Interview with Delphine Édith Emmanuel Adouki, Minister of Education higher education, research and technological innovation since May 15 2021. Holds a doctorate in public law (Paris 1) and a DEA (Master's degree). With a background in international studies and a postgraduate degree in international administration, she has the responsibility for the higher education of Congolese youth.
What are the main themes of the scientific research and innovation strategy for the period 2022-2026?
First, it is important to recall that the Republic of Congo adopted a National Policy for Scientific Research and Innovation (PNRSI) in October 2022. This policy was developed based on a diagnostic analysis of the Congolese economy conducted within the framework of the 2022-2026 National Development Plan (PND), the instrument for implementing the President of the Republic's societal project, "Together, let's continue moving forward." The PNRSI clearly defines our country's true ambition to systematically transition to a sustainable, knowledge-based economy. It provides support to policymakers, all stakeholders, civil society, and development partners in the scientific research and technological innovation sector.
To ensure the successful implementation of this Policy, we validated in December of the same year an operational instrument for Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy, namely the Strategy and Action Plan for Scientific Research and Innovation (SPARSI) of the Republic of Congo. This instrument is structured around six (6) main strategic axes, accompanied by an initial operational plan covering the period from 2023 to 2026. This plan is budgeted and consolidated into programs based on contributions from all scientific, technological, and innovation research institutions and centers in the country.
These different strategic directions are:
– Strengthening institutional capacities: with the objective of making our national system of scientific research and innovation efficient and coherent by ensuring that the various actors involved through their respective institutions intervene in the execution of scientific research and innovation in perfect interaction with each other.
– Strengthening the supply of scientific and technical knowledge of public utility: The Republic of Congo intends to rely on a knowledge-based economy to support society in the face of the major challenges it faces.
– Strengthening service delivery capacity: this strategic focus outlines our ambition to become a competitive country in the sub-region, both in terms of innovation and scientific research. This ambition necessarily requires our ability to provide the necessary services through infrastructure, private sector involvement, improvements to the research environment, protection and promotion of research results, and continuing education for researchers.
– Increased capacity for demand and adoption of technology: Faced with the rapid evolution of the world of technology, this strategic axis aims to build closer ties between technologies and decision-makers, so that the latter become more involved in creating a political system that highlights technological needs and their transfer in order to promote their absorption or use.
– Promotion of national, international and multi-party cooperation: This axis aims to boost scientific and technological cooperation of the Congolese State at the national and international level, also with countries, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, bodies and private companies whose competence in at least one of the scientific and technological disciplines represents a major interest for the country.
– Strengthening the links between supply and demand in research and innovation: To promote the development of the industrial sector in the face of technology needs, it is important to promote closer ties between research organizations (public and private) and industries by removing barriers or bottlenecks to collaboration between researchers, innovators, inventors and industrialists.
Furthermore, we must highlight two very important elements. First, the six strategic axes of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation for the period from 2023 to 2026 are broken down into 31 strategic orientations whose implementation is supported by programs and projects as well as concrete activities to be carried out, all included in the operational plan that we mentioned earlier.
Finally, SPARSI has a monitoring and evaluation mechanism based on Results-Based Management (RBM).
To make higher education more attractive, it is essential that courses meet the needs of businesses. What actions are you taking in this regard?
Regarding the attractiveness of higher education, we are indeed aware that training programs must meet the demands of businesses. It is with this in mind that discussions will take place during the 4th session of the National Council for Higher Education (CNES), which will be held on September 27, 28, and 29, 2023.
The main areas of focus identified include, among others:
The match between training and employment; ;
The National Status of the Student Entrepreneur (SNEE); ;
The needs of the world of work; ;
The professional integration of graduates.
And what about the National Status of the Student Entrepreneur (SNEE)?
Entrepreneurship is an alternative to reducing graduate unemployment in the face of difficulties in their integration into the labor market and can generally provide solutions to issues related to youth unemployment, thus helping to facilitate their integration into the socio-economic environment.
The Republic of Congo is benefiting from the implementation of a pilot project to study the possibilities of developing a system that will allow students to develop their entrepreneurial skills and make them active participants in their professional integration through the deployment (AUF Entrepreneurship Program) of the National Student-Entrepreneur Status in 9 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean (Congo, Cameroon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Haiti and Mauritius).
The SNEE project will be submitted to the National Council for Higher Education for approval. The Ministry's commitment is clear, with direct involvement aimed at uniting all initiatives undertaken around student entrepreneurship, establishing a legal framework, and mobilizing national stakeholders involved in entrepreneurship.
What is the status of the construction of the Congo-Cameroon Inter-State University in Mokéko, Sangha Department?
Regarding the construction of the Congo-Cameroon Inter-State University, the preliminary work on the Congolese side is sufficiently advanced. Indeed, following the signing, on December 12, 2012, of the Convention establishing this University, the Ministry in charge of Higher Education has already officially acquired a plot of land in the Mokéko district with an area of 117 hectares, 8 ares, and 59 centiares (or 1,170,859.95 m2) intended for the construction of said University.
Currently, we are awaiting the publication shortly of the call for tenders relating to the awarding of contracts for studies and construction of the University by the ministry in charge of major works.
As a founding member of the network of Francophone environmental lawyers, have you noticed an increased awareness among Congolese students of ecology and an enthusiasm for related degrees?
We have noted an awareness among Congolese students of ecology, as final-year students from the National Higher School of Agronomy and Forestry (ENSAF) at Marien Ngouabi University have set up an NGO for the preservation of aquatic ecosystems in Congo.
There has also been a growing interest in degrees related to ecology, because many students are enrolling in:
– ENSAF in master in the following fields: environmental management and sustainable forest management; ;
– the Higher Institute of Geographic, Environmental and Planning Sciences (ISSGEA) at Denis Sassou Nguesso University in environmental studies.