By Eddah Waithaka
On Wednesday, 6 March, the 3rd EAC Regional Conference on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) opened in Nairobi.
The conference, which runs until Friday 8 March 2024, is jointly hosted by the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO) and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA).
Under the auspices of the East African Community (EAC), the conference is being held in collaboration with various STI stakeholders in the region and globally to provide an avenue for sharing experiences, best practices and applications of STI results.
The STI Conference will enhance networking among researchers, technology developers and innovators; provide a platform for stakeholders to set the agenda, priorities and niches for STI in the region; strengthen linkages and partnerships between academia, industry and the public sector; increase stakeholder awareness on priority issues for research, extension services, teaching and learning; and enhance capacity for benchmarking research performance in the region.
The overarching theme of the conference is, “Accelerating development and diffusion of Science, Technology and Innovation solutions for a green, inclusive and resilient East Africa.”
In a speech read on behalf of Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu, he said Kenya plans to have at least one national polytechnic in each of the 47 counties.
“The Draft Sessional Paper on Education 2024 proposes a 2% allocation for research, with at least a third of this amount going to TVETS and another third to universities.”
Also speaking at the conference, EASTECO Executive Secretary, Dr Sylvance Okoth, said the conference would provide an important forum for the exchange of scientific information, creating new links and strengthening bonds of collaboration.
“We will be listening to outputs of scientific production in both oral and poster presentations; interact with exhibitions of scientific innovations; and witness intellectual discourse.”
For his part, the Executive Secretary of the IUCEA, Prof Gaspard Banyankimbona, underlined the importance of using research to improve the livelihoods of people.
“We firmly believe that research, development, and innovation (RDI) are not mere academic pursuits but the very engines driving knowledge, fostering collaborative problem-solving, and propelling the creation of impactful solutions to the challenges we face collectively.”
During the event, the EASTECO Regional Policy on STI and the Regional Policy on on Intellectual Property were also launched.
The meeting brings together various stakeholders in the STI system, including policy makers, industry players, academics, researchers, innovators, students and development partners.
The conference will be a hybrid of face-to-face and virtual platforms. Activities will include a high-level political dialogue, plenary sessions, an exhibition and a ministerial meeting.
Special sessions will be held at the request of partners and will include a youth engagement session on future technologies and innovation and a session on promoting entrepreneurship through education, research and development.
The Treaty establishing the East African Community (EAC) recognises science and technology as a key driver for sustainable socio-economic development in the region.
Furthermore, the EAC Vision 2050 emphasizes STI as one of the key drivers for sustainable socio-economic development and calls on higher education institutions to integrate research and innovation into the socio-economic transformation of the region.
Also Read:https://switchmedianews.wordpress.com/2024/03/06/kenya-and-indonesia-set-to-boost-mining-by-implementing-mou/
