Monday, February 21, 2011
Tomorow's session: getting updated on AIMS, Developing Solutions for Strengthening Partnerships
Tomorrow's session will look deeper into Neil Turok's proposal, Canada's commitment to funding research chairs in Africa, and give time for brainstorming ways we can strengthen and support positive partnerships abroad.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
WILL THE "ACADEMIC CHAIRS FOR AFRICA" PROPOSAL TRULY ENHANCE CAPACITY?
The proposal to create and fund 1,000 chairs at universities in Africa is unprecedented in the region. If implemented, it will create a genuine breakthrough in technology and science capacity building across the continent because it takes into account the three primary criteria for effective capacity building. According to Chataway et. al., these include local context, creation of systems of innovation and the correct mixture of short, medium and long terms goals.
The proposal acknowledges the local context in enhancing capacity building by allowing “universities to set their own plans and priorities… empowering them to determine which of the issues they can best address” In other words, the universities indicate where their own local priorities lie and are then given the resources in terms of finances, appropriate networks, research materials, computer/internet facilities etc to implement these priorities. The local context in this case, is ensuring that the challenge that is being tackled by the university/academic chair is a truly local one and the local community sees it that way.
This also allows for the development of systems of innovation, which is locally
contextualized by allowing the academic chairs to set their agendas according to the strength of the institution and the local needs.
Although not apparent, the proposal seems to have the correct mix of short-, medium-, and long-term initiatives. The short term goal is the support of research and design to respond to more immediate local needs. Over the medium-term, it reduces the brain drain and ensures that the necessary skills, capabilities, and institutional infrastructure are in place to develop long-term capacity at the national level. The proposal also cuts also across a spectrum of short-, medium- and long-term activities such as focusing on projects (chairs are expected to source for additional funding for specific projects), implementing programs, building networks, and developing their respective institutions.
The proposal acknowledges the local context in enhancing capacity building by allowing “universities to set their own plans and priorities… empowering them to determine which of the issues they can best address” In other words, the universities indicate where their own local priorities lie and are then given the resources in terms of finances, appropriate networks, research materials, computer/internet facilities etc to implement these priorities. The local context in this case, is ensuring that the challenge that is being tackled by the university/academic chair is a truly local one and the local community sees it that way.
This also allows for the development of systems of innovation, which is locally
contextualized by allowing the academic chairs to set their agendas according to the strength of the institution and the local needs.
Although not apparent, the proposal seems to have the correct mix of short-, medium-, and long-term initiatives. The short term goal is the support of research and design to respond to more immediate local needs. Over the medium-term, it reduces the brain drain and ensures that the necessary skills, capabilities, and institutional infrastructure are in place to develop long-term capacity at the national level. The proposal also cuts also across a spectrum of short-, medium- and long-term activities such as focusing on projects (chairs are expected to source for additional funding for specific projects), implementing programs, building networks, and developing their respective institutions.
Friday, February 4, 2011
01/2011 Discussion summary
Here's a summary of what we discussed:
A Focus on Funding for Academic Chairs
- Neil Turok's proposal to have rich nations fund and fully support academic chairs at African universities is an interesting and high potential way to rethink development; of note is his proposal's eye toward stopping the brain drain (his strategy being successfully implemented in Brazil and Canada)
- while Turok emphasizes the need for science and technology education, we questioned what that science and technology education would look like to most benefit African people
- we agreed that there is a need for a macroeconomic view of individual community/region's needs and strengths in setting economic as well as education priorities, as well as an on-the-ground understanding of what communities want
- other practical considerations: there is a need to promote partnerships that are able to support capacity building (regulations, infrastructure, prioritizing), incubate business ideas (patent development, funding and growth, VC partnership) as well as other entrepreneurship functions (marketing, packaging)
- leadership at this level in academic and entrepreneurial levels can be key to setting the regulations and expectations
Trades, Nonformal and Primary Education
- however, this focus on academic chairs needs to be balanced with the promotion, development and possibly formalization of trades education, as academics can be overemphasized and trades denigrated in many African societies
- at a general level, the need to promote 'professionalism' (timeliness, standards in product development, etc.) are important in workforce and management
- governments need to continue supporting primary education, health care and nutrition but this is not the most strategically effective place for North-South business and university partnerships to work
