Strategic leadership and planning in research institutes towards achieving sustainable knowledge-based economy in Sudan

Two Days Intensive Workshop
30-31 December 2018

Target audience: Research institutes and higher education officials, minsters, undersecretaries, vice chancellors, deans, head of department, academics, researchers, students, youth, NGOs (voluntary) and civil society groups (public).

Focus: Research institutes, higher education, universities, colleges, knowledge-based economy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Theme

The problematique of managing STI for SD is strongly influenced by the institutional culture in which international discussions have taken place. Successful management of STI requires developing new methods and approaches to suit the challenges and opportunities of this new era of digital revolution and knowledge-based sustainable economy. These new approaches call for actions to create different appropriate ways of doing things and of doing new things that will be essential to solve our future problems and help in the implementation of  SDGs. Systematic search for opportunities is important for helping to ameliorate the many problems facing Sudan and the globe. We must therefore produce, consume and organise ourselves differently.

Since the Rio summit in 1992, SD is becoming increasingly a major concern for both Developed and Developing Countries (DCs). Yet, translating the principles of SD into effective economic and environmental policies seems to be a major challenge for all countries. Knowledge is a prerequisite for achieving SD, chief currency and the essence of modern age. Knowledge is also considered as a strategic resource and a lifeline for all countries’ SD. The concept “Knowledge Economy (KE)” is currently utilised to describe an economy that creates, disseminates, and uses knowledge to enhance its growth and development. According to the World Bank, a successful KE is characterized by close links between academic science and industrial technology, empowered by increased education and lifelong learning, and greater investment in intangibles such as Research and Development (R&D) and software. It places greater importance on innovation for economic growth and competitiveness.

Moreover, the World Bank’s recommendation in 1998 for all countries particularly those economies heavily dependent on oil to embark on the diversification of their economic resources such as approaching development from a Knowledge Management (KM) perspective by adapting policies to increase know how and knowledge attributes that can improve people’s lives in myriad ways. How can technology and knowledge contribute and enhance SD? This is the main issue which will be addressed during the talk. Based on the assumption that technology must be widely used and freely accessible to have an impact, knowledge systems and knowledge economy seem to open up new and varied avenues to be explored in the direction of sustainability. The workshop aims at showing the difficulty in attaining SD for many countries particularly in Sub-Saharan African with a weak technological and knowledge base. It deals first with the issue of knowledge systems and knowledge economy and their links with sustainability from a conceptual point of view. It highlights the specific situation of many countries stressing the difficulties they meet in this respect and shows how technological capabilities are highly correlated with levels of sustainability using knowledge and sustainability indexes.

Benefit for Participants

• It is a great opportunity for participants to gain knowledge on the role of research institutes in the 21st century.
• Providing training and educational opportunities for participants.
• Offering networking opportunities for participants and businesses.
• Meeting with professional international keynote speakers.
• Meeting with professionals who are considering careers in research institutions.
• Motivating participants to armaments science.
• Explore all the opportunities available at SK for your researchers, students and staff.

Benefits for Employers

• Enhance relationship with different research institutes.
• Meeting with participants.
• Raising institutional image, profile, awareness, and market exposure for the future funding and partnerships.
• Post event publicity through social media marketing, bulletins and word of mouth.
• The opportunity for research institutes to showcase their role in community service.
• Explore all the opportunities available at SK for covering any research gaps in research institutes and see how to use SK Expert Directory to access Sudanese researchers in the diaspora.

Target participants

• The workshop covers materials for all levels from supervisory through to senior level.
• Research institutes officials: minsters, undersecretaries, head of department, etc.
• Academics and researchers.
• Students, youth, NGOs (voluntary) and civil society groups (public).
• Professionals, businesses and other stakeholders particularly the private sector managers responsible for leading change and transformation efforts .
• Managers and directors responsible for transformation, projects, programmes, knowledge, innovation or change management.
• Experienced managers who have significant futures oriented management responsibilities, and who are interested in reflecting on their own experience and discovering new ideas.

• All overhead slides/transparencies.
• Case studies (print and video) used on the course.
• Certificate of attendance.