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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDICATORS IN JAMAICA: OBSTACLES TO THE EXPANSION OF THE SERIES

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDICATORS IN JAMAICA: OBSTACLES TO THE EXPANSION OF THE SERIES. Merline E. Bardowell Executive Director National Commission on Science and Technology. OVERVIEW. Introduction Collection of S&T Indicators/S&T Infrastructure

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDICATORS IN JAMAICA: OBSTACLES TO THE EXPANSION OF THE SERIES

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  1. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDICATORS IN JAMAICA: OBSTACLES TO THE EXPANSION OF THE SERIES Merline E. Bardowell Executive Director National Commission on Science and Technology RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  2. OVERVIEW • Introduction • Collection of S&T Indicators/S&T Infrastructure • Science, Technology and Innovation Policies and Plans • S& T Indicators Being Collected • Problems Being Encountered • Addressing the Challenges RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  3. MAP OF JAMAICA RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  4. Breathtaking Dunn’s River FallsJAMAICA RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  5. JAMAICAIsland In The Caribbean • LOCATION – Latitude 17 1/2o and 18 1/20 north; Longitude 76 1/20 and 78 ½ 0 west • AREA of 11,424 sq. km. • POPULATION – 2.7m and multi-racial • Major areas of ECONOMY – Tourism, Agriculture, Mining, Manufacturing • Official LANGUAGE – English • Major Asset – It’s People RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  6. INTRODUCTION Jamaica ‘s Strategic Focus for Growth & Development • Export Push through building and sustaining targeted areas of competitive advantage • Import substitution consistent with the focus on international competitiveness Other imperatives • The Knowledge- based Economy • Globalization • Internal social problems • Sustainability of the Environment • Jamaica as an adopter of technologies RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  7. COLLECTION OF S& T INDICATORS IN JAMAICA • Organizational Responsibility - National Commission on Science and Technology- statutory body chaired by the Prime Minister, with the mandate to foster and advance the policy and strategy for science and technology in Jamaica • Well poised – coordinates integrates and monitors S&T activities in Jamaica • S&T infrastructure fairly good - 44 institutions covering most areas of S&T RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  8. ORGANIZATION OF S&T IN JAMAICA RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  9. SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION POLICIES & PLANS • Good S&T Policy infrastructure – 1st in 1960 • Second in 1990 • Third S&T Policy – 2006 before Cabinet • Sector policies – biotechnology (draft) Biosafety, Energy, S&T Education, poverty • Strategic Plan for S&T 2005 –2010 • Jamaica 2030: National Development Plan – including S&T sector – developed status by 2030 in progress RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  10. COLLECTION OF S&T INDICATORS • Indicators being developed • Conventional – financial, HRST, patents, publications • NCST 5-Year Strategic Plan (2005-2010) - based on national priorities- to measure the collective performance of the S&T sector based on the objectives of the NCST – detailed later in presentation • Coverage – all public sector S&T institutions(44), universities ( 4), College (1) JIPO,CITO RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  11. COLLECTION CONT’D • Frequency – annual • Techniques – survey (mailed questionnaires with follow-up); secondary sources (reports, estimates of expenditure), estimates in a few cases • Fields covered • Basic and Applied Sciences including Engineering RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  12. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INDICATORS BEING COLLECTED • Financial Resources • Total Expenditure in Scientific and Technological Activity (STA) • Expenditure in STA by Financing Sector • Expenditure in Research and Development (R&D) • Expenditure in Research and Development by Financing Sector • Linkages with the Private Sector • Projects with the Private Sector RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  13. INDICATORS CONT’D • Human Resources in Science and Technology • Post Secondary Students Graduating per year in Science, Mathematics and Engineering as % of All tertiary Students • # Trained S&T persons (per million people) employed locally in S&T • Science and Technology Personnel • Science and Technology Personnel by Gender • Number of Engineers • Researchers (Head Count) RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  14. INDICATORS CONT’D • Researchers by Field of Science • Researchers by Higher Education • Number of Graduates degrees awarded by academic institutions Scientific Production • Patents • Publications • S&T for Competitive and Profitable Businesses • % increase of firms using new technology each year • # of new products brought to market • # of new services brought to market • Technology creation: receipt of royalties & license fees (US$ per 100 people) RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  15. INDICATORS CONT’D • Population Understands the Importance of S&T • % of population aware of the importance of S&T • Internet Users per 100 population • Dissemination of Knowledge and Information on S&T • % of National databases with 24 hour access • % population accessing the national STIN RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  16. INDICATORS CONT’D • Efficient, Impactful and Environmentally Sustainable S&T Efforts • # of companies with internationally certified quality and environmental systems per year • % of renewable energy as % of total energy generation per year • # of plant species on the endangered species per year RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  17. INDICATORS CONT’D • # of animal species on the endangered species list per year • # of new invasive species per year • % of major effluents that are in compliance in the harbours • % of major urban and mining areas that are in compliance with air quality standards • High tech exports as a % of manufacturing exports • Primary exports as % of Merchandise exports RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  18. PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED • Lack of funding and dedicated staff for this activity • Lack of adequately trained staff • Low and/or lack of response from institutions being surveyed • Lack of appreciation by decision and policy makers and planners as to the importance of S&T indicators – low demand adversely impacts development of indicators RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  19. PROBLEMS CONT’D • Some required information and data not being collected and maintained by providers • Difficulty in obtaining data and information from the private sector • S&T indicators not included as part of the formal national statistics • Inadequate capacities of institutions responding to surveys • No specific point person assigned to collect information and data • Challenges in obtaining data from relevant sections in institutions RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  20. PROBLEMS CON”TD • Secondary sources, although useful, not always published, sometimes not timely and data not always accurate • Budgets not disaggregated to identify specific S&T activities- time consuming to extract data • Lack of understanding by relevant entities as to the need to collect indicators identified – survey results not necessarily seen as important and may not be used • Not enough use of information to inform decisions, policy and planning RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  21. ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES • Address the National Challenges • Identify funding and dedicated staff for regular construction and tracking of indicators • Implement mechanisms to sensitize decision and policy-makers, planners and providers of information on the importance of S&T indicators e.g workshops, marketing of indicators • Training of personnel for the collection, analysis and construction of indicators • Make provision of information mandatory and bring on board indicators not presently being collected RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  22. ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES • Organize for indicators to be part of national statistics • Make better use of estimates in the process • Get involvement of private sector • Make indicators relevant and impactful with regards to national priorities RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  23. ADDRESING THE CHALLENGES • Regional Level • English Speaking Caribbean –focal point • Address the fact that Caribbean countries lagging behind • Similarity of concerns • Implement strategies to address language barriers, better sharing of information and experience among all the countries in the network RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

  24. THANK YOU Merline E. Bardowell Executive Director National Commission on Science and Technology Office of the Prime Minister 1 Devon Road, Kingston 10 Tel: 920 1488 Fax: 960 8407 Email: mbardowell@opm.gov.jm; website:www.ncst.gov.jm RICYT/CONACYT International Seminar on New Indicators of Science, Technology and Innovation

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