STIKS motivations arise from past achievements of ACTS on STI policy research and training as well as three on-going multi-year projects. These are SGCI-2, Evi-Pol Project (2020- 2023), which seeks to strengthen the capacities of Science Governing Councils (SGCs) in SSA; AfricaLics (2012-2022) that focuses on understanding innovation and learning in the context of Africa, both from theoretical and practical perspectives; and the Transformative Innovation and the 4th Industrial Revolution for Sustainable Development (2019-2023) that aims to strengthen African scholarship for examining transformative innovation, and developing transformative innovation policy, in the context of the 4IR. The programme is looking into expanding its outreach, particularly in the area of eco-innovation and circularity and start-ups. The gender dynamics of STI will remain a cross-cutting aspect of the programme implementation.

An African continent that effectively creates and utilises research findings on the interplay between STI, knowledge and society to formulate development strategies, policies and practice.

To advance key research and analysis of the interplay between STI, knowledge and African society to formulate development strategies, policies and practice.

To undertake key STI research and support the development of a cadre of researchers, analysts, policy makers, entrepreneurs, businesses and communities in Africa on the interplay of STI, knowledge and society, specifically related to the African context.

1. Research: Strengthen undertaking of action, policy-oriented and transdisciplinary research to generate evidence for policy and practice;
2. Capacity building: Strengthen the capacity of Africa’s Science Granting Councils and support capacity building in the field of innovation and development;
3. Policy;
4. Knowledge and technology transfer—promote knowledge and technology transfer for sustainable development;
5. Impact and communication: Strengthen evaluation of impact of STI and communication.

Building on the achievements of ACTS over the last 10 years under the Science, Technology and Innovation, Knowledge and Society (STIKS) programme, and, considering the projects that are transiting to the 2022-2026 period, this programme focuses on supporting capacity building of Africa’s councils; and to enable PhD students and post-docs engage in innovation and development. Specifically, during the 2022-2026 period, this programme will focus on research, policy and capacity building activities in the following six areas: