THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL PARK OF SENEGAL

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1 Recteur Abdou Salam Sall, Dakar University, Senegal THE SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL PARK OF SENEGAL The 21 st century is making ever greater use of knowledge and know-how in every sector of economic and social life. In a knowledge society, innovation, and scientific creation in particular, takes on ever greater importance as the competition between regions is stepped up in a globalized world. This means that every subcomponent must make the most of its initial comparative advantages and espose them to an ever more demanding international community. In this irreversible process, the various segments of society initiate and perpetuate a number of different partnership systems. These include, for example, from the strategic perspective, interrelationships between universities and the government and private sector. Such groupings work synergistically with international partners. Many emerging economies currently lack the capacity to meet their needs for technology transfers in support of sustainable development. This specific context is what has given rise to the idea of creating a scientific and technological park. A scientific and technological park taps the expertise found at the university level to the greatest possible extent. It will take account of commercial interests in its research and marketing, as well as of joint ventures, foreign direct investment, and the multiplicity of connections with global networks. A scientific and technological park in Africa will also serve as a link between sustainable development and technology-driven economic development. The Scientific and Technological Park will allow for a geographic concentration of

2 enterprises that are intimately involved in high intensity technological processes. In 2001, a small group met in Nairobi to take stock of how Africa might make use of lessons learned from the sciences in its development process. The same group was called together again in Beijing in 2002 to examine the question of sustainable development. The meeting, organized by the United Nations, expressed support for the model of scientific and technological parks to promote Africa s entry into the knowledge economy. Accordingly, the United Nations organized a meeting in Philadelphia in 2003 with representatives of selected African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Senegal, and others) to evaluate their capacity to host a scientific park. After these countries' contributions were heard, Senegal and Ghana were selected for evaluation in greater detail. The United Nations recommended the establishment of a working party with core membership of three persons, representing the private sector, government, and the university community respectively. The President of Senegal selected a private sector representative from the information and communications technology (ICT) area, the Minister of Industry proposed the Director of APROSI (Agency to Develop and Promote Industrial Sites), and the University of Dakar selected a colleague specialized in biotechnology. The group was chaired by the Research Director of UCAD (Cheikh Anta Diop University), himself a specialist in fish parasites. The group was then broadened by including professionals from clothing manufacture. After the evaluation phase was completed, Senegal and Ghana were selected to receive United Nations support in the creation of scientific parks. After an analysis of Senegal s scientific potential, geographic position, relations with the private sector, and accelerated growth strategy, the country embarked on the effort to build a scientific and technological park. The process was aimed at creating jobs while simultaneously improving the research environment. The scientific park should thus also serve as a catalyst for enterprise development in Senegal. The process will be dynamic, and every time a critical mass of research coincides with a commercial activity, it will be transferred to the scientific park, if necessary through incubators at the university level. 2

3 At the outset, the scientific park will be focused on four areas: Information and Communications Technologies; Biotechnology; Clothing manufacture; Aquaculture. Establishment of the Scientific and Technological Park of Senegal through a University Government Private Sector partnership will contribute to an improvement in the working environment of researchers. Information and communications technologies UCAD has trained a sizable number of computer specialists. It currently has over three hundred students specializing in information technology areas. Thanks to cooperation between universities, UCAD is beginning to have instructional staff with PhDs in the field. In addition to its 3 km fiber optic network, UCAD has a 2 MB bandwidth which has just been upgraded to 10 MB. In addition, the telecom operator has over 450 MB of shareable bandwidth and many Senegalese in the diaspora have expertise in this area. A good many of them have their own firms in France, the United Kingdom, the United States, etc. Activities targeting ICT at the Scientific and Technological Park Computer assembly; Software development; Development of remote services (call centers, data processing centers, etc.); Development of multimedia facilities for promoting cultural industries (music, videos, etc.). Objectives Creation of 20,000 jobs over a five-year period. 3

4 ICT contribution to GDP of 15 percent. Recommendations National ICT strategy as an integral part of the national development strategy; Look upon ICT not just as an economic subsector, but also and especially as a factor affecting the enhanced competitiveness of organizations; Need to incorporate a regional strategy; Key role to be played by the state, which must be a model user of ICT (gradual movement away from paper-based supports for selected administrative procedures, outsourcing of applications, etc.). In support of this sector, UCAD, in partnership with SONATEL, will introduce a master's degree in telecommunications. BIOTECHNOLOGY UCAD has a biotechnology laboratory. It has demonstrated skill in the in vitro reproduction of plants. The scientific potential of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, as well as the doctoral training program in the utilization of biodiversity focused on medicinal plants, are such that an initiative on the quality control and production of medicines is warranted. The Food Technology Institute (Institut de Technologie Alimentaire ITA) has developed a number of industrial protocols for the processing of agricultural products. Activities targeting biotechnology with the Scientific and Technological Park 4

