The science and innovation ecosystem in Africa

The African continent is home to about 1.3 billion people, representing 18% of the global population. The population is projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2050, half of whom will be under 25 years of age – the youngest population of any continent. In addition to its young population, the continent has a wealth of resources including 60% of the world’s arable lands and 30% of the world’s mineral reserves.

Despite an abundance of natural resources, Africa still lags in investments in transformative science and innovation. The continent contributes just 2% of the world research output, accounts for only 1.3% of research spending and has only 0.1% of the world’s patents. Africa has 198 researchers per million people compared to 428 in Chile and over 4,000 in the UK and USA; and has low participation of women in science at below 20%, despite making up more than 50% of the continent’s population. Funding remains the greatest challenge with countries in Africa dedicating on average 0.4% of their national budget to finance research and development compared to global averages of between 1.4%-1.7%.

There is a growing recognition of the role science and technology can play towards achieving national development goals and transforming Africa’s economic growth story. Forward looking development blueprints such as the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA-2024) and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030) have identified key Science Technology and Innovation (STI) areas that are envisioned to have the highest and most significant impact. These include Health, Agriculture, Space Science and Technologies, Environmental Sciences including Clean Energy, Climate Change and Conservation and Biodiversity.

To date, health and agriculture have been Africa’s most prominent fields in terms of national priorities, global funding and volume of publications. Fields such as Information Communication Technology (ICT), energy, and climate change are also gaining traction as key focus areas for Africa.

Transformative influence of the Science for Africa Foundation

SFA Foundation is a pan-African, non-profit, and public charity organisation that supports, strengthens, and promotes science and innovation in Africa. The SFA Foundation is committed to improving African people's quality of life and promoting research uptake in communities, industry, and the public sector.

Science and innovation serve as key drivers for sustainable development and tackle major societal issues in Africa. Scientists and innovators are key to addressing Africa's most pressing challenges.SFA Foundation serves the African research ecosystem by designing, funding, and managing programmes that support excellent science and innovation; and that build and reinforce environments that are conducive for scientists to thrive and produce quality research that impacts development.

SFA Foundation is distinctive in that it focuses on the ecosystem surrounding research and the production of research itself. It also supports initiatives that directly influence the quantity, quality, and impact of research, but are not part of specific research projects.

The role of research management in driving research excellence in Africa

As research has become increasingly complex – requiring specialized financial monitoring and reporting, research strategies and policies, ethics, integrity and regulatory clearance, human resources skills and grants administration, –the need for professional oversight of the research enterprise has become more urgent. The era of senior academics, typically the Principal Investigator on a grant, serving as managers of the research operations in addition to research leadership is no longer practical . The duo role for PIs, distracted from research leadership to fulfill duties of accountability and management ,– for which they are untrained and inexpert. This setup compromises both the quality of research management and the quality of the research.

SFA Foundation is implementing the Africa Research Management Capacity Strengthening Programme (REMACS), which is designed to address this critical shortcoming in the research ecosystem by supporting a vibrant, professional, effective and transparent research culture at universities and research institutions by addressing systemic challenges through key interconnected areas of work, such as institutional leadership, sustainability, the establishment of standards, such as the Good Research Management Practice (GRMP) standard, and development of individual capacities.

Further information about the REMACS Programme can be accessed here REMACS Programme

GRMP Standard: A game changer in driving research culture at universities in Africa

The professionalisation of research management has been slow at many institutions. While there are isolated examples of good research project administration and models of excellence for research management, there is little consistency among various approaches to research management. This results in significant inefficiencies between institutions and grant providers, and steep learning curves for professionals who move among institutions over the course of their career. The grantee community finds itself following multiple standards as it seeks to ensure that its research systems keep pace with changing requirements. At the same time, funders seek efficient and effective implementation of research practices.

To address these challenges, the SFA Foundation, in partnership with the African Organization for Standardization, is developing an African Standard for Good Research Management Practice (GRMP) to address the needs and expectations of both the grantee and grantor communities for rigourous and efficient research management across Africa.

