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.
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