Science and technology are the main drivers of industrial, economic and social development, and university-industry linkages are vital to this process. UNESCO’s University-Industry-Science Partnership (UNISPAR) programme was launched in 1993 to improve the quality of universities in developing countries and encourage them to become more involved in the process of industrialization of their country. To read more about the focus of the UNISPAR programme in the 1990s, click here.

Today, the programme is helping universities in developing countries to forge partnerships with industry, in order to strengthen their capacity for innovation, so that they can embrace the knowledge economy and sustainable development. UNESCO's work includes the following projects:

• Boosting innovation and entrepreneurship in Burkina Faso, Niger and Senegal
• Creating innovation hubs at Arab universities
• Science and technology park governance