Some of the key challenges:
poor governance
corruption
lack of physical and procedural infrastructure
lack of funding
Some potential ways to overcome these challenges:
strategic partnerships
forming networks among the leadership (i.e. all the research chairs meet to discuss problems, solutions)
- we agreed that there is a need for a macroeconomic view of individual community/region's needs and strengths in setting economic as well as education priorities, as well as an on-the-ground understanding of what communities want
- other practical considerations: there is a need to promote partnerships that are able to support capacity building (regulations, infrastructure, prioritizing), incubate business ideas (patent development, funding and growth, VC partnership) as well as other entrepreneurship functions (marketing, packaging)
- leadership at this level in academic and entrepreneurial levels can be key to setting the regulations and expectations
Trades, Nonformal and Primary Education
- however, this focus on academic chairs needs to be balanced with the promotion, development and possibly formalization of trades education, as academics can be overemphasized and trades denigrated in many African societies
- at a general level, the need to promote 'professionalism' (timeliness, standards in product development, etc.) are important in workforce and management
- governments need to continue supporting primary education, health care and nutrition but this is not the most strategically effective place for North-South business and university partnerships to work
Some of the key challenges:
poor governance
corruption
lack of physical and procedural infrastructure
lack of funding
Some potential ways to overcome these challenges:
strategic partnerships
forming networks among the leadership (i.e. all the research chairs meet to discuss problems, solutions)
01/2011 Forum on Canada's Role in Africa: Partnerships in Education
I must admit, it is not easy to find articles about Canada's role or involvement in Africa other than on official websites of the government, CIDA, etc. which is quite telling in itself.
I thought we could turn our attention to something potentially hopeful. Canadian investment in Africa's higher education. Thus far, 50 colleges and universities have established partnerships between Canada and Africa. Is this where we are headed in the future of Canadian investments? What are some of the challenges and opportunities out there? How might this impact Canadians? African people? What might a coordinated policy on Canada's investment in Africa's higher education include?
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/
What could Canada's role in leadership education be? How important is secondary education? What form should it take?
http://www.ted.com/talks/
I thought we could turn our attention to something potentially hopeful. Canadian investment in Africa's higher education. Thus far, 50 colleges and universities have established partnerships between Canada and Africa. Is this where we are headed in the future of Canadian investments? What are some of the challenges and opportunities out there? How might this impact Canadians? African people? What might a coordinated policy on Canada's investment in Africa's higher education include?
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/
What could Canada's role in leadership education be? How important is secondary education? What form should it take?
http://www.ted.com/talks/
10/2010 and 11/2010 Discussion: Debating China's role in African Development
READINGS
1. Economist debates: Africa and China
"This house believes that China's growing involvement in Africa is to
be welcomed."
http://www.economist.com/
The statements – opening, pro, and con – touch upon the key issues in
5 pages. Note that there is additional info – rebuttals, closing
arguments, etc – if you click on later days of the week. This is
optional (but still very interesting!).
2. OPTIONAL: French, Howard. "The Next Empire." The Atlantic. May 2010.
http://www.theatlantic.com/
This is a less academic treatment of the topic with interviews with
regular people, and it's about 15 pages.
3. OPTIONAL: Economy, Elizabeth C. “The Game Changer.” Foreign
Affairs. Nov/Dec2010.
There was some interest last time in additional readings, including
learning China’s perspective on its Africa policy. Attached is an
essay about the US’s China policy. While not principally about
Sino-African relations, it’s a good primer on China’s domestic
interests.
1. Economist debates: Africa and China
"This house believes that China's growing involvement in Africa is to
be welcomed."
http://www.economist.com/
The statements – opening, pro, and con – touch upon the key issues in
5 pages. Note that there is additional info – rebuttals, closing
arguments, etc – if you click on later days of the week. This is
optional (but still very interesting!).
2. OPTIONAL: French, Howard. "The Next Empire." The Atlantic. May 2010.
http://www.theatlantic.com/
This is a less academic treatment of the topic with interviews with
regular people, and it's about 15 pages.
3. OPTIONAL: Economy, Elizabeth C. “The Game Changer.” Foreign
Affairs. Nov/Dec2010.
There was some interest last time in additional readings, including
learning China’s perspective on its Africa policy. Attached is an
essay about the US’s China policy. While not principally about
Sino-African relations, it’s a good primer on China’s domestic
interests.
09/2010 Discussion on Foreign Aid and Africa
The key issue to be discussed is Dambisa Moyo’s thesis that "Foreign Aid has done more harm to Africa than good"
Suggested Materials to guide the discussion:
A. 30 mins clip which summarizes the book:
B. Two-page Review by Paul Collier
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