Meeting at the Latvian Academy of Sciences on the evolving role of academic institutions in Latvia

The UniDev Latvian team took part in the organisation of a regular meeting of the Latvian Academy of Sciences entitled “The evolving role of academic institutions in Latvia: challenges and perspectives” which was held on 14 December 2006 in Riga, Latvia. Presentations were given by representatives from the Ministry of Education and Science, the University of Latvia, the Transport and Telecommunication Institute and the Latvian Academy of Sciences. They were followed by a general discussion with contribution made by several invited discussants. The meeting altogether was attended by around 40 people representing high-level personnel both from the public authorities and the academic community (academy, research institutes, higher education establishments). (more…)

Universities and Development: Third Role and Social Inclusion

Montevideo, Uruguay, 23 November, 2006-12-20

1.- Framework

This workshop was conceived as an opportunity to present the results of the case study “Universidad de la República”, which followed the guidelines of the UniDev project, and to share the first results of an exploration of the direct linkages between academic research and social inclusion.
Which should be the “third role” of universities, moreover, of public universities? This is a controversial question, not only in the developing world. On the one hand, we have the controversy around the “new” third role of universities: should it be committed to economic development or to development tout court? On the other hand, we have the controversy, mainly present in Latin American public universities, around the “classical” third role: how should extension, born as the third mission in the early XX Century, be conceived today? How should the notion of solidarity be understood nowadays, in the knowledge society, from a university perspective? (more…)

Appropriation of Biotechnology in Vietnam

I. Context:
- Role of Biotech for development has got widespread recognition among developing countries, including Vietnam
- In Vietnam, there are many official documents and policies of the government on development of Biotech. Biotech development and application in Vietnam is mainly intended for:
+ Agriculture
+ Healthcare
+ Environment
- In the context of a latecomer economy, there is a necessity for comparison and mutual learning between Vietnamese communities working on biotech and other partners, national and international.
- There are several similar activities related to biotech innovation study that has been conducted. Some of them are relevant to Vietnam context. First of all, one should mention IDRC supported UNU-MERIT (formerly UNU-Intech) study on biomedical innovation activity. This study is conducted in several countries in Africa and Asia like Tanzania, Vietnam, Malaysia. However, this study is very much on general issues and sector mapping rather than looking at specific features of university research and commercialization. (more…)

The recent evolution of the Biotech local innovation system of Minas Gerais: university local firms and transnational corporations

1. The Evolution of the Biotech Innovation System of Minas Gerais
During the last decade, the Brazilian private biotechnology sector has quickly expanded. In 1993, there were 76 biotechnology firms in Brazil; by 2001, their number had increased to 354. Approximately 70% are local private firms, 25% are multinational and 5% are state-owned firms. Of their combined products, 26% are for the health care market and the rest are for agricultural, environmental and industrial fields.

Health biotech evolved in Brazil through a combination of high scientific capacity and policies geared towards fostering spin-off firms from university research. One of the most interesting experiences happened in the Southeast State of Minas Gerais. Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais State, has played an active role in building up biotech capability in Brazil. By 2000 the city hosted thirty-five biotech firms located in both its urban metropolitan area and smaller regional cities of Minas Gerais, as shown in Table 1. (more…)

Proposal for the case study on the appropriation of bio-tech

Biotechnology has established scientific traditions and a strong research potential in Latvia developed already in the soviet times thereby positioning Latvia as a respectable scientific centre in the region. While following the restoration of independence of Latvia and the respective political and economic changes in the 1990ties there was a substantial slowdown in this field, in the last decade biotechnology has also become one of the key national priorities in the field of science defined by the Cabinet of Ministers. (more…)

Linkages between bio-innovation, knowledge production and policy

1. Introduction
There is probably no better example of the necessary interaction between scientific and technological research and innovation than biotechnology. The following statement from Chris Freeman could have been inspired by life sciences related innovation:
… what is at issue is the ability of a national science and technology system to make use of the results of world science to advance national technology. It is certainly the case that it is impossible to understand and assimilate new advances in many branches of science without an active participation in the world scientific community. Moreover, it is also the case that the interdependence of science and technology is increasing and some of the most important generic new technologies are intimately related to basic science (Freeman 1987: 30).
Bio-innovation, that is, the ensemble of new products and services derived from the exploitation of new knowledge in life sciences, can be included in what current literature terms a sectoral systems of innovation. (more…)

Transfer from University to Industry

1. Background
The rapid development and industrialization of biotechnology started at the beginning of 1980s in China. In order to promote the development of biotechnology and the bio-tech industry effectively, the Chinese government lists biotechnology as the preferential field in the national science and technology development, and adopts a series of valid measures. For example, establishing the National Leadership Group for the Promotion of Bio-tech Development and Industrialization to guide and coordinate the nationwide development and industrialization of biotechnology, listing the biotechnology as a key field in the National Middle and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan, further increasing the R&D fund, and establishing national bio-tech industry bases. Through more than 20 years’ development, the total level of Chinese biotechnology has taken the leading place among the developing countries, and achieves the advanced level in the world partly. The bio-tech industry has primarily formed in China.

For the Chinese public science and technology resources has been leaned to the research institutions for a long time, the bio-tech R&D strength is mainly concentrated in the research institutions that belong to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture. The bio-tech R&D capabilities of Chinese universities are relative weaker, and most universities are mainly engaged in the training of bio-tech professionals. (more…)

Private and public appropriation of biotechnology

Introduction and objectives
Biotechnology is one of the key enabling technologies and has become a driving force of dramatic changes of the innovation process in various sectors. Not surprisingly, the promotion of biotechnology has been on the agenda of nearly every European country since the 1990s.

The development and implementation of biotechnology is rather di-verse across countries and also within countries. This could be explained partly by his-torical, geographical, economic or demographic factors. However, governmental policy approaches are an important key for understanding why biotechnology shows such large differences in growth patterns between countries. (more…)

The Role of Academic Institutions in Tanzania and Mozambique

1.0 Background and Rationale
Application of biotechnology provide new and promising opportunities for achieving greater food security, reducing poverty and improving the quality and standard of living of marginalized people in the developing world. The number and scope of biotechnology applications are expanding not only in the developed countries but also in poor countries such as African countries.

Although Tanzania and Mozambique see biotechnology as a promising tool, which could rapidly enhance their socio-economic development, the level of biotechnology research, development and utilization in both countries is still in its infancy. The progress in the adoption and utilization of this technology in both Tanzania and Mozambique has remained rather slow. However the two countries are picking up quickly, with the agricultural sector being the most active. Currently, there are several public, private and non governmental institutions that are involved in biotechnology research at different levels in both Tanzania and Mozambique. (more…)