Academic institutions (as exemplified by UG) can provide evidence-based
knowledge and advanced solutions for a broad range of economic sectors, such as
agriculture, water and sanitation, health and energy, among others. The SDGs
provide an important framework for guiding the formulation, implementation and
monitoring of research activities as they relate to development.
Enhancing the collaboration between academia and stakeholders from industry
and government can contribute towards meeting national targets related to SDG4
(Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry,
Innovation and Infrastructure) as well as SDG 12 (Sustainable Production and
Consumption) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals) (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). This
showcases that such partnerships are important avenues for catalysing progress
across multiple SDG (and individual targets), thus adding tremendous value in
national efforts for achieving sustainable development. Government can play a
key role in setting up systems and structures that can advance such partnerships,
further supporting academic institutions in Ghana (and possibly elsewhere in SSA)
to foster innovation and technological development for sustainability.
The government can create supportive contexts to facilitate the fruitful international engagement and strong funding mechanisms for research and innovation
(Pogodaeva et al. 2015). For example, through the Africa Centers of Excellence
Project
11
, West and Central African governments receive funds as loans from the
World Bank to find solutions to regional development challenges. Experts are
trained in various research fields to deliver high quality training and applied
research.
The government can also act as a facilitator by ensuring the viability of these
partnerships through specific policies that reflect the institutional mandates and
priorities of each partner. The UK Government, for example, announced in late
2015 the GBP 1.5 billion Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)
12 to support
cutting-edge research that addresses the challenges faced by developing countries.
GCRF is creating complimentary programmes alongside other partners to promote
challenge-led disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, including the participation
of researchers who may not previously considered the applicability of their work to
development issues. These collaborations can be reinforced through formal and
informal partnering agreements that include equitable intellectual property and
commercial rights, in order to maintain openness, transparency and flexibility for
all. This ensures that research benefits are equitably shared among all partners in
relation to intellectual property, data sharing and ownership.
Finally, as the positive outcomes of such collaborations will be felt directly or
indirectly across society, there is a need for policies that support or enhance
participatory and coordination processes between the different types of stakeholders.
The application of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to Ghana’s Poverty
Reduction Strategy (GPRS) in 2004, for example, allowed a wide range of
11 For more information, see https://ace.aau.org/about/
12 For more information, see https://www.ukri.org/research/global-challenges-research-fund/
8 Strategic Partnerships Between Universities and Non-academic Institutions for. . .
271
knowledge and advanced solutions for a broad range of economic sectors, such as
agriculture, water and sanitation, health and energy, among others. The SDGs
provide an important framework for guiding the formulation, implementation and
monitoring of research activities as they relate to development.
Enhancing the collaboration between academia and stakeholders from industry
and government can contribute towards meeting national targets related to SDG4
(Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry,
Innovation and Infrastructure) as well as SDG 12 (Sustainable Production and
Consumption) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals) (Chap. 1 Vol. 1). This
showcases that such partnerships are important avenues for catalysing progress
across multiple SDG (and individual targets), thus adding tremendous value in
national efforts for achieving sustainable development. Government can play a
key role in setting up systems and structures that can advance such partnerships,
further supporting academic institutions in Ghana (and possibly elsewhere in SSA)
to foster innovation and technological development for sustainability.
The government can create supportive contexts to facilitate the fruitful international engagement and strong funding mechanisms for research and innovation
(Pogodaeva et al. 2015). For example, through the Africa Centers of Excellence
Project
11
, West and Central African governments receive funds as loans from the
World Bank to find solutions to regional development challenges. Experts are
trained in various research fields to deliver high quality training and applied
research.
The government can also act as a facilitator by ensuring the viability of these
partnerships through specific policies that reflect the institutional mandates and
priorities of each partner. The UK Government, for example, announced in late
2015 the GBP 1.5 billion Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF)
12 to support
cutting-edge research that addresses the challenges faced by developing countries.
GCRF is creating complimentary programmes alongside other partners to promote
challenge-led disciplinary and interdisciplinary research, including the participation
of researchers who may not previously considered the applicability of their work to
development issues. These collaborations can be reinforced through formal and
informal partnering agreements that include equitable intellectual property and
commercial rights, in order to maintain openness, transparency and flexibility for
all. This ensures that research benefits are equitably shared among all partners in
relation to intellectual property, data sharing and ownership.
Finally, as the positive outcomes of such collaborations will be felt directly or
indirectly across society, there is a need for policies that support or enhance
participatory and coordination processes between the different types of stakeholders.
The application of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to Ghana’s Poverty
Reduction Strategy (GPRS) in 2004, for example, allowed a wide range of
11 For more information, see https://ace.aau.org/about/
12 For more information, see https://www.ukri.org/research/global-challenges-research-fund/
8 Strategic Partnerships Between Universities and Non-academic Institutions for. . .
271