Minister calls for investment in science and R&D

The Angolan Minister of State Frederico Cardoso has called on universities to invest in scientific research for sustainable development and new technologies.

Speaking in Moçâmedes at the start of the 2019 academic year, Cardoso, who is also head of the president’s civil affairs office, said that as well as the government’s plans to increase budgets for research and development institutions within a complex financial environment, new partnerships must be established with foundations, donors and philanthropic organisations to develop scientific initiatives for Africa, according to an Agência Angola Press (ANGOP) report.

He said the recent publication of a new statute for scientific researchers and a development project for science and technology, funded by the African Development Bank, were initiatives which drew more attention to the country’s research and development sector.

Scientific research and technological innovation must be linked to the production process under the leadership of the state, with the private sector involved in the funding of its own institutions, in financing research activities and the establishment of public-private partnerships, said Cardoso.

“We must continue to invest seriously in improving the quality of education, training and research for innovation if we want to build and increase sustainably in an economy which is not dependent on oil,” he said.

It was important to transform universities and other higher education institutions into genuine pillars of the national innovation system if they wanted to succeed in promoting economic growth founded on international trade of intensive knowledge-based goods and services, he said.

Angola has 24 public and 55 private higher education institutions, and in 2018 261,214 students were following higher studies, reported ANGOP. – Compiled by Jane Marshall

This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.