The document provides information about the 2014 African Economic Conference on the theme of "Knowledge and Innovation for Africa's Transformation". The conference will examine how Africa can better harness knowledge, skills, and innovation to drive economic transformation and achieve development goals. It will discuss challenges like skills shortages and mismatches between education and industry needs. The conference aims to identify policies and best practices around knowledge generation, skills development, technology upgrading, and financing innovation to support Africa's economic and social progress. It will feature panel discussions, paper presentations, and outputs like a conference report and proceedings.
TVET as a Means of Synergy in Industrial DevelopmentKataka Karani
Education is a means of social, political, industrial, and economic development. Current global developments, the influence and impact of information technology on spheres of work and life call for a review of the existing TVET policy and strategy framework. The growth and success of TVET in Kenya depends on how swiftly the sector responds to prevailing, emerging and inherent challenges in a developing economy.
There is a worldwide shift in the production process, trade and communications. Human capital requirements, especially as a result of the ICT revolution, have experienced rapid growth but more can be done to make learners more competent at work.
The Kenya government recognized the possibility of a skills gap and established an umbrella body for selection of college and university students as an effort to boost TVET admissions. Plans are ongoing to increase the number of TVET institutions. The determinants of the quality of education and training include; government policy, quality of teachers, learners, the learning environment, facilities for learning and the curricula organization. This paper highlights how competence in TVET may be enhanced. It looks at the allocation of training lessons to reduce emphasis on lecturing and classroom sessions and incorporate guided research hours to enable learners come up with working industrial projects, allowing students to be attached to industries from their first year in college to completion of their studies, being accommodative to self paced learning. Updating the curriculum to incorporate learning of Assembly programming in modular engineering courses and the incorporation of flexible teaching and learning to reduce direct contact hours and allow space for creativity, inventiveness and innovativeness.
Reformed TVET will provide a more competent and efficient workforce able to face challenges of modern technology.
Planning and Managing Technical and Vocational Education in Polytechnics: Pri...inventionjournals
The desire to plan and manage vocational education adequately as an investment for economic and human resource is reinforced by studies in the field of educational economics such as UNESCO and UNICEF through advocacy for „Equitable, Quality Education and Lifelong Learning for All‟ as the main goal for education. In third world countries, large numbers of graduates from formal schools are unemployed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to gather information about planning and managing technical and vocational education in polytechnics with priorities in training trends and prospects. The objectives of the study were to: find out instructors‟ perceptions about instructional methodologies employed by youth polytechnic instructors; examine trainees‟ and instructors‟ views about training tools, equipment and materials at their disposal as the necessary implements towards acquisition of vocational skills and knowledge. The study adopted survey research design. The study population was 1880. Census and purposive sampling were used to draw a sample of 31.06% informants. The study employed questionnaires, interview schedules and checklists for collect data. Data were presented in percentages, pie charts, frequencies, bar graphs and ratios. A major finding was that agriculture trade was offered as common a course to first years only. Community‟s negative attitude towards vocational training discouraged youths from enrolling at YPs. 72.8% respondents observed that YPs were poorly enrolled. 79.9% trainees reported instructors demonstrated skills while trainees explained them. Some trainees shared tools during practicals. 93.1% instructors were ICT illiterate. Few YPs had automated tools/equipment and trade workshops were poorly equipped. The study concluded that YPs were in dire need of instructors, adequate training tools/equipment, materials and workshops. The study recommended that County Government building a YP in every location and craft comprehensive policies on financing/staffing of YPs.
The Role of Vocational & Technical Education in The Creation of Job Opportuni...Gabriel Ken
Vocational education, technical education, The Role of Vocational & Technical Education in The Creation of Job Opportunities in Nigeria, job creation, self employment
TVET as a Means of Synergy in Industrial DevelopmentKataka Karani
Education is a means of social, political, industrial, and economic development. Current global developments, the influence and impact of information technology on spheres of work and life call for a review of the existing TVET policy and strategy framework. The growth and success of TVET in Kenya depends on how swiftly the sector responds to prevailing, emerging and inherent challenges in a developing economy.
There is a worldwide shift in the production process, trade and communications. Human capital requirements, especially as a result of the ICT revolution, have experienced rapid growth but more can be done to make learners more competent at work.
The Kenya government recognized the possibility of a skills gap and established an umbrella body for selection of college and university students as an effort to boost TVET admissions. Plans are ongoing to increase the number of TVET institutions. The determinants of the quality of education and training include; government policy, quality of teachers, learners, the learning environment, facilities for learning and the curricula organization. This paper highlights how competence in TVET may be enhanced. It looks at the allocation of training lessons to reduce emphasis on lecturing and classroom sessions and incorporate guided research hours to enable learners come up with working industrial projects, allowing students to be attached to industries from their first year in college to completion of their studies, being accommodative to self paced learning. Updating the curriculum to incorporate learning of Assembly programming in modular engineering courses and the incorporation of flexible teaching and learning to reduce direct contact hours and allow space for creativity, inventiveness and innovativeness.
