Science Parks groundswell and the establishment of the IASP Africa Division

12 June 2007

The group of delegates who attended the Seminar.

The groundswell of awareness regarding the important role that science and technology parks play in a city's local economic development was very evident at the COFISA-The Innovation Hub- seminar on 7 and 8 June 2007.

Representatives from Botswana, Ghana, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland, and the provinces of Limpopo and North West, joined experts from Finland and members of The Innovation Hub to share information on regional innovation systems and science and technology parks as a catalyst for local economic development.

While Africa is experiencing positive growth which requires sustainability for it to redress considerable infrastructure legacies, accelerating growth and enabling the removal of binding constraints becomes a critical set of tasks. The establishment of an International Association of Science Park's [IASP] Africa Division during the IASP's 25th World Conference, to be hosted by The Innovation Hub in September 2008, will contribute to this agenda. The IASP currently represents over 333 science and technology parks with 110 000 companies, in 71countries.

The seminar that was jointly organised by COFISA [Co-operation Framework on Innovation Systems between Finland and South Africa] and The Innovation Hub, explored key topics such as the dynamics and relationship of external and internal elements in a system of innovation. The status of the South African National System of Innovation, incubation, clusters and virtual networks, governance and infrastructure issues, innovation indicators and measures, intellectual property, success factors, and provincial and country initiatives, also formed part of the seminar programme.

Planning the development of science and technology parks and related clusters is advancing in the provinces of North West and Limpopo. Including the study of entrepreneurship in its curriculum, regardless of the students' line of study, has enhanced the University of the North West's culture of entrepreneurship. The site of the North West Science Park is in close proximity to its Entrepreneurial Support Park site where training will be one of the focus areas while the Science Park will focus on technology transfer. According to Dr Rudi van der Walt, Director of Innovation at the University of the North West, technology clusters in the province will create the environment for graduate students and academics to further their careers. Given the nature of the province, rural women are being taught to use their creative skills and develop products through the supply chain - products which are already being exported.

In Limpopo, The Office of the Premier has bought into the Living Lab concept by forming the Premier's Advisory Council on information communications technology. The rollout of the business planning process is nearing completion - a process that has included collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology, the CSIR, and Finland. Reuben Rammbuda from Trade & Investment, Limpopo, acknowledged the importance of incubation, and the need to build around the strengths of the province to contribute to positively influencing its current low research and development base.

Botswana's Innovation Hub [BIH] which will be located near Gaberone, is expected to be the meeting place for innovative research and industry to drive the country's knowledge economy. The BIH will vest in a public private partnership with the Botswana government as a lead investor, and details are being developed for the site to be classified as a 'free zone'. The anchor focus of the BIH is ICT, mining, biotechnology, energy, and tradable services such as call centres and data back-up services. Other initiatives in Botswana include the creation of a science and technology university, the training of researchers to PhD level, post-graduate facilities, and advanced training facilities.

In Ghana, the business planning process to establish Ghana's first science and technology park has been completed and the mobilisation of funding is at an advanced stage. A key component of this government initiative is the counterpart private sector CyberCity initiative. The CyberCity partners are the US-UK Ghana Cybergroup which consists of Ghana residents in those countries, a US ICT company, and the Ghana CSIR. The initial base focus of the science and technology park will be indigenous knowledge and resources.

While the initiatives are not specifically all called science and technology parks, the intention is the same. Namibia has recognised the national need for a similar initiative to contribute to its growth targets and the Technopolis of Finland completed a related study for Namibia in 2006. The development of the business innovation centre will be driven by its university. Namibia became a member of the IASP in 2006 to further its networking and the sharing of learning and knowledge.

Senegal implemented a policy in 2006 that will lead to the establishment of a science park with the assistance of the United Nations in reviewing the science and technology infrastructure in Senegal. The creation of an African Centre for Applied Research in Senegal will focus on supporting the needs of the population.

Building a culture of technology and entrepreneurship appears to be one of the challenges facing many countries. Nigeria's government is embracing this agenda and a strong drive is underway to address the 'disconnect' between tertiary institutions and other contributing bodies. It is envisaged that the subsequent initiatives will contribute to positively changing the low R&D and GDP ratio.

The Swaziland's Chamber of Commerce science park initiative was partly influenced by South Africa's DBSA [Development Bank of Southern Africa]. The University of Swaziland, a partner in the business innovation centre, is planning to set up an innovation centre for indigenous plants and medicines. The initiative is aligned with the Swaziland Government's integrated framework for policy-making and capacity building. The planning process has reached consensus building stage.

According to the IASP, a Science Park is an organisation managed by specialised professionals, whose main aim is to increase the wealth of its community by promoting the culture of innovation and the competitiveness of its associated businesses and knowledge-based institutions. To enable these goals to be met, a Science Park stimulates and manages the flow of knowledge and technology amongst universities, R&D institutions, companies and markets; it facilitates the creation and growth of innovation-based companies through incubation and spin-off processes; and provides other value-added services together with high quality space and facilities.

The establishment of the IASP's Africa Division Africa Decision in September 2008 will provide the ideal platform for learning and sharing knowledge within Africa, and with its global IASP co-members.

Ends

Media enquiries
Carol o'Brien, I Brand tel 082 955 6205 or eMail carol@ibstrat.co.za
or Tseli Mohapi-Busuma, I Brand tel 082 878 5669 or eMail tseli@ibstrat.co.za

Technical enquiries
Tsietsi Maleho, The Innovation Hub, tel 083 228 9123 or eMail tmaleho@theinnovationhub.com
Lauri Kuukasjarvi, COFISA, tel 082 889 5391 or eMail lauri.kuukasjarvi@hcg.helsinki.fi

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