Geneva, 19 January 2011 - The role of educational and research institutions in encouraging science, technology and innovation (STI) in developing countries will be discussed by experts meeting in UNCTAD from 19-21 January. Experts will examine ways to boost the contribution of STI to business competitiveness and employment creation in developing countries. They will also address the role of educational programmes in promoting entrepreneurship and small business growth. (See UNCTAD/PRESS/IN/2011/001)
The meeting is formally titled "enterprise development polices and capacity-building in science, technology and innovation." It is the third in a multi-year series and focuses this year on "how to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship through education at all levels: the role of educational and research institutions in preparing innovative and entrepreneurial leaders - preparing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs."
Upgrading the scientific and technological skills of people and enterprises in developing countries is crucial for their development prospects. The competitiveness of enterprises, the capacity of economies to attract investment, and the ability of countries to address social and environmental challenges such as food security and climate change all hinge on their STI capabilities. Universities and research centres should be major players in generating, adapting, and diffusing technological knowledge to their domestic economies. However, often these institutions are not well linked to enterprises or agricultural operations, and they do not have strong enough incentives to focus on local technological problems. As a result, they do not contribute as much as they could to their countries´ development needs.
Universities and research centres also need to be better at bringing to the market the results of their work. Better intellectual property policies, the training of specialists in technology transfer, and the establishment of rules that improve the interaction between business and academia can help. With the right environment and policies, instruments such as business incubators, technology transfer centres, and technology parks can bring about positive changes.
The programme for this expert meeting is available at http://www.unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ciimem1_3rd_prog_en.pdf .