Reformed TVET will provide a more competent and efficient workforce able to face challenges of modern technology.
Planning and Managing Technical and Vocational Education in Polytechnics: Pri...inventionjournals
The desire to plan and manage vocational education adequately as an investment for economic and human resource is reinforced by studies in the field of educational economics such as UNESCO and UNICEF through advocacy for „Equitable, Quality Education and Lifelong Learning for All‟ as the main goal for education. In third world countries, large numbers of graduates from formal schools are unemployed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to gather information about planning and managing technical and vocational education in polytechnics with priorities in training trends and prospects. The objectives of the study were to: find out instructors‟ perceptions about instructional methodologies employed by youth polytechnic instructors; examine trainees‟ and instructors‟ views about training tools, equipment and materials at their disposal as the necessary implements towards acquisition of vocational skills and knowledge. The study adopted survey research design. The study population was 1880. Census and purposive sampling were used to draw a sample of 31.06% informants. The study employed questionnaires, interview schedules and checklists for collect data. Data were presented in percentages, pie charts, frequencies, bar graphs and ratios. A major finding was that agriculture trade was offered as common a course to first years only. Community‟s negative attitude towards vocational training discouraged youths from enrolling at YPs. 72.8% respondents observed that YPs were poorly enrolled. 79.9% trainees reported instructors demonstrated skills while trainees explained them. Some trainees shared tools during practicals. 93.1% instructors were ICT illiterate. Few YPs had automated tools/equipment and trade workshops were poorly equipped. The study concluded that YPs were in dire need of instructors, adequate training tools/equipment, materials and workshops. The study recommended that County Government building a YP in every location and craft comprehensive policies on financing/staffing of YPs.
The Role of Vocational & Technical Education in The Creation of Job Opportuni...Gabriel Ken
Vocational education, technical education, The Role of Vocational & Technical Education in The Creation of Job Opportunities in Nigeria, job creation, self employment
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...Sagir Iliyasu
TVET is a key solution to poverty eradication,job creation,economic expansion, reducing unemployment and improve social and economic well-being of a nation.
This analysis takes a look at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitive Index (GCI) report on Nigeria from Year 2009-2010 to Year 2014-2015.
It compares the Rankings and Scores of Nigeria during this time frame with the expectation of establishing a trend in Nigeria’s development and possibly as a measure to determine if Nigeria is becoming more competitive or otherwise, as well as serve as a guide in regard to where the Government can focus developmental effort on.
Discussion document for consultation with stakeholders regarding proposed National Technical Training Center. The initiative evolved into DigiSkills.pk with target to train 1 million people.
Why Qatar Needs a New Technical Vocational Education and Training Strategy NowWesley Schwalje
Beginning in the late Nineties, Qatar launched a comprehensive set of education reforms to more effectively align its education and training system with its macroeconomic policies aimed at advancing towards a knowledge-based economy. However, technical vocational education and training (TVET) has not been a significant focus of educational reforms.
[Paper] Human resource development through vocational education for thailand 4.0Klangpanya
[Paper] Human resource development through vocational education for Thailand 4.0 by Usman Waji
Presented at Forum on the Human Resources Cooperation
The 6th Yunnan Conference on International Exchange of Professionals hosted by
Yunnan Provincial Committee of Communist Party of China
The People's Government of Yunnan Province
Promoting Industrial Training through Macro Economic Approach (The Importance...IOSR Journals
Libya is blessed with many factories but regrettably these factories failed due to lack of skills and experiences. Often Libya due to their uncoordinated, unregulated and fragmented nature delivery systems and policies are the challenges faced by the state. It is difficult to design a training system that ensures demand driven skills provision and involves stakeholders from key relevant sectors and this requires a study to identify problems and prosper solution for sustainable future development. Hence, the report adopted the approach which combines the results of studies being reviewed. I utilized analytical techniques to estimate the strength of a given set of findings across many different studies and sometime compare and draw conclusion. This has allowed the creation of a context from which this report emerged The report data solely rely on the empirical source which classified in primary and secondary source.The reported found out that the number of trainee dropped from 2000 to 2005 by an average of 26 students, in comparison to 1999. However, in 2006 and 2007, the number of trainee showed increased (by an average of 25 students). Due to this increased in trainee, oil production also increased at the beginning of the new millennium. This Indicate that training increase productivity and productivity growth can raise incomes and reduce poverty in a virtuous circle. Productivity growth reduces production costs and increases returns on investments, some of which turn into income for business owners and investors and some of which are turned into higher wages and national growth.
