{"id":62809,"date":"2022-10-03T15:53:28","date_gmt":"2022-10-03T12:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atpsnet.org\/stage\/?p=62809"},"modified":"2024-02-05T13:50:47","modified_gmt":"2024-02-05T10:50:47","slug":"building-partnerships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atpsnet.org\/stage\/building-partnerships\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Partnerships and Networks among Science Granting Councils and other Science System Actors in Sub-Saharan Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Building Partnerships and Networks among Science Granting Councils and other Science System Actors in Sub-Saharan Africa<\/strong><\/h1>

Project Duration:\u00a0<\/strong>2017-2019
<\/strong>Grantor:\u00a0<\/strong>Department for International Development (DFID), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and National Research Foundation (NRF).
<\/strong>Contacts:<\/strong>\u00a0Dr. Nicholas Ozor, Executive Director, ATPS
<\/strong>Email:\u00a0<\/strong>executivedirector@atpsnet.org<\/a>
<\/strong>Project Director:\u00a0<\/strong>Dr. Nicholas Ozor
<\/strong>Project Manager:\u00a0<\/strong>Ernest Acheampong
<\/strong>Project Value:\u00a0<\/strong>US$ 702,856<\/p>

Project Description\/ Background<\/strong><\/p>

The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Sub-Saharan Africa seeks to strengthen capacities of Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in Eastern, Southern, Central and West Africa in order to support research and evidence-based policies that will contribute to economic and social development. It is jointly funded by the United Kingdom\u2019s Department for International Development (DFID), Canada\u2019s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and South Africa\u2019s National Research Foundation (NRF). The objectives (themes) of the SGCI are to strengthen the ability to participate SGCs to: i) manage research; ii) design and monitor research programmes, and to formulate and implement policies based on the use of robust science, technology and innovation (STI) indicators; iii) support knowledge exchange with the private sector; and iv) establish partnerships with other science system actors. Implementation of these objectives (themes) will be achieved through a number of modalities including customized regional training courses, individualized on-site training sessions, on-line training, webinars, and collaborative research. The SGCI works with Councils in Eastern Africa; West Africa and Southern Africa (see Box 1).<\/p>

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) and the Scinnovent Centre, have the mandate to implement the theme\/objective IV of the SGCI \u2013 to establish partnerships with other science system actors. In this project, the ATPS in collaboration with Scinnovent Centre will organize and facilitate platforms for partnerships and networking through an Annual Regional Meeting (ARM) and Annual learning Forums (AFs) to enable collaboration and coordination among participating Councils, and with other science system actors. The ARM will be co-organized with the Regional Economic Communities (RECs) and will seek to feed into and support on-going regional STI initiatives being implemented by the regional STI organizations such as the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) in East African Community (EAC) and similar organizations in the other RECs. Similarly, the AFs will be co-organized with the African Union Commission\/ New Partnership for Africa\u2019s Development (AUC\/NEPAD) and designed to feed into continental level initiatives such as Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA 2024). Through a mix of innovative tools and approaches\/ methods, the project will promote active participation, promote knowledge and information sharing and learning, disseminate best practices, and contribute to new knowledge as a global public good.<\/p>

Key Objectives and Activities<\/strong><\/p>

The overall objective of this project is to build partnerships and networks among Science Granting Councils and other science system actors in order to achieve increasingly coordinated and networked Councils in SSA. The specific objectives are to:<\/p>

  1. Support and consolidate the voices and views of Science Granting Councils to effectively contribute to key STI policy debates at the regional and continental levels;<\/li>
  2. Provide an intra and inter regional platforms for interaction, information sharing, experiential learning, and collaboration among Councils and other science system actors to contribute to the implementation of the African Union Commission\u2019s STISA 2024;<\/li><\/ol>