Unveiling the Initiative: Thinking Paper to Product in Academic Research
In Africa, there has been a longstanding disconnect between the academia and industry (entrepreneurship) whereas, although not perfect yet, in Europe, the Americas, and recently parts of Asia, these two are working hand-in-hand in developing an economy that works for all. “Leaving no one behind” is the United Nations’ sustainable development goal’s core which is designed to deliver a better quality of life to all peoples everywhere. Today, children born on September 11, 2001 when the North tower of the World Trade Center was hit at 8.45am US Time by a well-coordinated act of terror, are 20 years old but Africa’s contribution to the volume of global trade has not improved significantly neither has there been an improvement in positive correlation between volume of trade and financial value flowing into Africa. Government policy instruments should have helped but these are also still struggling as evident in low resource allocation to research and development across the continent. The allocation falls below recommended percentages.
Attempting to help, OAAD, in collaboration with several partners decided to launch PAPER TO PRODUCT INITIATIVE, a platform that brings African academia, especially at PhD level and beyond, to interface with African entrepreneurs at all levels, for mutual benefits.
We shall keep calling to this engagement space, African researchers, researchers from around the world who have interest in Africa and successful business owners, entrepreneurs who have stories on how they moved from research ideas into ventures and we shall keep discussing until every African researcher begins to incorporate ‘PAPER TO PRODUCT THINKING’ into every research design.
This is because, no continent ever developed without passionate commitment to driving progress through boosting their knowledge economy in strategically interconnected ‘ecosystem’ that survives on symbiosis between academia and industry. We have hardworking Africans in the academia as well as industry and with thousands of PhD holders and PhD students from all African countries coming together in OAAD and other similar organizations with such a passion as we see, we can confirm that there is hope for Africa.
Our eyes have seen the solutions rising on the horizons, solutions powered by our togetherness and commitment to methodical thinking which PhD subconsciously plants in hearts of those who go through it. We have developed sustainable methodologies of getting to where we know we need be; therefore, we are not in a hurry to take our eyes off the vision of Doctoring Solutions for Africa and the World. No matter the challenges that lie ahead of us, we are not likely going to give up our mission of enhancing the quality of life in Africa through research, technology, and innovation neither shall we ever neglect our main objective of bringing African intellectuals together to foster development while engaging relevant internal and external stakeholders.
Do what you can while you can. The least contributor today may become the greatest contributor tomorrow and if the greatest contributor today values the privilege of investing into the future of Africa in a way that enhances the human dignity of our people, it can only get better. Several other initiatives are being documented as well as a few achievements of OAAD within the past year. Enjoy the event and let the conversation continue. Keep your eyes on this space as we keep engaging with Africans and non-Africans doing great things in many spaces.
In one decade, we shall take stock and see how far we have come on this journey and we hope to be full of smiles.
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