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The University of Botswana (UB) aims to intensify its drive to forge partnerships and collaborations in research with stakeholders such as institution of higher learning, industry, community and government with a view to address societal challenges.

This was said by Professor David Norris during Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Legatum Foundry Fellow Panel Discussion hosted by Botswana Digital & Innovation Hub (BDIH) on the 26th January 2024. The discussion was organised under the theme: Leveraging Academic Research to Grow Innovation and Entrepreneurship Eco System.

Professor Norris said by working together would create new solutions to community challenges, develop commercially viable innovative technology based on most recent discoveries in addition to bridging skills gaps. He added that Africa was losing a lot due to lack of Intellectual Property (IP) protection especially on areas of indigenous knowledge in medicinal plants.

African universities have numerous publications on plant materials which do not entail protected research innovation value chains. Professor Norris attributed the loss of such huge sums of money to the fact that many African countries were not properly signed up to global protocols protecting IP rights.

He indicated that research and innovation outputs should now include deliverables in IP, commercialisation and influence on public policies intended for economic diversification, industrialisation, beneficiation of products and innovative business practices. 

Legatum Centre for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT, Executive Director, Dina Sherif, advised African universities to partner and collaborate with MIT in research and in corporate scientists and researchers as well as programmes especial around digitalisation and commercialisation.