This document discusses skills for science, technology, and innovation (STI). It defines key terms like research, technology, innovation, and human resources in science and technology. It examines the innovation process and different types of innovations. It also looks at obstacles to innovation from an HR perspective and sources of innovative ideas. The document discusses transformative innovation and a strengths-based approach to education. It analyzes STI skills in Sri Lanka and compares outputs to Australia. Key issues for national innovation systems are identified along with messages about cultivating STI skills from a young age and building collaborations.

1. SET FOR GROWTH –
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
Professor Shantha Liyanage, Business School,
University of Technology, Sydney Australia.
Shantha.liyanage@uts.edu.au

2. Structure of the Presentation
STI people/human resources
Definitions and demarcations?
The process of Innovation - STI skills in the innovation process- research,
technology and commercial processes.
Innovation and Skills
Skills for innovation types – business, operational and products, service
The Global CEO study of IBM – findings –critical skills.
Obstacles to innovation - HR point of view
Transformative Innovation skills
Innovation that connect science, technology, design and arts
Hope, Engagement, Wellbeing and Strength based approach
(Gallup)
Gallup Strength based approach- path to success
Engagement of students in Science, technology innovation education
Declining world trends – what one can do to make education
purposeful and engaging.
Our future skills for transformation

3. STI Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes - what
are they?
• Science
• Technology
• Innovation
• Demystifying what these terms mean (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Mathematics –STEM; STEAM etc).

4. Terminology - Definitions
Researchers are professionals engaged in the conception or creation of new
knowledge. They conduct research and improve or develop concepts, theories,
models, techniques instrumentation, software or operational methods. Frascati
Manual, 2005
Scientists and engineers (S&E) refer to persons who,
working in those capacities, use or create scientific
knowledge and engineering and technological principles,
i.e. persons with scientific or technological training who
are engaged in professional work on science and
technology (S&T) activities, high-level administrators and
personnel who direct the execution of S&T activities.

5. Who is a researcher and what is HRST?
Human resources in science and technology, abbreviated as
HRST, refers to those persons who fulfil one or the other of the
following conditions:
• successfully completed education at the third level
• not formally qualified as above, but employed in a S&T
occupation where the above qualifications are normally
required.
Researchers are professionals engaged in the conception or creation of
new knowledge. They conduct research and improve or develop concepts,
theories, models, techniques instrumentation, software or operational
methods. (Frascati Manual, OECD, 2005)

6. Innovation Process and skills– Types
and Levels of Resource Requirement
Research and Technology
Development
Commercialisation- IP, Venture
Formation, Branding, Marketing

7. Innovation – what is it?
• Scientific, technological and organisational innovation
• Combining scientific and technological knowledge with
business structures
Innovation Types:
• Business model,
• Operational and
• Product/service/markets

8. Source – Expanding the Innovation Horizon – The Global CEO Study
2006, IBM
Most common Business Model Innovations
(percent of respondents)

9. Source – Expanding the Innovation Horizon – The Global CEO Study 2006, IBM
Benefits cited by business model innovators
(percent of respondents)

10. Source – Expanding the Innovation Horizon – The Global CEO Study 2006, IBM
Most Common Operations Innovations (percent of respondents)

11. Source – Expanding the Innovation Horizon – The Global CEO Study 2006, IBM
Most Common Operations products/services/markets
innovations (percent of respondents)

12. Where do the innovative ideas come
from?
• Research –systematic scientific investigations?
• Academia – research led universities?
• Ordinary people - inventors?

13. Source – Expanding the Innovation Horizon – The Global CEO Study 2006, IBM
Most significant sources of innovative
ideas (percent of respondents)

14. What are the obstacles to Innovation?
• People?
• Legislation?
• Innovation culture?
• Inventive structures?

15. Most Significant Obstacle to Innovation (Percent of
respondents) External and Internal to Organisation
Source – Expanding the Innovation Horizon – The Global CEO Study 2006, IBM

16. Source – Expanding the Innovation Horizon – The Global CEO Study 2006, IBM

17. Transformative Innovation
• What is transformative innovation?
• Innovation that are science driven, design lead, human centred,
ethical and purposeful in socially and economically.
• Include organisational innovation which improve efficiency and
service delivery – combine human ingenuity.

