Description

Building and strengthening science, technology, and innovation (STI) systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) involves political, economic, and technical challenges. The evolution, priorities, and beneficiaries of STI systems are shaped by national, regional, and global political economy contexts. A political economy analysis of STI systems in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, and Tanzania highlights specific recommendations for each country's Science Granting Council (SGC) and common themes across SSA. Key cross-cutting issues include insufficient focus on gender and inclusivity in line with sustainability goals and persistent human resource constraints hindering STI system development. Research Excellence (RE) remains an important goal to sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) STI stakeholders, for whom RE means research that achieves academic and societal or developmental impacts. Evidence from interviewees provides the basis for three categories of RE: (1) research focus, (2) research process and incentives, and (3) research support.