1. Caribbean Growth Forum
The University of the West Indies, Mona
18 - 19 June 2012
Tapping Human Capital and Ideas of Caribbean Tertiary
Education Institutions
Presentation by Dr. David Rampersad
Director, Office of Research Development and Knowledge Transfer
The University of the West Indies
St. Augustine

2. Role of Higher Education:
Stimulus for Innovation
• Development depends on higher education, to provide a critically
important bridge between R&D, knowledge transfer and application
• Higher education facilitates links with other research agencies, the
commercialisation of research results, cross-disciplinary and
multidisciplinary approaches
• If they are to function as agents of sustainable development, higher
education institutions (HEIs) must draw on a wide base of knowledge from
all disciplines
• HEIs must not only train individuals and produce research: they must
establish relationships and networks to ensure that their research has an
impact on the societies in which they operate
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3. The Status Quo
• Minimal percentage of GDP dedicated to R&D
in the Caribbean
• Differences between larger and smaller
countries
• Lack of an effective mechanism to channel
funds
• Absence of national innovation systems
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4. The Status Quo (2)
• Research culture in HEIs requires stimulus
• Number of postgraduate students in research
degrees is low
• Inadequate R&D infrastructure including laboratories
• Minimal R&D undertaken by the private and public
sector
• The UWI has the largest pool of researchers and
expertise in the Caribbean and leads the way in
creating knowledge/wisdom that has an impact. The
appropriate structures and support are required to
broaden this impact.
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5. Innovation
• Innovation: use or development of an
invention
• How do we view Innovation in institutions of
higher education?
• Some disciplines produce knowledge that
does not result in a tangible product but that
can have considerable impact
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6. Impact
• Graphite Lab
• Cardiac Surgical Simulator
– A computer-assisted, tissue-based simulator for use in
the training of cardiac surgical residents, and nurses,
in the conduct of several cardiac surgical procedures
produced by a multidisciplinary team of researchers
– It can also be used to demonstrate the function of
technology specific to cardiac surgical procedures in a
way that was previously possible only by conducting a
live procedures
– Licensed to a number of medical Universities
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7. Impact (2)
• Management of viral diseases of tropical fruit crops of
economic importance
• Research leading to the recovery of sea turtle populations in
Barbados has evolved into their use as an ecotourism
attraction of significant value to the tourism industry
• Regional Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Surveillance
System for the Caribbean: development of a web-based IT
platform to improve the capacity of countries to deliver costeffective health services associated with NCDs
• Understanding Built and Cultural Heritage to design an
Innovation Model for urban regeneration
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8. Research and Innovation
• Research leads to discoveries and must be based on
a thorough, systematic approach so that the new
knowledge may be created and applied to pressing
needs
• Research provides sound training for young
researchers and innovators
• Good
research
facilitates
engagement
in
international research consortia that play a major
role in creating new knowledge and attracting
funding
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9. Pre-conditions for
Transformation
• Funding
• Partnerships
• A robust system of higher education and research
• A well-designed, focussed programme of R&D
• Public policy
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10. Pre-conditions for
Transformation (2)
• An efficient
infrastructure
Science
and
Technology
• National Innovation Systems
• Regional Innovation System
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11. Caribbean Research and
Funding Agency (CRFA)
• Status quo: institutional funding, external funding
• CRFA: concept agreed to since 1999
• CRFA: a multinational funding agency dedicated to support
research, knowledge generation and innovation in the
region
• Mode of operation
• Financing of CRFA
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12. Caribbean Research and
Funding Agency (CRFA 2)
• Programmes may include the following:
– An Industry, Business and Service Sector Programme: to
encourage collaboration between university researchers,
industry and the service sectors to facilitate innovation,
invention, technology transfer and patents
– A Multi-disciplinary Research Programme to encourage the
development of research projects for impact on economic
transformation and national and regional development
– An Inter-institutional Programme to encourage collaboration
between researchers from different institutions
– A Scholarship and Fellowship Programme for young researchers
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13. Priorities for Maximising the Research Impact of
Caribbean HEIs
• Continued support for the creation of an enabling
environment for research in HEIs
• Improved mechanisms in HEIs for Intellectual
Property management and Technology Transfer
• Innovation Forum
• Establishment of Caribbean Research and Funding
Agency
• Establishment of National and Regional Innovation
Systems
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14. Dr. David Rampersad
Director
Office of Research Development and Knowledge Transfer
Email: David.Rampersad@sta.uwi.edu
Phone: 868 662 2002 Ext: 82496/82483
Fax: 868 645-2506
http://www.sta.uwi.edu
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