The African Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators (ASTII) Programme consortium, comprising AUDA-NEPAD, Lund University (Sweden), and Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) through its UNESCO Chair in African Integration and Innovation at the Institute of Economic Research on Innovation (IERI), in collaboration with the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), organized the Africa-European Union Tertiary Education International Partnerships for Innovation and Technology Forum on the margin of the celebration of the African Union Theme of the Year. The event held at the African Union (AU) Headquarters in Addis Ababa on 21-22 August brought together key stakeholders in innovation and emerging technologies, such as Nina Jojer Ltd, the European Union (EU) representation to the AU, and the Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa, marked a significant milestone in fostering collaboration between Africa and Europe in education and technological innovation.

The forum highlighted the Energize Africa Programme's second pillar on youth and entrepreneurship, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government officials, international organizations, academics, and private sector leaders from both continents. These participants were united in exploring the critical role of education and research in driving technological advancements and supporting sustainable development in Africa.

At the core of the discussions was the recognition that skills development and the creation of employment opportunities are essential to achieving the African Union's Agenda 2063, which aims to foster economic growth and development across the continent. The AU Commission (AUC), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and the European Union (EU) have partnered in the education and employment sectors through the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA). This initiative underscores the importance of Africa’s youth, the continent’s most valuable resource, in driving economic transformation.

One of the forum's key highlights was the announcement of a EUR 12.5 million grant awarded to 20 African innovators under SIFA. This initiative is part of a broader effort by the AU, BMZ, EU, AUDA-NEPAD, and KfW to establish a financing facility that supports innovative Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) approaches across the continent. The German government has committed EUR 88 million to this facility, with an additional EUR 12.9 million from the European Union, to support three funding windows aimed at stimulating innovation in skills development, which is foundational for higher productivity and job creation in eight African countries: Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Togo, and Tunisia.

The forum emphasized the importance of aligning vocational education and training with market needs to enhance the employability of Africa’s youth. SIFA aims to improve the economic and social prospects of young African women and men by providing high-quality vocational training that meets market demands. This approach not only boosts employability but also supports broader economic development by ensuring that the skills being taught are relevant to the economy's needs.

Participants also stressed the critical role of public-private sector collaboration in achieving SIFA’s goals. The public sector sets the strategic framework through national policies to transform and enhance the African TVET ecosystem, while the private sector contributes by offering employment-oriented training and investing in vocational training.

A significant aspect of the forum was the discussion on the challenges and opportunities in advancing science, technology, and innovation (STI) in Africa, including the importance of measurement. Participants identified key challenges, such as the lack of accessible and reliable data for effective policy formulation, as Africa prepares to move forward with Phase 5 of the African Science, Technology, and Innovation Indicators (ASTII). This phase is expected to roll out from late 2025 or early 2026 and will align with the next iteration of the STI strategy for Africa (STISA-2034), the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP) of Agenda 2063. After 17 years of ASTII implementation in 43 AU Member States, a principal challenge remains the insufficient response to surveys from the business sector, resulting in incomplete data on Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP).

To address these challenges, the forum highlighted the need for effective advocacy, promotion of bankable STI investment opportunities, and commercialization of inventions as key strategies for fostering long-term sustainable STI environments in Africa.

The forum also explored the role of education, skills development, and partnerships in institutional development for STI. Key stakeholders—academia, the private sector, government, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—were identified as critical players in supporting STI within national innovation systems. By investing in both technological and educational infrastructure, the business sector can significantly contribute to building the capacity needed to support innovation and accelerate industrialization and growth in Africa.

Further discussions emphasized the importance of fostering partnerships and developing sustainable STI policies at the international level in alignment with the AU-EU Innovation Agenda and SDG 17 (Partnerships for Sustainable Development), linked to SDG 9 on infrastructure, innovation, and industrialization. Participants recognized challenges, such as the lack of awareness of STI's role in development, leading to poor funding, low inclusion, and limited understanding of the Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) among policymakers and stakeholders. The gap between data, policy, and practice, along with weak linkages between government, industry, and academia, were also highlighted as significant barriers to advancing STI in Africa.

To overcome these challenges, the forum recommended continuous capacity building for policymakers to ensure effective STI policy formulation and implementation, including the introduction of an executive module in ASTII Phase 5 for Prime Ministers, Ministers, Ambassadors in Addis Ababa, and Members of Parliament responsible for STI portfolios. Regular meetings of the AU Specialised Technical Group on Education-STI Statistics, involving AUC, AUDA-NEPAD, and the Association for the Development of Education (ADEA), were proposed to strengthen collaboration and policy continuity.

The forum also touched on the importance of integrating innovation and development into the science curriculum from an early age, starting at the primary school level, to prepare Africans for the 21st century, where emerging technologies are key to boosting national economies..

In conclusion, the Africa-European Union Tertiary Education International Partnerships for Innovation and Technology Forum celebrated the AU's focus on education and provided a valuable platform for stakeholders from Africa and Europe to exchange ideas, share best practices, and forge partnerships aimed at accelerating technological innovation through education and research. The forum’s outcomes are expected to have a lasting impact, setting the stage for continued progress in STI and education across Africa and ensuring that the continent’s youth are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the 21st century.

For more information, contact: nqobilez@nepad.org, lukovis@nepad.org and normank@nepad.org