Women Wanted: Attracting Women to Technical Fields in QatarWesley Schwalje
Over the past several decades Qatar has dramatically reformed its education and training system to align it with macroeconomic policies aimed at advancing towards a knowledge-based economy. However, technical vocational education and training (TVET) has not been a significant focus of educational reform. Though the need for a technically trained labor force was recognized by policy makers in Qatar as early as the 1940s when Qatar began exporting oil, dedicated TVET institutions began to emerge only in the late 1990s with establishment of several postsecondary institutions, two secondary institutions for boys, government-run training academies, and the emergence of a private training market.
Human Capital Development Towards Industralisation by Adesola Eghagha Quramo Conferences
The Quramo Conference Series is a platform dedicated to influencing, improving and vending knowledge towards change and development.
This April, the conference theme was People Power and focused on human capital development and the investment in people which can lead to industralisation in Africa.
Tvet as a method of facilitating poverty alleviation in third world nations w...Sagir Iliyasu
TVET is a key solution to poverty eradication,job creation,economic expansion, reducing unemployment and improve social and economic well-being of a nation.
This analysis takes a look at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Competitive Index (GCI) report on Nigeria from Year 2009-2010 to Year 2014-2015.
It compares the Rankings and Scores of Nigeria during this time frame with the expectation of establishing a trend in Nigeria’s development and possibly as a measure to determine if Nigeria is becoming more competitive or otherwise, as well as serve as a guide in regard to where the Government can focus developmental effort on.
Discussion document for consultation with stakeholders regarding proposed National Technical Training Center. The initiative evolved into DigiSkills.pk with target to train 1 million people.
Why Qatar Needs a New Technical Vocational Education and Training Strategy NowWesley Schwalje
Beginning in the late Nineties, Qatar launched a comprehensive set of education reforms to more effectively align its education and training system with its macroeconomic policies aimed at advancing towards a knowledge-based economy. However, technical vocational education and training (TVET) has not been a significant focus of educational reforms.
[Paper] Human resource development through vocational education for thailand 4.0Klangpanya
[Paper] Human resource development through vocational education for Thailand 4.0 by Usman Waji
Presented at Forum on the Human Resources Cooperation
The 6th Yunnan Conference on International Exchange of Professionals hosted by
Yunnan Provincial Committee of Communist Party of China
The People's Government of Yunnan Province
Promoting Industrial Training through Macro Economic Approach (The Importance...IOSR Journals
Libya is blessed with many factories but regrettably these factories failed due to lack of skills and experiences. Often Libya due to their uncoordinated, unregulated and fragmented nature delivery systems and policies are the challenges faced by the state. It is difficult to design a training system that ensures demand driven skills provision and involves stakeholders from key relevant sectors and this requires a study to identify problems and prosper solution for sustainable future development. Hence, the report adopted the approach which combines the results of studies being reviewed. I utilized analytical techniques to estimate the strength of a given set of findings across many different studies and sometime compare and draw conclusion. This has allowed the creation of a context from which this report emerged The report data solely rely on the empirical source which classified in primary and secondary source.The reported found out that the number of trainee dropped from 2000 to 2005 by an average of 26 students, in comparison to 1999. However, in 2006 and 2007, the number of trainee showed increased (by an average of 25 students). Due to this increased in trainee, oil production also increased at the beginning of the new millennium. This Indicate that training increase productivity and productivity growth can raise incomes and reduce poverty in a virtuous circle. Productivity growth reduces production costs and increases returns on investments, some of which turn into income for business owners and investors and some of which are turned into higher wages and national growth.
Women Wanted: Attracting Women to Technical Fields in QatarWesley Schwalje
Over the past several decades Qatar has dramatically reformed its education and training system to align it with macroeconomic policies aimed at advancing towards a knowledge-based economy. However, technical vocational education and training (TVET) has not been a significant focus of educational reform. Though the need for a technically trained labor force was recognized by policy makers in Qatar as early as the 1940s when Qatar began exporting oil, dedicated TVET institutions began to emerge only in the late 1990s with establishment of several postsecondary institutions, two secondary institutions for boys, government-run training academies, and the emergence of a private training market.
Human Capital Development Towards Industralisation by Adesola Eghagha Quramo Conferences
The Quramo Conference Series is a platform dedicated to influencing, improving and vending knowledge towards change and development.
This April, the conference theme was People Power and focused on human capital development and the investment in people which can lead to industralisation in Africa.
Employment and social protection in the informal sector Dr Lendy Spires
In the recent past the ILO has carried out a large amount of research and technical cooperation activities relating to the informal sector and has provided extensive policy advice. The results of this work have greatly influenced the analysis, design and implementation of policies at the country level. There is also widespread international recognition of the value of this work, which over the years has improved understanding of the characteristics and functioning of the sector.
