3 November 2005
South Africa's Innovation Hub, the only internationally accredited science park in Africa, has won its bid to host the 22nd World Conference of the International Association of Science Parks (IASP) in 2008.
According to Dr Neville Comins, CEO of the Innovation Hub, the IASP board's support for South Africa as the host country was unanimous.
"We now have the opportunity to position Africa as a progressive continent that is moving forward into the knowledge economy," says Comins.
Science parks - also known as technology parks - are campuses managed by specialised professionals with the aim of increasing the wealth of the community by promoting the culture of innovation and the competitiveness of its associated businesses and knowledge-based institutions.
The Innovation Hub, located in Tshwane and a project of Gauteng's industrial promotion agency Blue IQ, is a R258-million complex where hi-tech industry, academics and entrepreneurs are able to meet and work together.
Taking its benchmark from the best of similar developments in the world, the creativity-driven centre houses technology-related businesses across a range of disciplines, including electronics, information and communication technology, bio-science and advanced manufacturing sectors such as defence spin-off and automotive manufacturing.
The world-class complex is located on a 31-hectare tract of land between the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the University of Pretoria, two of the country's leading research institutions.
A global audience
IASP world conferences attract delegates from more than 50 countries, who include government officials, science park managers and research institutions involved with the growth of knowledge economy regions.
The 2008 World Conference will expose a potentially significant global audience to developments in Southern Africa and the continent as a whole.
Comins points to China, host of the 2005 IASP World Conference, as an example of how the science park model can make substantial contributions to a country's economic development.
"China boasts 53 national Science Parks and 108 regional parks, consisting of 38 000 businesses, employing 4.5-million people and contributing to almost 5% of the country's economy," he says. "This aggressive approach clearly indicates the potential of this model being used strategically for growing clusters and impacting the economies of developing countries."
There will also be significant benefits for the Innovation Hub itself. Hosting a conference of this size will allow the Hub to influence the conference programme, so as to learn from other parks how the system works and how it can be improved for developing countries and local business needs.
The visibility of the science park movement to large high-tech companies around the world also positions the Hub for enhanced discussions about investment potential for the country. "If viewed as a wider network, the science park community can become a global collaboration, marketing and business opportunity for science park residents," says Comins.
At the IASP Annual World Conference in Beijing this year, strong emphasis was placed on the development of local and regional networks based on science parks themselves, such as the Hub's own INNOV8 community and its links with local research and educational institutions.
As a young park the Hub may have much to learn, but it already has a lot to contribute, says Comins. "We have the correct ingredients. We now have to energise them and continue to learn from the experiences of others."
SouthAfrica.info reporter
