Transcript Science, Engineering, and Technology (SET) Leadership for

Harnessing Science and Technology
for Africa’s Development
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Prof Tshilidzi Marwala OMB PhD
Executive Dean
Faculty of Engineering & the Built Environment
University of Johannesburg (UJ)
Auckland Park, South Africa
http://www.tshilidzimarwala.com
Overview
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Africa Today
Africa in 30 Years Time
Where should Africa be in 2050?
Current Challenges
Bridging the Expectation Gap
Scientific areas needed for Africa’s development
Open Questions
Conclusions and Questions
http://www.tshilidzimarwala.com
Africa Today
• The African continent currently has a total
annual GDP of US$1.6 trillion (McKinsey & Co);
• Its economy is the third fastest growing region
on the planet after China and India;
• In 2009 it recorded an estimated 5% growth and
thus added US$70 billion to the World economy;
• The African continent has over 1 billion people
• The literacy rate is at an all-time high
• The continent is more democratic than ever
before
http://www.tshilidzimarwala.com
Africa in 30 Year’s Time
• Nigeria will become the largest economy in
continent in less than 20 years time.
• The African continent will have over 2 billion
people in 40 years
• The African economy will be more integrated
• The levels of democratization will be greatly
expanded
• The number of educated people will be much
more than today
http://www.tshilidzimarwala.com
Where should Africa be in 2050?
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Factory floor for the world economy
80% of people should be literate
Decreased levels of epidemics and pandemics
Much more secured nations and coast lines
High levels of communication connectivity
Environmentally friendly continent
Increased number of people who are trained in
Science and Technology
• More people with postgraduate qualifications
http://www.tshilidzimarwala.com
Current Challenges
Financial
Stability
Economic
Stability
African System
Energy crisis
Food
Security
Political
Stability
Courtesy Dr. C. Nonkwelo
Bridging the Gap
• Positioning of Science and Technology
within the political, social and economic
spaces
• Building and Expanding Institutions that
support Science and Technology
– Expanding Educational Infrastructures
– Expanding research and development
infrastructure
What is Science?
• “systematic enterprise of gathering and
condensing knowledge into testable laws
and theories” wikipedia
• Scientific method has been developed to
deal with complex phenomena
• Examples: Physical Science, Biological
Science, Mathematical Sciences
What is Technology?
• The objects or processes that are derived
from the application of science
• Examples: Communication Technology
(object: cell phone); Biomedical
technology (object: stethoscope)
Bridging the Gap: Political Space
• We need to invest in Science and Technology
(South Africa invests less than 1% of GDP into
research in S&T)
• We need to support and expand state institutions
such as the CSIR and NRF
• We need to increase our capacity to formulate
and implement Science and Technology (S&T)
Policy.
• We need to develop capacity to produce and
exploit intellectual property
• We need to develop mechanisms to better trade
of scientific goods
Bridging the Gap: Social Space
• We need to increase scientific literacy
within the general populace
• We need to use community infrastructures
to increase the capacity to produce
students with Mathematics and Science
competency
• Get communities to adopt technological
tools to improve their quality of life
Bridging the Gap: Economic Space
• We need to use science and technology to
increase economic participation
• We need to invest into strategic
technologies that would increase
competitiveness
• We need to use S&T to solve problems
such as food shortage
Some areas critical for Africa’s
Development
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Space sciences
Energy
Biotechnology
Information & communications technology
Climate change
Space sciences
• Remote sensing to increase visibility of areas of
geographic importance e.g. land usage and
agriculture
• Monitoring of the coast lines e.g. enforce fishing
rights
• Communication e.g. satellite communication
• Understand the evolution of the universe e.g.
Square kilometers array
Energy
• Diversify energy sources
– Nuclear
– Hydro
– Biomass
– Solar
• Put emphasis on renewable energy
• Integrate the African energy pool
• Efficient utilization of energy
Biotechnology
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Indigenous pharmaceutical production
Genetically modified crops
Increase fuel production e.g. ethanol
Bioinformatics
Blue biotechnology – marine and aquatic
applications of biotechnology
• Green biotechnology
• Red biotechnology – application to medicine
• White biotechnology – application to industrial
processes
Information & communications
technology
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Connectivity
Computing
Internet
Broadband
Digitization
Computational/Artificial intelligence
Outsourcing
Call centres
Climate change
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Risks of coastal flooding
Risks of droughts
Desertification
Diseases
Destruction of the ecosystem
Open Questions?
• What are other S&T areas of criticality for
Africa’s Development?
• What is the role of African integration on
promoting S&T?
• What is the role of African leadership in
promoting S&T?
• How do we stop and reverse brain drain in the
S&T sector?
• How do we use S&T to modernize the African
community?
Open Questions?
• What is the relationship between S&T and the
future of mankind?
• How do we effectively use innovation to drive
economic growth?
• What is the optimal investment into S&T to drive
development?
• How do we effectively invest into S&T to improve
health?
Open Questions?
• How do we build the Post Kyoto world?
• What is the impact of ICT on economy, society
and quality of life?
• What is the optimal combination of energy
sources to ensure the security of supply?
• What is the political economy of S&T?
Conclusions
• It can be done!
• Questions