Given the current compelling issues deriving from the increasing proliferation of precarious forms of employment in most countries, the Office felt that the time was ripe to take stock of the additional knowledge and experience and to draw conclusions and recommendations for future policy orientations and programme priorities. For this purpose a thematic evaluation was carried out, providing a synthesis of the ILO’s work in the urban informal sector, covering both regular budget and extra-budgetary activities. The study reviews the accumulated knowledge and experience within the ILO and assesses the implementation of the strategies that have been developed to address specific problem areas.
It also assesses the impact of the application of these strategies and examines the important lessons learnt and potential areas for future work. A list of the ILO documents, reports and publications reviewed is available on request. This paper offers a summary of the thematic evaluation report. The outcome of its discussion by the Committee will provide guidance in further defining various work items at the start of the Programme and Budget for 2000-01.
Following the renewed emphasis placed by the Director-General on the quantity and quality of jobs, as reflected in the concept of decent work, the results of the evaluation have already proven useful for the preparation of programme proposals by several technical units. The informal sector is in fact a focus of attention in the Programme and Budget for 2000-01, which includes a separate operational objective to guide ILO future action. The strategy outlined in the programme and budget states that – … the inclusion of informal enterprises in national development programmes will be effectively promoted.
This will be based on interventions in a range of fields, including … establishing and strengthening associations of informal sector workers, which provide an effective vehicle for advocacy, social protection and community initiatives. Policy advice and support will help to identify and remove legal, fiscal and administrative barriers preventing the inclusion of informal sector operators in the modern economy.
Environment and globalization five proposistionsDr Lendy Spires
The processes that we now think of as “globalization” were central to the environmental cause well before the term “globalization” came into its current usage. Global environmental concerns were born out of the recognition that ecological processes do not always respect national boundaries and that environmental problems often have impacts beyond borders; sometimes globally.
Connected to this was the notion that the ability of humans to act and think at a global scale also brings with it a new dimension of global responsibility— not only to planetary resources but also to planetary fairness. These ideas were central to the defining discourse of con-temporary environmentalism in the 1960s and 1970s1 and to the concept of sustainable development that took root in the 1980s and 1990s.2 The current debate on globalization has become delinked from its environmental roots and contexts.
These links between environment and globalization need to be re-examined and recognized. To ignore these links is to misunderstand the full extent and nature of globalization and to miss out on critical opportunities to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges faced by humanity. The purpose of this paper is to explore these linkages in the context of the current discourse. For its February 2007 meetings, the Global Ministerial Environment Forum (GMEF) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has selected environment and globalization as one of its areas of focus. This paper has been prepared as an independent input to that process.
The thrust of the paper, therefore, is on policy-relevant debates and its principal audience is environ-mental leaders assembling in Nairobi, Kenya, for the GMEF meetings. However, the paper aspires also to be relevant to audiences and debates beyond this meeting. We hope that the paper will inspire discussions even if they are critical of our analysis on the nature and importance of the links between environment and globalization.
Tackling Corruption for Growth and Development Dr Lendy Spires
Australia’s anti-corruption for development policy provides a framework for planning, resourcing, and reviewing anti-corruption activities on a country and regional basis. It has been developed in collaboration with a wide range of Australian government agencies and external stakeholders. The overall goal of Australia’s anti-corruption for development policy is: To assist developing countries bring about a sustainable reduction in corrupt behaviour for the purpose of improving economic and social development. Australia’s approach to anti-corruption will focus on three mutually reinforcing elements: > Building constituencies for anti-corruption reform: Strong leadership is critical for successful anti-corruption efforts. Australia will assist institutions, groups and individuals that support good leadership. We will support the collection and dissemination of information about the costs of corruption. This will help mobilise support for anti-corruption reform efforts. > Reducing opportunities for corruption: Poor political governance provides greater scope for corrupt behaviour. We will support initiatives that bolster transparency and accountability. Helping to improve budget processes, public financial management, and procurement systems makes corrupt activities more difficult to undertake and easier to identify and prosecute. Supporting the establishment and implementation of clear legislative and regulatory frameworks is another important way to reduce opportunities for corruption. > Changing incentives for corrupt behaviour: We will work with leaders, public officials and those in the private sector to discourage corruption. The timely investigation and prosecution of corrupt behaviour sends an important message that corruption will not be tolerated. A professional, merit-based public service is also critical for the effective and honest operation of government systems and processes. The starting point for our work is support for the priorities and plans of partner countries to improve governance and tackle corruption. Long-term sustainability is most likely to be achieved through this partnership approach. Where such country-led strategies do not exist, Australia will support efforts to develop anti-corruption policies and plans. We will also build capacity and develop long- term institutional partnerships with partner governments through the placement of Australian government officials in public service positions or senior advisory roles. Together with other bilateral agencies, multilateral donors, and regional and global organisations, we will help partners to target corruption better. Members of the business sector and civil society will also be important allies in putting this policy into practice.
