Science and technology are essential to accelerate Africa’s economic development and ensure inclusive growth for the continent. The African university, through research, should be a key player in the valorisation of science and technology. However, the state of affairs in this sector is not at all brilliant. In Africa, research output in universities is very low; about 2% of global research.2 This is largely due to a lack of funding for research activities.
To correct the situation and take up this major challenge in order to make research a powerful lever for sustainable economic and social development in Africa, the National University of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM) in Abomey, southern Benin, is implementing a research policy through the Competitive Research Funds (CRF). This is what emerges from the memo made public on Wednesday 12 October and transmitted to Afro-impact.
“In the framework of the promotion of scientific research and the improvement of the quality of teaching, the rectoral team of the National University of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM), through the Scientific Council, is putting in place for the year 2022 and in accordance with its Annual Work Plan, a mechanism for financing innovative research projects that bring together teams of teacher-researchers around research themes,” the note reads.
Thus, the said measure aims in priority to “improve the efficiency and organisation of the teaching and research staff around federating themes that should allow the creation of networks of research structures around the reference laboratories”.
Moreover, by establishing this fund, the authorities of this high place of knowledge intend to participate in the resolution of Benin’s development problems through scientific research. “The present policy of competitive research funds should help to demonstrate the contribution of UNSTIM and of each of its respective Entities in the resolution of the problems of scientific and technological development in Benin.
UNSTIM is a thematic university in Benin that trains in Science, Technology, Engineering and Applied Mathematics. It has four university centres located in the communes of Abomey, Dassa-Zoumé, Natittingou and Lokossa. Thanks to these university centres specialising in given themes, UNSTIM can easily give a new impetus to Benin’s development through research.
