Presenting South Africa's Foundation for Technological Innovation
29 March 2007
South Africa
The South African European South African Science and Technology Advancement Programme (ESASTAP) will present the special Seminar to present South Africa’s new “Foundation for Technological Innovation.”
The Foundation for Technological Innovation (FTI) will be responsible for stimulating and enhancing technological innovation in South Africa. The FTI will be established by South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology (DST), and will be a critical intervention to address South Africa’s most important innovation policy challenges.
Some of the key functions of the FTI will include:
• Building the capacity of and strengthening the linkages between the key actors in South Africa’s National System of Innovation (i.e. state, industry, academia, public research organisations, civil society, etc.)
• Enhancing the coordination and developing effective information systems for all public-funded innovation programmes.
• Improving the transfer of knowledge and technology into the South African economy; and
• Evolving the development of new institutions required in the South African National System of Innovation – e.g. a National Nanotechnology Institute.
The Seminar will consist of a presentation by the DST’s Deputy Director-General, Mr Dhesigen Naidoo, on the plans and progress of the FTI. His presentation will be complemented with a panel discussion with European innovation policy experts, which will critically comment on South Africa’s initiative and identify commonalities with key innovation policy challenges in Europe and the relevant European responses.
One of the key objectives of ESASTAP (http://www.esastap.org.za(opens in new window)) a Sixth Framework Programme Specific Support Action, is to promote the European Union – South Africa science and technology policy dialogue. South Africa’s key innovation challenge is to more effectively translate the country’s R&D outputs into products and services in the South African economy – a challenge knows as the “bridging of the innovation chasm”, an effort which has much in common with efforts addressing the European Paradox!
It is therefore hoped that the Seminar will contribute to further deepening the science and technology policy discourse between South Africa and its European partners. The FTI will complete the South African innovation policy framework, contribute to human capital development, and promote sustainable economic growth and improved quality of living.
The Seminar will be held on Thursday 29 March 2007, commencing at 11:00 and to be concluded at 13:00 with a networking lunch (till 14:00.) The event will be held at the Sheraton Brussels Hotel, Place Rogier 3, Brussels. Metro: Brussels.
All participation by participation is welcome - to be confirmed with Ms Francoise Dassy at francoise.dassy@belgacom.net.
The Foundation for Technological Innovation (FTI) will be responsible for stimulating and enhancing technological innovation in South Africa. The FTI will be established by South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology (DST), and will be a critical intervention to address South Africa’s most important innovation policy challenges.
Some of the key functions of the FTI will include:
• Building the capacity of and strengthening the linkages between the key actors in South Africa’s National System of Innovation (i.e. state, industry, academia, public research organisations, civil society, etc.)
• Enhancing the coordination and developing effective information systems for all public-funded innovation programmes.
• Improving the transfer of knowledge and technology into the South African economy; and
• Evolving the development of new institutions required in the South African National System of Innovation – e.g. a National Nanotechnology Institute.
The Seminar will consist of a presentation by the DST’s Deputy Director-General, Mr Dhesigen Naidoo, on the plans and progress of the FTI. His presentation will be complemented with a panel discussion with European innovation policy experts, which will critically comment on South Africa’s initiative and identify commonalities with key innovation policy challenges in Europe and the relevant European responses.
One of the key objectives of ESASTAP (http://www.esastap.org.za(opens in new window)) a Sixth Framework Programme Specific Support Action, is to promote the European Union – South Africa science and technology policy dialogue. South Africa’s key innovation challenge is to more effectively translate the country’s R&D outputs into products and services in the South African economy – a challenge knows as the “bridging of the innovation chasm”, an effort which has much in common with efforts addressing the European Paradox!
It is therefore hoped that the Seminar will contribute to further deepening the science and technology policy discourse between South Africa and its European partners. The FTI will complete the South African innovation policy framework, contribute to human capital development, and promote sustainable economic growth and improved quality of living.
The Seminar will be held on Thursday 29 March 2007, commencing at 11:00 and to be concluded at 13:00 with a networking lunch (till 14:00.) The event will be held at the Sheraton Brussels Hotel, Place Rogier 3, Brussels. Metro: Brussels.
All participation by participation is welcome - to be confirmed with Ms Francoise Dassy at francoise.dassy@belgacom.net.