GRMP standard is designed to support universities and research institutions to strengthen their research systems, improving governance, enhancing accountability, and building institutional capacity. The GRMP standard has the potential to revolutionize research and innovation on the continent. The GRMP Standard provides the solution with a triple-benefit force for compliance, benchmarking, and capacity development in research organisations.

The High level stakeholder engagement workshop on research management in Tanzania

The SFA Foundation, in collaboration with the Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) and the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), is hosting a High-Level Stakeholder Engagement Workshop on Research and Innovation Management in Africa.

This landmark event marks a significant milestone in a two-year journey to develop the Good Research Management Practice (GRMP) Standard, a transformative initiative aimed at strengthening research governance and fostering a culture of excellence across African universities and research institutions. With participation from 18 African countries, including Tanzania, the workshop will serve as a pivotal platform for stakeholders to engage in meaningful discussions on how robust research management practices can drive sustainable development and economic growth on the continent.

The event brings together over 70 key stakeholders from across Africa. These will include:

• Policymakers: Representatives from the Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), the Ministry of Education, and Science Granting Councils.
• Academic Leaders: Vice Chancellors, university research directors, and leaders from research institutions.
• International Partners: UNESCO, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Tanzania, and regional research and innovation management associations.
• Industry and Private Sector Representatives: Leaders from innovation hubs, private research enterprises, and technology-driven organizations.
• Media and Civil Society: Local media outlets, advocacy groups, and knowledge-sharing organizations to ensure broad dissemination and public awareness.

The workshop objectives are;

• Strengthen Africa’s Research Management Ecosystem: Foster dialogue on the role of research governance in shaping Africa’s development agenda.
• Promote the GRMP Standard: Showcase the potential of the GRMP standard in enhancing research quality, integrity, and impact.
• Enhance Policy and Institutional Collaboration: Engage governments, universities, and industry leaders in fostering policies that support research and innovation.
• Elevate Tanzania’s Research and Innovation Leadership: Highlight Tanzania’s contributions and best practices in research and innovation management.
• Expand Partnerships and Funding Opportunities: Explore mechanisms for increased investment in research and innovation through multi-stakeholder collaborations.

The workshop will discuss the following topics:

• Harnessing the Transformative Power of Research and Innovation: Exploring Africa’s capacity to leverage research to tackle pressing challenges such as climate change, public health, and industrialization.
• The Role of Universities and Research Institutions: Strengthening academic institutions as the backbone of research and innovation in Tanzania and Africa.
• Government Leadership in Advancing Research and Innovation: Engaging policymakers, science granting councils, and university associations in shaping a national and continental research agenda.
• Fostering a Thriving Research and Innovation Ecosystem: Strengthening multi-stakeholder collaboration among academia, industry, policymakers, and international partners.
• The Role of Policy in Driving Research Excellence: Exploring the intersection of research, regulation, and policy frameworks that enable sustainable research ecosystems.
• The GRMP Standard as a Catalyst for Research Excellence: Demonstrating how implementing research management standards can enhance efficiency, transparency, and collaboration in Africa’s research landscape.

About the Science for Africa Foundation

The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) is a pan-African, non-profit, public charitable organisation created to support, strengthen, and promote science and innovation in Africa.

Contact [Media Enquiries]: [email protected] 

About the African Organization For Standardization

The African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) is Africa’s inter-governmental standards body formed by OAU (currently AU) and UNECA in 1977 in Accra Ghana. The fundamental mandate of ARSO is to develop tools for standards development, standards harmonization, and implementation of these systems to enhance Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase Africa’s product and service competitiveness globally, uplift the welfare of African consumers, and serve as a standardization forum for future prospects in international trade referencing.

Contact [Media Enquiries]: [email protected] Webpage: https://www.arso-oran.org/

About Tanzania Bureau of Standards

Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) is the national standards body for Tanzania established by the government as part of the efforts to strengthen the supportive infrastructure for industry and commerce sectors across the economy within the country. The Bureau was established as part of the efforts by the government to strengthen the supporting institutional infrastructure for the industry and commerce sectors of the economy. Specifically, TBS was mandated to undertake measures for quality control of products of all descriptions and to promote standardization in industry and commerce.

Contact [Media Enquiries]: [email protected] Webpage: https://www.tbs.go.tz/