Visiting academics from the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) of the University of Sussex

Posted on May 26, 2016

"On Monday 23rd May 2016, the Graduate School of Technology Management hosted a delegation of visiting academics from the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) of the University of Sussex, including the director of the unit Professor Johan Schot and several of his colleagues.  The visit was part of SPRU's Africa Engagement Week, where the latter was undertaken in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology and was intended to renew ties between SPRU and local organisations in order to strengthen the country's capability in science, technology and innovation policy.  The week is also part of SPRU's celebration of 50 years as a leading organisation in science and innovation policy.
 
The visit will culminate in a full day conference to be held on the 27th May 2016 at the CSIR.  The conference will present a new agenda for innovation, which is broadly defined as 'transformative change' and is intended to shift innovation policy from being focused purely on firm-level competitiveness to a radical reconfiguration of entire economies and societies in pursuit of a more sustainable framework.  It is proposed that the core challenge or goal of innovation should not be  driven only by competitive pressures and private gain but should increasingly be shaped by broader goals of environmental sustainability and social inclusivity.
 
Discussions at the GSTM with the SPRU delegation covered an introduction to the new agenda for innovation policy and also provided the opportunity for the school to present its own research.  Further interactions are planned."
- Author Prof D Walwyn

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