Sub-Saharan Africa: The State of Smallholders in AgricultureDr Lendy Spires
The purpose of this paper is to provide a regional canvas for the broader discussion of the future directions on smallholders in agriculture. We do not attempt to provide a comprehensive overview of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), its agricultural sector or even all of the challenges and opportunities associated with smallholder farming.
Rather, the intention is to communicate our appreciation of the richness and complexity of the continent in comparison with other developing regions, and through discussion of the role of smallholder farmers in agricultural growth, focus the broader discussions of the conference on some of the key issues which, from our experience and that of IFAD projects working in SSA, are particularly relevant in our efforts to assist smallholder families definitively escape poverty through the transition towards ‘farming as a business’.
We begin in Section One with a brief overview of the land, geography, people, economy and of course, smallholder agriculture in SSA. Following this, in Section Two, we look more closely at the opportunities for SSA’s smallholders, adapting the perspective of IFAD’s recently released Rural Poverty Report to our regional context, and use a risk management lens to connect overall ecological and market contexts to the specific endeavours of smallholder farmers.
In Section Three, we move rapidly from the general to a specific focus on an issue which we feel merits much greater consideration – the importance of spatial and temporal coordination in reducing risk, increasing returns and allowing for project success. Finally, we conclude with some key recommendations on how these ideas can be transformed into an operational approach.
Framework for a set of e-Government Core IndicatorsDr Lendy Spires
Background Information and communication technology (ICT) and its applications offer many opportunities for economic and human development. Within the framework of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), national governments, together with other stakeholders at national, regional and international levels are engaged in conceptualizing and deploying ICT and e-government applications in support of development. Inherent within these approaches is the issue of policy development and monitoring of ICT programmes.
The Geneva phase of WSIS established a set of targets for development of the information society. It included a target to: “Connect all local and central government departments and establish websites and e-mail addresses”. A recent publication by the Partnership (2011) suggested a set of e-government core indicators to measure this target. Many of the standards developed for those indicators have been adapted for this report. Box 1: The Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development Stemming from the mandate of the WSIS, the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development is the collaborative initiative of a number of international organizations.
Its current members are: Eurostat, the International Telecommunication Union, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, the World Bank, and four United Nations Regional Commissions (Economic Commission for Africa, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia). Launched in 2004, the key goal of the Partnership is to develop internationally comparable, relevant and reliable ICT statistics for measurement of the information society.
Development and maintenance of a core list of ICT indicators is one of its activities, and the development of e-government indicators is undertaken specifically in this context (ITU, 2010). In 2005, the Partnership launched the first edition of Core ICT Indicators followed by the latest edition published in 2010 (Partnership 2005; 2010). Both publications focused on the feasibility and relevance of these ICT core indicators. The objective was to provide a reliable and accurate understanding of the indicators and the associated statistical standards. For more information on the Partnership, see: http://measuring-ict.unctad.org.
The United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC), at its 2007 meeting, asked the Partnership on Measuring ICT for Development to extend the core list of ICT indicators to include indicators on ICT use in government (UNSC, 2007). The Partnership, through its Task Group on e-Govern-ment, has been actively engaged in the development of internationally comparable e-government indicators since 2006.
Role of ICTs in African Agriculture and how Africa-EU partnership can enhance...Francois Stepman
2 July 2017. Rome, Italy. Making Sustainable Agriculture a future for youth in Africa. This conference was hosted by the AU Commission, the European Commission and the Estonian Presidency of the EU at the FAO premises.
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Economic Brief - Innovation and Productivity North Africa 2014Dr Lendy Spires
This article highlights the key determinants of innovation and their impact on the performance of firms in three North African countries (Algeria, Egypt and Morocco) on the basis of World Bank survey data on the investment climate. Initially, our econometric approach consists of estimating the impact of the traditional determinants of innovation by underscoring the critical role played by human capital in technological ownership and absorption. We then estimate the relationship between innovation and productivity taking into account certain characteristics of the investment climate and the quality of infrastructure and public services.
The main results suggest that, in North African countries, innovation is far from being the result of R&D and new technology creating activities alone. It also occurs by the adoption and adaptation of technologies created elsewhere through learning and assimilation-related mechanisms requiring more highly qualified human capital and improvement of the investment climate. We have also shown the weakness of the effect of technological externalities generated by export and foreign investment activities on innovation potential. The rigid structure of comparative advantages and the concentration of exports and FDI in activities with limited value addition which are poorly integrated in the local economy generate few upstream-downstream externalities.
Key Messages
• In North Africa, especially in Morocco and Egypt, the impact of qualified human resources on innovation incentives and productivity levels is insignificant. This points to the under-utilization and inefficient allocation of capital in these countries. • The impact of exports on innovation is insignificant, mainly as a result of the rigid structure of comparative advantages in these countries and the concentration of exports in sectors with little value addition and limited technological potential, particularly in the case of Morocco.
