Photo of some participants at the training
On 17 and 20 December 2021, UNESCO hosted a national capacity-building workshop in Ghana on the Global Observatory of Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy Instruments (GO-SPIN) methodology. The training's goal is to help stakeholders in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) better analyze Ghana's policies in order to identify policy gaps and ensure policies are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely).
The two-day hybrid GO-SPIN workshop held at the Oak Plaza Hotel in Accra forms part of the ongoing UNESCO Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) project in six African countries (Congo, Ghana, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zimbabwe) to strengthen national and regional STI policies and governance, and institutions in research and innovation in line with the UNESCO's 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers (RS|SR).
The RS|SR is a standard-setting instrument that was adopted by member states in 2017 that serves as a checklist to ensure that societies responsibly use knowledge from all fields of science (natural, social, and human), protect scientific researchers' rights and working conditions, and provide adequate financial and institutional support to scientists.
At the training, Mr Guillermo Lemarchand, UNESCO’s Expert explained to participants key concepts of STI policies and policy instruments using global and regional examples, as well as using the GO-SPIN platform’s indicators and survey for data collection on the country’s STI landscape, legal frameworks, and operational policy instruments to monitor Ghana’s implementation of its STI policy and the RS|SR.
Participants expressed that the workshop had improved their capacities and knowledge of the interrelationship of STI policy with all other policy domains, and the need for improved coordination and cooperation among all ministries, academia, civil society, and the private sector to ensure sustainable development within the country.
Stakeholders who participated in the GO-SPIN workshop include MESTI, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), CSIR – Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI), University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ashesi University, African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS)-Ghana, Ghana Statistical Service, Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), CSIR-Soil Research, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ministry of Communication and Digitization, Ghana Institution of Engineering (GhIE), Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Solutions (ISEES), UNESCO Accra Office and the media.
Additional articles:
News Report by MyJoyOnline.com
News Report by Ghanaian Times
