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Science & Innovation Policy: Innovation policy

Editorials

Here is a list of the latest articles

Agriculture experts use an app for mobile devices

Technical creativity needs nurturing at the grassroots

Efforts to promote sustainable development must tap into technologies developed locally, driven by community needs and priorities.

2 May 2012 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

WHO director general Margaret Chan, World Health Assembly 2011

We need a global treaty on health research for the poor

It's time to move from debate to action with new mechanisms for funding research into diseases faced by developing countries.

20 April 2012 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Earth from space

Science must guide us towards a more sustainable future

A meeting in London this week will show whether science can not only diagnose our environmental crisis but also provide effective solutions.

23 March 2012 | EN | ES | 中文

Earth from space

How not to move forward on achieving sustainability

A new intergovernmental panel would not be the best way of tackling the multifaceted challenges of sustainable development.

10 February 2012 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Protest on Tahrir square

Egypt: from revolutionary spirit to scientific progress

One year after Egypt's revolution, enthusiasm and prospects for science are high — but still need translation into a fully functioning system.

27 January 2012 | EN | FR | 中文

Climate sceptics get less press in developing countries

Sustainable innovation: the key to global development

Next year's Rio+20 meeting must put science-based innovation at the heart of the development agenda. But the real battle will be political.

11 November 2011 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Girl selling bananas, Uganda

Uganda should rethink its decision on World Bank funding

Millennium Science Initiative funding has produced an impressive range of projects in Uganda. The government is wrong to bring it to an end.

16 September 2011 | EN | FR | 中文

Vilasrao Deshmukh

Science ministers must take their job seriously

Crucial development opportunities may be lost without committed science ministers.

5 August 2011 | EN | ES | 中文

A researcher in the bio lab

R&D survey is a chance to move African science forward

African countries now have a snapshot of their science spending. They should use it to improve policy and address development priorities.

27 May 2011 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Science evaluation needs a rethink

Evaluating science in a knowledge economy needs more than just academic criteria.

14 January 2011 | EN | ES | 中文

Brazil's lessons on science for development

Brazil must ensure its support for science becomes long-term commitment, not one restricted to the mandate of a particular government.

18 June 2010 | EN | ES | 中文

Spotlight on satellites for disaster management

Satellites can save lives from natural disasters but developing countries risk missing the opportunity through poor political support.

11 November 2009 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Rhetoric and instability stunt Latin American science

A majority of Latin American countries suffer from worthy talk but little stable R&D funding. Long-term strategies should be a priority.

3 September 2009 | EN | ES

Systems of innovation: Their time has come

Academics have long argued for developing countries to adopt "systems of innovation". Now it looks like politicians have got the message.

31 July 2009 | EN | ES

The real 'two cultures' divide

An influential lecture on the cultural significance of science remains as relevant today as when it was delivered 50 years ago.

21 May 2009 | EN | ES | 中文

Time to rethink intellectual property laws?

Patents on scientific knowledge may not be as useful — or valuable — as many claim them to be.

23 January 2009 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

2009: Will a crisis turn into an opportunity?

Science can help developing countries facing commodity-price and climate turmoil: the biggest challenge is how to ensure it does.

9 January 2009 | EN | ES | FR | 中文

Tackling the MDGs requires an innovation-based approach

A commitment to development-oriented innovation should be high on the agenda at the upcoming MDG summit in New York.

12 September 2008 | EN | ES | FR

Rice scientists

Bridging the divide between science and politics

A new study confirms the valuable role of 'intermediary organisations' in bringing scientific and policy-making communities closer together.

29 August 2008 | EN | ES | 中文

ripe coffee beans

Don't let price rises blow development off course

Commodity price rises are no substitute for long-term investment in infrastructure and capacity as a means of securing sustained development.

8 August 2008 | EN | 中文