• To foster innovation and stimulate productivity, special attention should be paid to certain aspects of the national innovation system. The recommendations of this note are as follows: • Strengthen governance of the national innovation system;
• Stimulate the research and corporate environment with a view to decompartmentalizing the two spheres and ensuring more efficient and effective interfacing;
• Build support for the higher education system and vocational training in order to enhance human resource competencies to obtain a better contribution to the production and innovation processes;
• Create more advantageous incentive programmes for innovative FDI with higher value-addition, which is sufficiently well integrated upstream and downstream of the local economy; and
• Establish mechanisms for contractualization, supported by the State in the area of science and technology between the research centres, universities, potentially innovative local firms and foreign companies wishing to relocat
Placing agricultural tertiary education in the policy agendaLelihle Simelane
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of agricultural tertiary education institutions in view of the increasing demand for quality tertiary education, escalated numbers of applicants, dwindling resources, and escalating cost of educational materials. This paper is theoretical based and draws lessons from a four-sector of the provision of education at secondary/high school, teacher training education, technical and vocational training (TVET), and tertiary education in Swaziland. Desk research and interviews of selected university administrators in Swaziland were employed to gather more data. Ten aspects were identified and formed the basis for discussions. Findings from the desk research along with the interviews of selected administrators, revealed that universities as centres of higher learning should be given highest support by placing them on the policy agenda, given enough resources to engage in full operation, conduct outreach programmes, constantly review their curricula in order to be more responsive to national needs, and prepare strategic plans to guide the operation of the University. It is recommended that all universities as centres of higher learning should conduct the three traditional functions: teaching, research and outreach and work closely with private sector/industry in order to nurture a healthy relationship.
Humphrey Kariuki's view on the potential of Africa as a world power.Humphrey Kariuki
"Humphrey Kariuki's View on the Potential of Africa as a World Power" presents a riveting examination of Africa's ascent on the global stage, guided by the insights of Humphrey Kariuki, a distinguished entrepreneur whose work has significantly impacted the continent's energy sector. This presentation ventures into Kariuki's visionary perspective on Africa's untapped potential, not just as a beneficiary of global energy innovations but as a key player in the world power dynamics. Kariuki's analysis extends beyond conventional discussions of energy access, delving into the strategic advantages Africa holds, from its rich natural resources to its burgeoning youth population. Moreover, the presentation thoughtfully incorporates the role of taxation policies in fostering a conducive environment for growth and innovation, highlighting Kariuki's comprehensive approach to Africa's development challenges and opportunities. Attendees will leave with a nuanced understanding of Africa's position and prospects as a future world power, inspired by Humphrey Kariuki's compelling narrative and commitment to the continent's prosperity.
eLearning Africa: In Review 2018.
13th International Conference
and Exhibition on ICT for Education,
Training and Skills Development
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Sept 26→28
2018
The Need For Foreign Investments In AfricaFastclickMedia
In this expose, we will explore the reasons why foreign investments should come to Africa, highlighting the benefits, investment opportunities, success stories, challenges, government support, and the potential for mutual growth.
Pragmatic South African Strategies in the Era of Artificial IntelligenceDr Sulaimon Afolabi
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Aec2014 concept note knowledge and innovation for africa's transformation
1. Concept Note
AFRICAN ECONOMIC CONFERENCE 2014
KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION FOR AFRICA’S
TRANSFORMATION
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
1 - 3 November 2014
1
2. 1. Introduction
1.1 The theme for the 2014 African Economic Conference is Knowledge and
Innovation for Africa’s Transformation. How well Africa harnesses knowledge and
innovation will shape its future and the fortunes of younger generations for many decades
to come. The AU Agenda 2063 and the African Common Position on the Post-2015
development agenda identify science, technology and innovation as key pillars for
Africa’s development. As the continent pursues its agenda of “an integrated, prosperous
and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the
global arena,” success will depend on adequate accumulation of skills, technology and
competences for innovation.
1.2 Although most African governments recognize the importance of knowledge
generation and innovation, the continent continues to experience an acute skills deficit in
areas that are critical for the realisation of the goal of structural transformation. The fact
that a significant number of engineers and science graduates are unemployed in Africa
further underlines the many facets (including the slow pace of structural transformation)
of the mismatch between the demand and supply of skills that exists on the continent. The
proliferation since the 1950s of institutions of higher learning and think thanks devoted to
addressing the various challenges of Africa’s development has not brought about a
significant narrowing of the continent’s skills/innovation gap. Neither has it enhanced the
employability of the labour force. Instead, while opportunities for new economic
activities and entrepreneurship have expanded in recent years, the skills mismatch has
made it impossible, in particular for the youth and women, to derive direct benefits from
economic growth. Consequently, the relevance of the knowledge proffered by African
institutions of higher learning is increasingly being called into question.