18. Hope, Engagement, Wellbeing and
Strength
• Gallup Surveys on Hope, Engagement, Wellbeing and
Strength – What the data shows us about setting for
growth.
• Lessons learned from Gallup’s research on success in
education
(Gallup delivers analytics and advice to help leaders and organisations solve
their most pressing problems. Combining more than 80 years of experience
with its global reach, Gallup knows more about the attitudes and behaviours of
employees, customers, students and citizens than any other organisation in the
world).

23. What is the status of Sri Lanka’s scientific talent
– knowledge, skills and behavioural aspects
• Relatively a small pool of talent
• Dispersed and small learning communities
• Research talent is restricted and confined largely to
Government sector
• Research priorities are not well articulated, hence the “lone
ranger” efforts

24. Science and Technology Personnel
(STP)2004-2006
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
2004 2006 2008
STP
Higher Education State Private Total
STP Include all Scientists a Technologists, Technicians, Supporting Staff
involve in S&T research, Service and Management activities
Science and Technology Policy Research Division, National Science Foundation, Colombo 7 ,
Sri Lanka. www.nsf.ac.lk
Source: R&D Survey 2008

25. Year GDP Per
(Current
price)
Rs. million
GERD
Rs.
Million
(US$)
GERD as
percenta
ge of
GDP
Total
Population
million
GERD Per
million
population
Rs. million
1966 7,529 20 (4.2) 0.30 11.5 1.7
1975 11,100 45(6.4) 0.40 13.5 3.3
1984 142,700 257.0 (9.7) 0.18 15.6 16.5
1993 499,800 649.0(13.1) 0.13* 17.6 36.8
1996 769,900 1,410.0 (23) 0.18 18.3 77.0
2000 1,258,000 1,810.0 (22.9) 0.14* 18.4 98.4
2004 1,800,750 3,807.5 (40.9) 0.21 19.4 196.2
2006 2,939,000 5,119.19
(47.9)
0.17 19.8 258.5
2008 4,410,682 5,047.73
(46.1)
0.11 20.2 249.9
Gross Expenditure in R&D, 2008,
source: National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka, 2008.

26. 0.3
0.4
0.18
0.13
0.18
0.14
0.21
0.17
0.11
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
1966 1975 1984 1993 1996 2000 2004 2006 2008
Expenditure(Rs.Million)
0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.4
0.45
GERDasPercentageofGDP
GERD
GERD%
GERD as percent of GDP, 2008, source: National Science Foundation, Sri Lanka.

28. 0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
Soc Sc and Hum Medical Sc Sc and Eng
2014
2015
Undergraduate Outputs
2014 and 2015
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
Hum and Social
Sc
Medical Sc Science and
Engineering
2014
2015
Postgraduate Outputs
2014 and 2015
Source: Graduate Output statistics, University Grants Commission, Colombo, 2014 and 2015

32. The scale of Australian HE Outputs (similar
population)
Source: Higher Education and Research, Facts and Figures, Universities Australia, Nov 2015.

33. Our Schooling
Experiences

35. What are the key issues for national
innovation system
• Strength of STI System
• Progress in selected sectors – biotechnology, nanotech,
information science
• Clever workforce
• Increase Government commitment
• Weakness of STI system
• Duplication and lack of strategic focus in research
• Quality of training and education – low postgraduate outputs
• Underdevelop innovation and commercialisation
• Collaboration in S&T development
• National
• International

36. Key Messages
• STI knowledge and skills need look beyond the supply model
• Cultivate science, technology and innovation at very young ages – quality teachers and
increase engagement – connect with real world science
• Build collaborations among scientists and research scientists
• Build a critical mass of professional and focus on the key strengths – link with future
industries
• Prepare the work forces to be agile and take up challenges in the 21st century
• Cultivate positive learning and innovative culture with better and effective communication
• Develop human resource capability in research commercialisation and innovation
management
• Develop a collaborative culture amongst Government, Industry, University and Community.