SAFIPA
The Government of Finland and the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) view the investments in research, development and innovation capacity as critical to the successful building of a sustainable information society in South Africa both in a national and regional context.
In order to achieve the overall goal of a sustainable information society, the South African government has identified three strategic objectives:
* human capital development;
* technology research; and
* innovation enhancement.
The South African Government, through the Department of Science and Technology, has actively engaged with the Government of Finland, through the Ministry for Foreign Affairs. While this engagement includes already a number of areas, such as the capacity building in the field of Innovation Policy or provincial information society strategies, the focus of the South Africa – Finland Knowledge Partnership Programme is in the enhancement of immediate service delivery process. Read more
Strategic objectives:
Focus areas
1. ICT and education
2. Health Informatics
3. ICT applications for social innovation and improved access
4. Entrepreneurship in the second economy and rural sector
Newsletter archive
SAFIPA 2011 end of programme conference archive
The SAFIPA publication, A Practical Approach to ICT for Development. Perspectives from the SAFIPA Programme
The SAFIPA publication that was compiled at the conclusion of the SAFIPA programme. The book was officially launched at the SAFIPA 2011 Conference on 19 October 2011.
The publication can be downloaded as a pdf below, and includes hyperlinks to websites and definitions which can be clicked on, and accessed, should you be connected to the internet.
This publication is a must-read, as it reflects on the programme in its entirety and highlights impact as a result of the project. The publication also provides a wonderful birds’ eye-view of the projects that have been supported over the past three years. Congratulations to the SAFIPA team for putting this publication together.
The publication consists of introductions by the Ministry of Finland, the Department of Science and Technology, the CSIR Meraka Institute and the SAFIPA Project Management Office team. There are eight chapters in the book that include The SAFIPA Programme; Innovating educational development through ICTs; Innovative approaches to health informatics; ICT applications for social innovation and improved access; Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial support for the second economy and rural sector; Skills development – a catalyst in creating an Information Society; Building an Information Society through networking and dissemination; and Taking SAFIPA forward – lessons learned and future opportunities.
Images from the SAFIPA project events, training and workshops can be accessed at http://www.flickr.com/safipa