Universities must lead way to innovation

Most developing economies are moving towards a new knowledge-based economy or knowledge society in which the role and significance of knowledge as an input to economic processes has fundamentally changed.

To compete globally among thriving economies, Kenya’s prosperity should be driven by knowledge — educated people, their ideas, innovations, and their entrepreneurial spirit.

This responsibility falls on universities, which should churn out innovative ideas to solve problems. Kenyan universities should strive to achieve this by shifting their focus from theory and research work that is locked behind the doors of university libraries and instead produce and patent home-grown solutions that can be replicated.

The popular American taxi service, Uber, which uses a mobile phone application, is an example of a disruptive innovation that makes a big statement.

What Kenya needs at the moment is to borrow from Uber’s example and implement strategies that have a ripple effect. This can be done through imprinting this thinking in the minds of university students and preparing them to be innovative.

This approach to education will accelerate the pace of technical and scientific advances and lock out obsolescence in research. The key component of a knowledge economy is greater reliance on intellectual capabilities, human capital, research, and development. The principles of economic growth depend on the ability to develop and commercialise innovative products and services.

The International Monetary Fund and the World Bank gauge a country’s success on the ease of doing business and the number of innovations.
For Kenya, mobile money has been a game changer, deepening financial inclusion.

The World Intellectual Property Organisation indicates that creative industries in Kenya contribute more than 5 per cent to the country’s GDP.

Kenya is ranked third in research expenditure in sub-Saharan Africa. The University of Nairobi is ranked among the top universities in emerging economies. This is a pointer that Kenya is headed in the right direction.

However, Kenyan universities still need to play a more active role in supporting an innovation ecosystem, especially through recognition of innovation that can be patented.

It is evident that research accelerates innovation. Countries that support it have secured a favourable position in a knowledge-intensive, globally competitive marketplace.

Innovative technologies incubated in research labs and businesses can focus on the key sectors of the economy, among them agriculture, tourism, ICT, and manufacturing. The technologies will, for example, help support intelligent automation in farming and introduction of efficient processes to increase revenue.

Universities are a critical catalyst in advancing Kenya’s innovation efforts due to their wealth in intellectual capital and ability to generate and attract talent.

Mr Tanui is CEO, Konza Technopolis Development Authority. [email protected].