1.3 On the bright side and despite these challenges, a new crop of innovative digital
entrepreneurs (young men and women) is rising in Africa with Africa’s youth showing a
keen propensity for absorbing and adopting new technologies. A key goal of the
Conference will be to examine the best ways in which to use knowledge and innovation
to boost youth employment and foster the adoption of new technologies by the wider
economy as a result.
2. Addressing the Skills and Innovation Deficit in Africa
2.1 African countries are well aware that their development hinges on how fast and
well they acquire technological competences. However, closing the technology and
innovation gap in Africa has also been hampered by the lack of coherent national
innovation policies (including appropriate regulatory frameworks and incentive regimes),
the dearth of strategic public-private partnerships on education and skills development,
and insufficient policies aimed at enhancing the availability of venture capital.
2.2 The importance of soft infrastructure for economic transformation cannot be
overstated. For African enterprises to develop and influence the breath and depth of
industrial linkages, they will need skills and technologies to upgrade production
processes and identify market opportunities. Similarly, entering global supply and value
chains implies that African enterprises will need to upgrade operational competitiveness,
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3. meet global technical standards and adopt world-class manufacturing practices — in
many cases these require a level of expertise that is not readily available. Much has been
said about Africa capitalising on it’s commodities to drive industrialisation and structural
transformation, but here too the issue of skills, technology and innovation is paramount
as backward linkage development to the hard commodity sector is particularly
demanding of technological capabilities to compete with global suppliers, unlock the
potential of newly discovered resources (such as oil and gas) and rely on greener avenues
of growth.
2.3. The pace of skills and technology development and innovation has been slow in
Africa mainly because of the absence of a critical mass of university-educated skilled
labour force, the lack of high quality laboratories and scientific equipment, the
unavailability of long-term finance, and weak private sector initiative and managerial
capacity. Africa’s stock of graduates is still highly skewed towards the humanities and
social sciences, while the share of students enrolling in science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics averages less than 25 percent. Moreover, women are under-represented
in science and technology-related courses and professions, meaning that the continent is
doubly disadvantaged because it stands to fail to mobilise a significant proportion of its
human resource in the drive for sustainable and inclusive growth.
2.4 In terms of innovation and with the exception of Mauritius (ranked 53) and South
Africa (ranked 58), African countries continue to be clustered at the bottom of the global
innovation rankings.1 This is partly due to insufficient attention being paid to the
provision of technical education. While enrolment in secondary education more than
doubled from 20.8 million to 46.3 million in the period 1990-2011, enrolment rates for
tertiary level education were just 6 percent for female and 10 percent for male students.2
Technological progress in Africa has also been hampered by a lack of a focus by
education systems on fostering creativity and equipping students with the necessary skills
for knowledge acquisition and problem-solving. Gross domestic expenditure on research
and development remains very low in Africa. It is moreover dominated by the public
sector and skewed towards agriculture; with industrial research institutions generally
receiving low priority. Unfortunately, these public research institutions are also often
weak and insufficiently resourced, with poor linkages with the private sector.
2.5 Building the necessary skills will require coordinated action by governments and
economic actors to develop appropriate national innovation systems encompassing,
among other things, continuous investments in education, research and development,
structured on-the-job skills development programmes and the establishment of technical
training institutes that are closely linked to industry and emerging technical
entrepreneurs. New and strategic partnerships between the public and private sector and
intra-industry, will likely need to be forged at the national, sub regional and regional level
to boost the skills and innovation necessary to drive and sustain Africa’s economic
transformation. Bearing in mind that Africa is seeking to transform at a time of rapid
global developments in technology and innovation, governments will also need to devise
1 The Global Innovation Index 2013.
2 African Development Bank 2014. Tracking Africa’s Progress in Figures. Tunis.
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4. strategies on how to harness new technologies and innovations to realise the potential
embedded in Africa’s youth bulge.
2.6. The good news is that Africa is exposed to a wide range of technological
opportunities for increasing its economic competitiveness. In some areas Africa has the
opportunity to leapfrog technological developments and catapult itself to the frontier of
innovation. For example, technological developments associated with mobile telephony
are making it possible to rapidly move capital to rural areas and across most of Africa.
ICT and biotechnologies are being harnessed to increase food production and the
competitiveness of the continent. At the continental level, a number of framework
programmes have been developed to accelerate Africa’s scientific and technological
development. These efforts may well unlock financial resources for research and
innovation activities in Africa.
3. Overview and Objectives of the AEC Series
3.1 Since its inception in 2006, the AEC series has fostered dialogue and the
exchange of knowledge on a variety of issues and challenges facing Africa (see box 1).
