December 2020

NSTF invited SARIMA to participate in a panel discussion on “Successes and Challenges in innovation in South Africa”. The International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) conference was virtual, and they managed the time zones brilliantly by having a 24-hour conference with countries showcasing their innovation perspectives one after the other – we followed Kenya and Finland followed South Africa. A really creative idea. The South African panel included a number of past NSTF award winners in different categories. The organisers will be compiling edited video clips of the discussions so that participants can get a quick overview of the different sessions.

The NSTF will be releasing a press release on the panel discussion. From a SARIMA perspective, I highlighted the fact that we need to develop capacity across the spectrum in SADC from emerging Research Offices to emerging TTOs, whilst also developing Managers who already have considerable experience in the space. I also mentioned that one of SARIMA’s key achievements has been reaching a point where members can attain internationally recognised professional status in both Research Management and Technology Transfer.

Written by Andrew Bailey