Nigeria Vice Chancellors / HE AU Chairperson - Champions for the African Union Network of Sciences
MARS Call 2024
Welcome
Welcome to the website of the African Union Scientific Technical Research Commission (STRC). The STRC is a specialized institution within the African Union, which spearheads the promotion and role of science, technology and research, in the strengthening of integration, cooperation and development of the African Union Member States.
We at the STRC support and contribute to research across a spectrum of disciplines in science and technology including forestry and agricultural sciences, medical sciences, soil and botanical sciences,environmental sciences, industrial and technological sciences, andnatural sciences like physics, chemistry, etc., fostering partnerships and engaging in training opportunities as we aim to maximize the impact of science research on the growth and development of the African Union Member States.
About AU STRC
The Scientific, Technical and Research commission (STRC) of the African Union is a specialized institution of the African Union with a long history founded in 1965, the AU-STRC has been at the vanguard of promotion of science and technology in the past 5 decades at continental level. Today STRC is at a crossroad with the Maputo Declaration which set forth the role of the Department of Human Resources Science and Technology (HRST) and its relevant Divisions which mandate covers science and technology promotion; at that time STRC was integrated into the HRST department.
Within the framework of the Consolidated Plan of Action CPA and its successor Science Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2024 (STISA 2024) which is termed the bible of the AU science policy, and with the guidance provided by the Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology STC-EST (composed of Ministers of Education and Science and Techonolgy of African Union Member States), STRC is tasked to implement specific programs to enhance the contribution of Science and technology for the development of the continent.
In AUC’s strategic plan, the AU/STRC action is designed to spearhead the role of science, technology and research in the integration, cooperation and development priority pillars. Areas of priority action include the promotion of research in all fields of science such as biology, medicine, basic science, new and renewable energies, training to build African capacity to address emerging issues on intellectual property rights and also to address those issues of traditional knowledge, folklore and genetic resources; and developing a framework for the capacity building of science journalists to better equip the concerned professionals in writing and reporting of science activities.
The formulation of science and technology policy will be at the forefront of our action with specific contribution to the capacity building of the parliamentarians and decision makers in science and technology. This in turn will yield better output in science and technology policies and increase the chances of financing science, technology and research within AU Member States.
The office of the African Union Scientific Technical Research Commission is based in Abuja, Nigeria
Mandate
To implement the the Africa’s Science and Technology Policy in coordination with relevant stakeholders; promote the Intra-Africa research activates; identify new and comparative priority areas for research; and to popularize the scientific and technological research culture in Africa.
Our Vision And Mission
Vision
To be a leading African Institution in positioning Africa as a global force to be reckoned with, an Africa that is knowledge driven with robust and sustainable system of innovation.
Mission
To enhance the capacity of our Institution, and our Member States to utilize scientific research and innovation outcome to build a knowledge economy.
Core Functions
- 1 Ensure the implementation and promotion of STISA-2024
- 2 Identify the potential areas with comparative advantage in research and development;
- 3 Coordinate and promote the Inter-Africa research activates and programmes
- 4 Establishment of research partnership and networks
- 5 Advance the programmes on the exchange of researchers and specialists among the AU Member states that including brain circulation
- 6 Promote best practices emanating from scientific and technological development applications
- 7 Organize training programmes in scientific and technological development that includes technology transfer and capacity building
- 8 Promote R&D commercialization including science park and incubators; and
- 9 Mobilize resources and identify funding for research projects.