XXV IASP World Conference 2008 – The Innovation Hub brings the world to Africa

It’s the final countdown to the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) XXV World Conference. With only two weeks to go, the enrolment number now stands at an impressive 400, representing more than 50 countries from around the world!

Hosted by The Innovation Hub, the subject matter for the Conference is ‘The role of Science Parks in accelerating knowledge economy growth – contrasts between emerging and more developed economies’. Not only does this historic event mark the development of a groundbreaking theme, but it will also be the first time ever that an IASP World Conference will be held on the African continent!

The top 63 papers accepted for presentation will cover thought provoking topics such as the relationship between science and business; policy to drive innovation; models for building knowledge capacity in emerging economies; new developments in incubation as well as a host of other interesting related subjects.

While discussions will pre-dominantly emphasise the role of Science Parks, they will also extend to consider the development of clusters, regional development, entrepreneurship, incubation and the many other mechanisms which drive this new type of economy.

In addition to the presentation of a number of pioneering papers from emerging economies such as Brazil, India, Croatia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, this year’s Conference is a precursor to the planned establishment of the IASP’s African Division. This implies an inaugural establishment of a network of Science Park initiatives in Africa, which will result in more effective continental collaboration and improved business opportunities.

This development will be a notable milestone in the continent’s race to fully board the knowledge economy ‘bus’ and bodes well for Africa’s chances of becoming a serious player in the global arena.

The new landscape of the knowledge economy requires the rewriting of many rules though. Organisations and industries will have to revise their terms of knowledge management, whilst governments will have to reconsider knowledge-related policies. However, it is by no means too late for Africa to learn these new rules and still write a few of our own.

The Conference is not aimed solely at Science Park practitioners, but at all people who are interested in stimulating and driving the knowledge economy, in other words, the full spectrum of contributors, from policy makers and local and provincial governments to the business community, academia and research. As a matter of fact, our local metros will gain significantly from this opportunity to learn about mobilisation and integration of intellectual assets within cities, to induce economic growth.

The IASP World Conference provides us with a suitable platform from which we can tap into the expertise of the world, whilst contributing some of our own experiences which are unique to South Africa and the rest of Africa. This is all aimed at the advancement of future engagements and discovering new ways to elevate our economies to greater heights.

Programme highlights include key note addresses by the South African Deputy-President and the Minister of Science and Technology, as well as esteemed guest speakers such as Dr Ramesh Mashelkar of the Global Research Alliance and Yingli Liu – Executive Vice Mayor of Shenzhen, China. In fact, the XXV IASP World Conference promises to instigate a series of constructive discussions, which should continue long after the Conference is over, to ensure that relevant issues are addressed and that this country and Africa as a whole, is taken forward.

For more information, visit the Conference website at www.iaspsa2008.com