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Science & Innovation Policy

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Developing countries are increasingly recognising the importance of science in developing their economies, and the challenges that entails.

Research initiatives/academic groups

Displaying 41-60 of 87 links

HIV Vaccine Trials Network

The HIV Vaccine Trials Network is an international collaboration of scientists from more than 20 institutions worldwide developing and testing HIV vaccines in all phases of clinical trials. The website contains an excellent searchable database of ongoing trials, background information and a media archive, and a summary of major issues discussed at the July 2004 International AIDS Conference in Bangkok presentations

Innovation, sustainability, development: A new manifesto

The STEPS Centre (Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability Centre), at University of Sussex, is creating a manifesto to recommend ways of linking science to development for a sustainable future. The document is intended as an update to 'The Sussex Manifesto' published in 1970.

The website includes articles outlining the project, explaining why a new manifesto is needed and broadly outlining the proposed contents. It also publishes multimedia material — including blogs, video and images — from roundtable events that are being used to help shape the manifesto's agenda.

An interactive timeline of key events in science for development is available, as well as a list of key documents and links.

Institut de Recherche pour le Développement

The IRD is a French public science and technology research institute that conducts research, consultancy and training towards supporting sustainable development in developing countries. The main interest focuses on the relationship between people and the environment, including diseases such as malaria. The IRD website can be read in either French or English, and has background information and press releases on its research activities, and a list of sponsored research centres throughout Central Africa.

Institute for the Study of International Migration

The Institute for the Study of International Migration was founded in 1998 and is affiliated with the law centre at Georgetown University, Washington DC, United States. ISIM focuses on all aspects of international migration, including the causes of and potential responses to population movements, immigration and refugee law and policy, comparative migration studies, the integration of immigrants into their host societies, and the effects of international migration on social, economic, demographic, foreign policy and national security concerns.

Institute of Development Studies

The Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, UK, is one of the world's leading organisations undertaking research and teaching on international development. One of the key themes in IDS research focus on globalisation and the productive sector in developing countries. IDS also offers consultancy and policy advisory services for funding agencies and development organisations.

Institute of Medicine of the National Academies

This organisation provides the US government with independent scientific analysis and advice on health issues through expert panels, including one on tropical diseases such as malaria. Recent major activities include the launch of a new African Science Academies Development Initiative, with the assistance of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM)

The Institute of Tropical Medicine provides training and research into tropical medicine and veterinary health care in developing countries. Its activities include studies on disease control and healthcare systems, education, clinical care, and support for governments and institutions involved in human and animal health. The website provides information about the institute's activities, including research in biomedical sciences, public health and clinical sciences. It also provides access to information about diagnostic supplies, and to resources such as blogs, networks and meetings about global health.

International Association for the Study of Obesity

IASO is an umbrella organisation for 52 national obesity associations across 56 countries. Its mission statement is to "improve global health by promoting the understanding of obesity and weight-related diseases through scientific research and dialogue, whilst encouraging the development of effective policies for their prevention and management."

The organisation is strongly advocacy-based and publishes frequent statements aimed at policymakers on how to tackle obesity. The website also contains detailed data on the global prevalence of obesity. Since obese people are often at high risk for other diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, the website also outlines these risks, offering links to other relevant associations.

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics

This non-profit organisation aims to develop sustainable ecological farming in Africa and India. ICRISAT's mission is "to help empower 600 million poor people to overcome hunger, poverty and a degraded environment in the dry tropics through better agriculture".

ICRISAT's BioPower initiative aims to ensure that bioenergy research benefits the poor. Its activities include analysing bioenergy trends and understanding their repercussions for the poor, and enabling governments to formulate pro-bioenergy policies that benefit poor people.

International Global Change Institute

The IGCI is an independent unit within the University of Waikato, New Zealand with a focus on the human dimensions of global environmental change. The website provides information on IGCI's collaborative research with developing countries, consultancy, professional training and education, and a range of computer models for integrated assessment of climate change issues issues. IGCI has been involved in assisting various developing countries implement the Climate Change convention, projects for adaptation and vulnerability assessment etc. A useful site for policy researchers, scientists, as well as general readers.

Islamic World Academy of Sciences

The IAS was established in 1986 on the recommendation of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH). IAS's stated mission is to "provide an institutional set up for the utilisation of Science and Technology for the development of Islamic countries and humanity at large".

Headquartered in Amman, Jordan, the IAS attempts to serve as a consultative organisation of OIC member countries on matters relating to science and technology; initiate cooperative scientific and technological programmes and activities in science and technology; encourage and promote research on major problems facing OIC member countries; formulate standards of scientific performance and attainment, and to award prizes and honours for outstanding scientific achievements to centres of excellence in all science and technology disciplines.

Knowledge Assessment Methodology

KAM, run by the Knowledge for Development group at the World Bank, is an interactive benchmarking tool that allows countries to measure their success in creating a knowledge-based economy. KAM uses 81 structural and qualitative variables to describe 132 countries' performance on four key aspects of a knowledge economy: incentive and institutional regimes, education, innovation, and information and communications technologies. These variables help show how well an economy is using knowledge to fuel its socio-economic development.

Policymakers and science and development analysts will find KAM useful for creating interactive scorecards, generating indices, monitoring national performances over time and making inter-country comparisons.

Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

The school is an international postgraduate centre of excellence, devoted to research, education and training, and consultancy, with a focus on malaria. The website details the courses and programmes it offers, and has comprehensive coverage of all aspects of attending the school. There are extensive links, including health information for travelling abroad.

Management of Social Transformations Programme

MOST is a UNESCO programme that was created in 1994 to promote international, comparative and policy-relevant research on contemporary social transformations and issues of global importance. Among its aims are to establish sustainable links between social science researchers and decision-makers, and to strengthen scientific, professional and institutional capacities, particularly in developing countries.

Medicines for Malaria Venture

This non-profit organisation funds and coordinates the development of effective and affordable anti-malarial drugs through public-private partnerships. Partners include public health institutions, academic laboratories and pharmaceutical companies, and the World Health Organization's Roll Back Malaria partnership. The website contains relevant news, information and links relating to its wide-ranging project portfolio.

Microbicides Development Programme

The UK-based Microbicides Development Programme, funded by the UK Department International Development (DFID) are engaged in clinical trials of microbicides, in collaboration with a number of research partners in Africa. The website briefly describes the programme and its working groups, and provides contact details and links to research partners.

Migration Policy Institute

The Migration Policy Institute is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank in Washington DC, dedicated to the study of the movement of people worldwide. MPI provides analysis, development, and evaluation of migration and refugee policies at the local, national, and international levels. It aims to meet the rising demand for pragmatic and thoughtful responses to the challenges and opportunities that large-scale migration, whether voluntary or forced, presents to communities and institutions in an increasingly integrated world. The MPI also runs a useful information service.

MIT Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering

The website of the department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States, provides information on current and past research in areas including nuclear reactions (fusion and fission) and security. It also hosts reports about nuclear energy's future, and publishes events, sources of information, news and undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The department aims to advance nuclear science and engineering to benefit society and the environment.

National Academy of Sciences of Bolivia (ANCB)

The National Academy of Sciences of Bolivia is a public, autonomous institution,dedicated to the promotion of science through research.  And fostering science, technology and innovation through its different institutes and affiliated organizations.

Nuffield Council on Bioethics

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics is an independent UK organisation that was established in 1991 to identify, examine and report on the ethical questions raised by recent advances in biological and medical research. The Council has recently completed a three-year study of the ethics of research related to healthcare in developing countries. This substantial website provides information about the project, including the full text of the final report.