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Science & Innovation Policy: Innovation policy

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Displaying 1-18 of 18 links

Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration

An international non-governmental organisation run from Canada (formerly known as RAFI — the Rural Advancement Foundation International). Dedicated to the 'socially responsible development of technologies useful to rural societies', the ETC group has taken the lead on various campaigns on the impact of intellectual property on agriculture and world food security. The website includes ETC 'comment' articles which are generally opposed to GM technology.

Asia-Pacific National Innovation Systems Online Resource Centre

This online resource centre, run by the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer and Technology, aims to raise policymakers' awareness of the importance of innovation for sustainable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region.

The website features a directory of grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge. It also publishes information on discussion forums, workshops and seminars, as well as detailed case studies of innovation systems and policy measures in several countries. It provides inks to useful resources and relevant organisations by country.

D-Lab

D-Lab, run by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is a programme of academic courses aimed at developing and implementing low-cost technologies to address poverty. Its approach is based on building partnerships and promoting capacity building, local innovation and indigenous knowledge.

The website contains information on its sixteen courses, and projects developed through the programme. Instructions on how to implement certain projects — such as making charcoal from agricultural waste — are also included.

 

Futures Agriculture

This organisation aims to encourage dialogue and the sharing of good practice by policymakers and opinion leaders on the future of agricultural growth in Africa. It covers topic areas such as climate change, land use, policy processes and science, technology and innovation. The website publishes free to access publications, lists of relevant events and fellowships, and online discussions on issues including small-scale agriculture. It also provides access to resources for policy engagement, such as policy briefs, and a regularly updated list of relevant organisations and websites.

Grassroots Innovations

This academic initiative aims to improve understanding of how activists lead the way towards bottom-up solutions for sustainable development, including renewable energy initiatives, eco-housing and local food schemes. It also offers policy advice on how these initiatives can be supported.

The website is aimed at policymakers, academics and development practitioners. It provides brief summaries of current research, links to published material, including a literature review, a working paper and articles published in peer-reviewed journals, as well as upcoming events.

Innovation Portal

An initiative of the Indian Department of Science Technology and the Confederation of Indian Industry, the Innovation Portal publishes information on innovations, patent procedures and trade fairs for Indian companies. It hosts a discussion forum where individuals can post problems or queries — providing a way for industry to communicate its technological needs.

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.

International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES)

The International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) is an international network that aims to increase the presence of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) decision-making bodies, and to promote the exchange of information, networking, and advocacy among science organisations. The website features a list of members, partners and sponsors. It provides information about programmes and projects, news, events, as well as publications on gender equity including reports and newsletters.

Learning Innovation Knowledge (LINK)

LINK is a network of regional innovation policy studies hubs set up by the UN University and the Food and Agriculture Organization. It aims to improve understanding of innovation for a new rural economy in developing countries. LINK publishes a monthly news bulletin along with information on ongoing research projects and events related to innovation studies. Its website also links to relevant articles, reports and presentations.

Practical Action

Practical Action aims to alleviate poverty by improving access to technologies and knowledge in poor communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America. It works in collaboration with communities, and campaigns for change in policies and systems of innovation.

The website contains information on completed and existing projects, upcoming events, and blog posts discussing relevant issues. It also offers an extensive document library of position papers, manuals and reports.

Prolinnova

This programme was set up by several nongovernmental organisations to promote sustainable agriculture and natural resource management in developing nations. It aims to facilitate the use of indigenous knowledge to help farmers devise systems to cope with change, achieve food security, sustain livelihoods and protect the environment. It also works towards integrating local innovations into formal agricultural research.

The website offers information on projects arranged by country and project theme, as well as relevant news and events. It also publishes extensive resources including links to publications, training materials and a gallery with audiovisual resources.

Schlumberger Foundation: Faculty for the Future Programme (FFTF)

The Faculty for the Future (FFTF) programme, launched in 2004 by the Schlumberger Foundation, offers fellowships that enable women from developing countries to pursue doctoral and postdoctoral studies in the physical sciences at the world's top academic institutions. The website provides information on the application process as well as a link to the online application site that becomes active during the award session, which runs from September to November each year. Profiles of FFTF Fellows are available, as well as conference proceedings, videos and programme statistics.

Tech2transfer

Tech2transfer is an initiative of the Confederation of Indian Industry and the UN Industrial Development Organization's International Centre for Advancement of Manufacturing Technology. It disseminates new technologies in Indian industry by connecting companies to science and technology organisations, undertaking feasibility studies for new technologies, providing policy inputs to government and using public-private partnerships to promote an innovation 'culture' in India.

Tech2transfer publishes information on technologies from different industrial sectors, including ownership profiles, descriptions of how the technologies work, how they are applied, and  their advantages and disadvantages.

The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR)

The Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) aims to improve agricultural research for development by connecting agricultural research and innovation systems with farmers and societies.

It hosts discussion fora for registered users and a library of more than 1000 relevant documents. It also publishes news and job and event announcements and contributes to the agricultural news aggregator, AgriFeeds.

The Honey Bee Network

The Honey Bee Network brings together innovators, academics, policymakers, entrepreneurs and nongovernmental organisations to collect, document, and disseminate innovations and practices at the grassroots level. These range from traditional crops and agricultural techniques to machines that reduce labour inputs or costs.

The website provides access to an innovation database containing ideas, inventions and traditional knowledge practices; a newsletter published in seven Indian languages and English; and innovation competitions. Twice each year, members of the organisation participate in the Shodh Yatra journey in which they visit rural communities to identify and document examples of unrecognised local ingenuity.

 

UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW)

The UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), established by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), is a policymaking organisation committed to gender equality and women's advancement worldwide. It prepares reports and gives recommendations to the ECOSOC on promoting women's rights in education, for example, and advises the council on women's rights problems. The website provides information on the commission's mandate, procedures and agreements. It also provides access to documents associated with their 55th session that focused on women and girls' access and participation in education, training and science and technology.

US Patent and Trademark Office

The USPTO website contains very detailed and up-to-date information on the US patent and trademark systems. It also contains a patent database allowing for searches for all patents issued since 1790. Full texts of all patents issued since 1976 can also be downloaded.

WaterLex

WaterLex is an international organisation that aims to improve water governance using a human rights-based approach. It aims to involve people at the local level and from a range of sectors, to achieve sustainable access to water — particularly for poor and vulnerable populations. Its website hosts an Online Campus, which offers e-courses in water governance and human rights, as well as news, free-access resources, a discussion forum and information on how to sign up as a member.