This past May the AIMS Research Center opened in Cape Town.  A focus on research is a key part of higher education, and a foundation to a strong science sector in any country.  Unfortunately the research capacity of many institutions of higher learning throughout the developing world is declining due to financial and political true.  Particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

[...] few or none of the features of modern science system apply to many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Many of the scientific institutions in these countries are fragile and susceptible to the vagaries of political and military events, are severely under-resourced, and suffer because of a lack of clarity and articulation of science governance issues (demonstrated by constant shifts in ministerial responsibility for science). In fact, one could even refer to some of these science systems and the associated institutions as operating in a subsistence mode where they struggle to even reproduce themselves. A “subsistence mode” refers to a system that basically produces knowledge for its own use only and does not export knowledge. In fact, it does not make a significant contribution in the global game of knowledge production. It is even debatable whether one can talk of a science system in many of these countries as they do not exhibit typical “systemic” characteristics. Institutions are not typically aligned through input, process, and output flows, and there is no typical systemic behavior in response to external changes and demands. Rather, the image of an assemblage of fragile, somewhat disconnected and constantly under-resourced institutions, is perhaps a more apt metaphor to describe the science arrangements in some of these countries.

This excerpt comes from Johann Mouton, in the fall 2008 issue of Global Education.  In it he reviews the factors that shape and affect the de-institutionalization of science in this area.  “Four major historical influences on the nature of scientific institutions in sub-Saharan Africa are discussed: first, the continuing legacy of colonial science in many countries; second, the destabilizing influence of political events and civil wars; third, the role of international agencies in shaping African sciences; fourth, the gradual erosion of human capital through the brain drain.

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