Some activities at the University of Mauritius to address capacity building for innovation. The case study focuses on the centre for innovative and lifelong learning which was set up in 2014. It also highlights issues that public institutions face to collaborate with private sector in a context where the legislations surrounding conflicts of interests are quite restrictive.

1. Some examples from the University of Mauritius
Associate Professor (Dr) M I Santally
Centre for Innovative & Lifelong Learning

2. 21st Century Education for Innovation

4. 21st Century Education
Media-Driven
Learner-Centered
Personalised
Virtual & Global
Networked

5. Knowledge Societies for Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development
Knowledge Societies
Education
Science &
Technology
Innovation
Information and Communication Technologies

7. Excerpt from the SP 015-2020
To enhance research and innovation capacity
To drive research based on industry and societal needs
To promote regional and international collaborations for research
To stimulate performance in research
To develop centres of excellence in Niche Areas
To disseminate research results

8. The Setup of a Knowledge Transfer Office
To facilitate the dissemination of knowledge
To strengthen the university-industry partnership
To foster innovation and applied research at the University of Mauritius

9. The Setup of a Doctoral School
The doctoral school is an institutional (university)
organisational structure with a leadership (director and
professional staff) and autonomy which provides or
supports academic, research and transferable skills training
for doctoral candidates in a flexible and countinuous way.

10. The Setup of a Doctoral School
It ensures quality of doctoral education by supporting/
managing procedures from the access and selection to
monitoring of progress of each doctoral candidate to improving
quality of supervision (by training of supervisors).

11. The UoM Research Week

12. Centre of Excellence in Research and Development
International Centre for Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality
The Centre for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research (CBBR)

13. Centre for Innovative and Lifelong Learning
Ensures wider access to higher education opportunities through
lifelong learning by utilising ICT-based innovative pedagogies
Brings grass-roots level innovation in educational practices to align with
21st century education models to address KS needs

14. Centre for Innovative and Lifelong Learning (2014)
To consolidate the University of Mauritius as a Dual-Mode Institution
To contribute to the Internationalization of the University
To promote an innovative culture of teaching and learning at the University
of Mauritius
To contribute to the University’s goal of the knowledge Society Development
To be a high quality provider of online education

15. Living Labs for Teaching and Learning

16. Key Capacity-Building Initiatives

17. Key Capacity-Building Initiatives
21st Century Skills for Educators in collaboration with COL
and Microsoft under Living Lab
Interactive Materials
Development
Teaching with Technology
Education Leadership
Exchange Programme

18. Key Capacity-Building Initiatives
Launching of a postgraduate programme in
Virtual Reality and 3D Development
Innovative Partnership Model with
Industry ( EON Reality Ltd)
UoM Programme delivered in the
industry by experts of the field

19. Key Capacity-Building Initiatives
Launching of an online Masters Programme in
Leadership Development in ICT and Knowledge Society
Innovative Partnership Model the Global e-Schools and Communities
Initiatives (GESCI)
Programme offered in about 16 African Countries to develop leadership
capacity in public sector to embrace innovation for knowledge society
development

20. Key Capacity-Building Initiatives
Launching of the DUCERE MBA (Innovation & Leadership)
Provide real-world learning through invaluable industry engagement
underpinned by traditional academic rigour
Participants work with three different MBA Industry Partners to
complete real industry projects and develop invaluable skills
Operates on a ‘eminent pool of global faculty’ model

21. Innovating the University’s Education System
Use of ICTs and digital technologies to establish a blended learning model
(online/face to face/industry)
Reviewing existing modes of assessments and examinations to depart
gradually from exams-driven education
Focusing on outcomes – based education and activity-based learning
(skills development and application)

22. Future Initiatives
Makerspaces to integrate making into the classroom (with Intel/Microsoft)

23. Alignment to Innovation Pathways
Review our traditional model of learning to explore industry-based curricula
on a larger scale
Develop and implement a university-wide system of accreditation and
recognition of prior learning
Promote entrepreneurship and collaborative business startups
(academia/students) – the existing consultancy scheme is not sufficient to
address this
The legal and public governance framework – and its compatibility with
private sector activity e.g potential conflicts of interest, ethical issues,
exposure of public officials to risks….

24. Conclusion
The need for strong and stable leadership at all levels of the institution
Coherent visioning and consistency to achieve the strategic goals
The need for new structures based on flexibility, autonomy and
accountability
Staff empowerment at all levels to foster innovation, creativity and new
thinking

25. Thank you