HRDC HOSTS THE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION OPEN DAY

Research plays a critical role in structuring successful businesses. Researchers provide practical solutions to the problems. Advancement of technology and innovation has given businesses the competitive edge to solve problems and this has become more crucial that organisations base their decision-making on thorough research output.

In 2017, the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) came up with the Research and Innovation Grant Project to improve the competitiveness of Botswana’s research industry, industry tertiary education linkages and generate the knowledge needed to transform from a resource-intensive to a knowledge based economy. The project was spearheaded by the Department of Statistics, Research Development and Innovation (DSRDI). The Project began by publishing a Call for Proposals from interested researchers in November 2016.  HRDC received 41 proposals. HRDC then entered into an agreement with the Botswana Innovation Hub (BIH) to evaluate, shortlist and select the successful research proposals.

 Out of 41 proposals, 14 were selected and qualified to receive the P50, 000 Grant each. The theme for the 2016/17 HRDC Research & Innovation Grant Project was ‘Promoting the Uptake and Utilisation of Research Outputs for Industrial Development’.  The 14 successful proposals covered 10 different and unique disciplines (See figure below) with a focus on applied research projects. These are projects with the potential to yield tangible products and/ or usable services for commercialisation.  It is critical to drive the envisaged knowledge-based economy by promoting linkages between the industry and tertiary education institutions. 

It is against this background that HRDC held a Research and Innovation Open Day  on the 13th August 2018 to showcase research projects that have been funded by HRDC through the Research Grant Project. The Open Day presented a platform to discuss, share ideas and specifically form partnerships between the industry and awarded Grant Projects with prospects of upscaling the projects.

The objective of this initiative was to sensitise and share all the HRDC Research & Innovation Grant Project recipients’ findings.  It further provided the grantees with a platform to engage with key stakeholders, market their projects, respond to queries and refine their projects going forward.  Many of the projects have the potential to solve various societal problems and improve the efficiency in completing particular activities in addition to simply providing new knowledge in various disciplines. 

With many of these projects unknown to the public, HRDC found it fit that in 2017, the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) came up with the Research and Innovation Grant Project to improve the competitiveness of Botswana’s research industry, industry-tertiary education linkages and generate the knowledge needed to transform from a resource-intensive to a knowledge based economy. The project was spearheaded by the Department of Statistics, Research Development and Innovation (DSRDI). With many of these projects unknown to the public, HRDC found it fit that these projects be shared with both key stakeholders and the public who are often the end-users of the products and/or services consequent of the research and innovation undertaken during the Grant Project.

The paths to commercialising research in Botswana are limited and with the HRDC R&I Grant Project, it is aspired that more outputs will come of local research that can make a difference towards addressing everyday societal problems.

Table 1: List of Projects & Affliliated Institutions