerere University University
 Sugar industry – private firm
 Dairy development authority
– government agency
 Dairy farmers – private
farmers
Tool for enhancing synergies
for development research
and rural development

Sugar molasses
So far
2.
Evaluation of industrial
and edible salt processing
technology at Lake Katwe
Partners:
• JDG Africa limited – private sector firm
• Mabarara University – University
3.
Three Additional projects
Challenges
A.
GENERAL
Weak Private sector base
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Inadequate capacity
(technical, financial and
research facilities)
MNCs conduct research at
their parent companies
Local firms with research
agenda- mainly agriculture
based
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B.
Sugar cooperation
Tea estates
Edible oil
RESEARCHER/ACADEMIA
Paradigm challenge
Sugarcane plantation
Challenges
C.
PRIVATE SECTOR
Desire for immediate returns on research
investments
Research-academia cooperation
Low level of appreciation of the role of research
i.
ii.
iii.

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
iii.
iv.
Skepticism about the role of researchers
Lack of investment in research
low appreciation of exogenous intellectual input
importance of investments in research
Old legacy - Higher expectations - public
research funds
Way forward

Continuous engagements with
academia and industry
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De-layering and retooling
Active involvement of the private
sector
Leveraging more resources
Can we achieve viable partnerships
between universities/academia and
the private sector?
Yes we can!
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
SCIENCE INITIATIVE GROUP(SIG)
Arlen Hastings
Thank you for your kind
attention