Box 1: Past Themes of the African Economic Conference
• AEC 2006 — Accelerating Africa’s Development Five Years into the 21st Century
• AEC 2007 — Opportunities and Challenges of Development for Africa in the
3.2 The specific objectives of the African Economic Conference series are to:
• promote knowledge management as an important driver of policy
dialogue, good policy planning and implementation;
• foster dialogue that promotes the exchange of ideas and innovative
thinking among researchers, development practitioners and African
policymakers;
• encourage and enhance research on economic and policy issues related to
the development of African economies;
• provide an opportunity for young African researchers, Africans in the
Diaspora, regional and sub-regional organizations to disseminate their
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Global Arena
• AEC 2008 — Globalization, Institutions and Economic Development of Africa
• AEC 2009 — Fostering Development in an Era of Financial and Economic Crises
• AEC 2010 — Setting the Agenda for Africa’s Economic Recovery and Long Term
Growth
• AEC 2011 — Green Economy and Structural Transformation in Africa
• AEC 2012 — Fostering Inclusive and Sustainable Development in Africa in an Age
of Global Economic Uncertainty
• AEC 2013 — Regional Integration in Africa
5. research findings as well as share information with African policymakers
on the work they do in the region
4. Format of the African Economic Conference 2014
4.1 The African Economic Conference 2014 will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
on 1-3 November, 2014. The Conference will provide a unique opportunity for
researchers, policymakers and development practitioners from Africa and elsewhere, to
explore Africa’s existing knowledge generation approaches and frameworks, the efficacy
of its knowledge and innovation institutions in developing needed skills, technology and
innovation capacities. It will look at the policies required in the areas of knowledge
generation and innovation to achieve Africa’s transformation agenda.
4.2 The Conference will comprise a number of plenary sessions as well as break-out
sessions that will feature presentations and discussions by prominent academics, policy
makers, business actors (including emerging technological/digital entrepreneurs and the
youth) and opinion leaders, as well as representatives from development partner
organisations.
4.3 The break-out sessions will allow for more in-depth and technical analyses of
salient issues arising from the thematic focus of the Conference. The sub-themes
suggested below will enable a broad range of discussions on the current state of Africa’s
transformation capacity and generate valuable insights for improved policy making.
4.4 The following sub-thematic areas are proposed:
Knowledge Generation for Structural Transformation
• Role of tertiary institutions in promoting structural transformation
• Assessing the relative contribution of the Sciences and the Arts to transformation
• Best practice in generating knowledge for structural transformation; lessons learnt
from African and other regional experience
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• Financing educational reforms
Addressing the Skills Deficit
• Estimating the magnitude of skills required to achieve economic and social
transformation objectives (analysis by different economic sector or by goal e.g.
breaking into global supply/value chains etc.)
• Best practice in exploiting regional and sub-regional opportunities for skills
development
• Best practice on adapting skills to industry requirements
• Financing skills development
• Industry-government-academia cooperation on skills development
Technology
• Role of technology in social mobility/inequality reduction
• Best practice in fostering technology transfer
6. • Financing technological upgrading
• Innovative strategies for promoting technology commercialization
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Innovation
• Identifying critical innovation barriers and gaps in Africa
• Best practice in financing innovation from public and private sources
• Exploiting regional and sub-regional opportunities for fostering innovation
• Best practice in addressing barriers and empowering youth
4.5 Papers accepted for presentation will comprise original work not previously
published. Young African women and men researchers are especially encouraged to
submit papers. The AEC series is particularly envisaged to provide young African
researchers with the opportunity to share their work with as broad an audience as
possible, with a view to expanding their networks. As is the tradition, a distinguished
panel will assess the papers presented and award a prize to the author of the paper
deemed as the best Conference Paper. The winner will be announced at the closing
ceremony.
5. Time Frame for Submission of Papers
5.1 Authors must follow the instructions on the AEC 2014 website
(www.uneca.org/aec) to submit completed papers.
5.2 Participants and experts submitting papers for the Conference must adhere to the
key deadline dates as stated in table 1:
Table 1: Annotated Time Frame
Annotation Deadline Date
Deadline for paper submission 1 September 2014
Notification of final acceptance 10 October 2014
Submission of revised manuscripts 17 October 2014
Closing of flight bookings 24 October 2014
Conference Dates 1-3 November 2014, Addis Ababa
5.3 Papers will be blind-reviewed by the co-organising institutions. The objective is
to have the highest quality papers presented at the Conference.
6. Expected Outputs
6.1 The outputs of the Conference will include:
• Conference Report: a summary of key findings and messages of key policy and
developmental relevance distilled from conference papers and keynote speeches
7. • Conference Proceedings: a special issue of the African Development Review
containing the most innovative articles of policy and operational relevance, as
well as a proceedings book that publishes selected papers. This double publication
finds useful application in policy making and subsequently in defining
development priorities.
7. Sponsorship
7.1 On submitting their abstracts, authors will be requested to indicate whether they
require support to cover expenses (travel, accommodation and daily subsistence
allowance) associated with their participation at the Conference. Only one author per
paper accepted for presentation will be eligible for support. Support is reserved for
presenters and young researchers from Africa.
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