5 December 2023
African research article production has significantly increased, reaching 128,076 published articles in 2022, but the continent continues to face a shortage of Research and Development (R&D) funding. Professor Johann Mouton, director of the Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology (CREST), speaking at a Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) Masterclass in Kenya, highlighted the contrast between growing research output and low public and private investment in R&D. He emphasized the reliance on foreign funding due to the failure of African governments and businesses to adequately support R&D, leading to new dependencies with negative consequences. Mouton also pointed out the need for more accurate and recent data on R&D expenditure in African countries. The study, ongoing until 2024, aims to analyze science funding flows in 17 SGCI countries to understand who funds science and in which fields.
Read more about it on University World News (Africa Edition).
