COVIDSET2015 6th Regional Conference of Vice Chancellors Provosts, Deans of Science, Engineering & Technology

1. Address by Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng, Senior programmes Specialist for Science and
technology in Africa and Coordinator of ANSTI, UNESCO Region Office for
Southern Africa
On the occasion of the 6th
Regional Conference of Vice Chancellors, Provost and
Deans of Science and Technology in Africa
5 October, 2015, Nike Resort Enugu, Nigeria
 Your Excellency Rt. Hon Ifenyichukwu Ugwayi, Executive Governor of
Enugu State
 Professor Benjamin Ozumba, Vice Chancellor of the University of
Nigeria, Nsuka our host
 Professor George Magoha, Chairman of ANSTI Governing Council and
GC members
 Professor Francisca Okeke, Dean of Faculty of Physical Sciences,
University of Nigeria and Chair of the LOC and LOC members
 Dr Anthony Anuforom, Our Keynote Speaker
 Distinguished Vice Chancellors, Provost of Colleges and Deans of
Faculties of Engineering and Science (from Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana,
Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone,
South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the United States.) With
colleague academics and policy makers joining in live from all over the
world.
 Madam Winfred Oyo-Ita, PS Federal Ministry of Science and
Technology, Nigeria
 Representatives from Government,
 Prominent scientists and engineers, policy makers,
 Development partners,
 Colleagues from the United Nations,
 Ladies and Gentlemen,

2. A very good morning to all of you.
It is my pleasure to be part of this 6th
UNESCO ANSTI Flagships biennial event
which was first held in Accra, Ghana in 2005. After 10 years we are here again as
partners, colleagues and friends to deliberate on higher education training
training and research and to identify strategic issues for enhancing relevance of
SETI in Africa’s development agenda, the post 2015 and develop action concrete
actions for making science and engineering work for Africa’s sustainable
development.
Distinguished Vice Chancellors, Provosts Deans, Experts and policy makers, Africa
is endowed with human and rich natural resources with over 50% of the
continents population under the age of 35 years with an average GDP of 5%; but
face challenges of poverty, youth unemployment and rapid urbanisation. These
challenges can be attributed to low investment in education and training,
research and innovation in science technology engineering and innovation (SETI).
There is evidence that countries that systematically invested in niche areas of
science and engineering have made great socioeconomic strides.
Results all over Africa however indicates low numbers of scientist and engineers
with about only 1 in 1000 students pursuing engineering with fewer of them
being women. We know that if Africa has to competitive on the global market we
must invest, innovate, develop the right competences and use science,
engineering technology and innovation (SETI) to transform our natural and human
resource capability into value added goods, processes and service.
The new sustainable development agenda requires a paradigm shift in Africa
which necessitates a substantive investment in market oriented human capital
development to create the needed critical mass of experts. And the onus is on all
of us. The new sustainable development goals offer great opportunity for African
governments and universities to develop South-South and North-South
partnerships and collaborations to build the required human capital for
sustainable socioeconomic transformation of the continent.

3. UNESCO’s strategic response to African countries has been in two folds:
strengthening science technology and innovation and policies- nationally,
regionally and globally and promotion of international scientific cooperation on
critical challenges to sustainable development. This UNESCO-ANSTI COVIDSET
Initiative in Africa is one of the programmes to raise awareness in science and
engineering education and to facilitate capacity development in this area. There
are a few of us who have followed COVIDSET for the last 10 years and will attest
to how this forum has shaped their lives, directed our career paths, enhanced our
partnerships and provided us lasting collaborations. It is always a great reunion of
Africa’s great minds in science and engineering. And we hope this year’s will build
on the successes of the previous COVIDSETs in Ghana, South Africa, Uganda,
South Africa and Botswana.
The aim of COVIDSET is to provide a forum for university leaders, policy makers,
academics, development partners, international scientific and engineering
networks and private sector to deliberate on why, what and how to forge ahead
in providing solutions to incipient challenges and opportunities and the new wave
of economic resurgence of Africa presents under the strategic intent:
University Education & Training in Science, Engineering and Technology in Africa
- Post 2015
Subthemes:
1. State of SETI Education in Africa Challenges and opportunities post 2015
2. Climate change and sustainable development: The role of research
institutions and universities in Africa
3. Making SETI relevant for youth employ-ability post 2015
4. Research commercialization and higher education financing.
Expected outcomes:

4.  Opportunities presented in the Sustainable Development Goals identified
for articulating science, technology and innovation for Africa’s socio-
economic transformation
 Stakeholders better informed on opportunities presented by the new
economic development paradigm of SETI in the new Africa 2063
development agenda and specifically STISA 2024
 Concrete action plan proposed for enhancing research commercialisation
and market driven employ-ability of young people to enhance attainment
of the post2015 Sustainable development Goals (SDGs).
 Proceeding of the conference published and disseminated as reference on
position of Africa’s higher education in science and technology.
Thank you all for making time to be here and we look forward to a fruitful
deliberation with recommendations and action plan for the way forward.
We