5 Establishment of a large biotechnology laboratory focusing primarily on the in vitro reproduction of plants; Establishment of a laboratory focused on seeds and fertilizing microorganisms; Establishment of a laboratory for the production of medicines and medicine quality control; Introduction of an industrial unit for capitalizing on the achievements of the ITA. To further promote this process, UCAD is introducing master s degrees in biotechnology and in the agro-foodstuffs and agro-forestry sectors. CLOTHING MANUFACTURE The creativity of Senegalese tailors is now recognized the world over. However, they are not in a position to reproduce the same model unless the quantity to be produced reaches certain levels. The enterprises involved are often household-based. The scale of these firms makes it impossible to meet the requirements of the international market in terms of quality, quantity, and adherence to deadlines. Senegal s geographic location as well as international agreements, especially those on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), afford opportunities that Senegal should use to its advantage. Activities targeting clothing manufacture at the Scientific and Technological Park Create a center for Technical Services and professional training; Improve the availability and reduce the cost of financing; Set aside an area for the clothing manufacturing sector. Implementation strategy Create a center for technical services and professional training with the following functions: 5

6 Enhancing skills in modern management and production techniques, as well as cost and quality control, through training in the following specialties: Styling and modeling; Computer-assisted cutting; Manufacturing techniques; Performing services for professionals; Promoting clothing manufacture on foreign markets; Assisting with enterprise creation; Studying projects; Reporting on markets and sources of supply; Conducting textile analyses; Assisting with the preparation of specifications. AQUACULTURE Senegal has a 700 km coastline and a number of major waterways, including the Senegal and Casamance Rivers. Until quite recently, there has been no training focused on this significant potential. UCAD introduced a master s degree in fisheries and aquaculture, and its animal biology staff are skilled in fish pathology while those specialized in chemistry are knowledgeable about water analysis techniques. UCAD is currently establishing a measurement center and, in partnership with Michigan State University, has received financing for setting up a fish pathology laboratory. Aquaculture is being developed in the north, south, and central parts of the country, but currently does not have adequate university-level support. Activities pursued with the Scientific and Technological Park AQUACULTURE Creation of a Fisheries and Aquaculture Technological Consultation Center with three units: 6

7 A training and supervision unit; A research and innovation unit; and A services unit. Training and supervision unit The activities of this unit will be focused on the technical training and supervision of professional organizations, but also on the training of any person seeking to invest in the sectors of aquaculture, fisheries, fish product processing and marketing, and the management of aquacultural and fisheries enterprises. Research and innovation unit This unit will focus its activities on research and development: The development of suitable technologies for the sector, and the transfer of knowledge and technologies likely to ensure the growth of industries and other enterprises in the sector. It will be responsible for technology oversight and dissemination. In this connection, it will gather and disseminate scientific and technological information, respond to requests for scientific and technical information relating to the sector, and apply and adapt the relevant technologies. Services unit The mission of this unit will be to provide technical support and advice in the fisheries and aquaculture sector. Areas of interest: Assistance with project structuring; Assistance with identifying suppliers; 7

8 Assistance with planning operations relating to the installation and optimization of aquaculture enterprises and to production monitoring; Technical counseling on commercial fisheries operations; Financial advice and assistance with the preparation of business plans. UCAD is, in this connection, modifying its research approach along four lines: A multidisciplinary approach, with the establishment of six doctoral programs and the associated training; Improvement in the research environment by introducing standards for the computer network, improving the bandwidth from 2 MB to 10 MB pending an upgrade to 45 MB thanks to support from a U.S. foundation, the purchase of a portable computer by any research training personnel who so desires thanks to a partnership with a private operator, the establishment of a conference center, the construction of a measurement center, and polyvalent university programs and a multicultural center; Creation of an intellectual property and development office; Introduction of a research financing fund using resources from domestic sources, the UCAD foundation currently being created, and international cooperation authorities. The United Nations has undertaken to support the Government of Senegal in the creation of a Scientific and Technological Park, in particular as regards the conduct of feasibility studies, the review of successful experiences with technology parks, and the identification of international partners. Surely the World Bank and the other partners present on this occasion will help us better focus the process, strengthen relations between the university and the scientific park, and particularly between the university and the private sector in general, defining means of sharing the benefits of the park, and stressing in this regard the importance of the role that should be set aside for university research. We are convinced that following this approach, and with support for the expansion and diversification of the offerings of higher education, Africa will be 8

9 able to reach the critical mass required for addressing its own special needs in a constantly globalizing world. 9