Researchers in Africa: Funding, Collaboration and Impact
Lecture by NELIUS BOSHOFF, Professor at the Centre for Research on Evaluation of Science, Technology and Innovation (CREST), University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Friday, Dec 7, 14:15, Institut für Sozialwissenschaften, Raum 002, Universitätsstr. 3b, Berlin
International scientific collaborations of African researchers receive new attention. Since the 2000s they become more entangled with international colleagues; a young generation is taking over research and teaching positions at African universities. These trends merit attention. Are African scholars gaining more autonomy through stronger research environments? What perspectives need to be integrated to guarantee the greatest amount of equity in international collaborations? And what kind of scientific impact is expected from researchers. Questions like these touch on the social studies of sciences, on bibliometric, and post-colonial approaches alike.
Nelius Boshoff’s presentation on “Researchers in Africa: Funding, collaboration and impact” will bring together relevant insights about researchers in Africa. He will present his own work on the topic, specifically his bibliometric studies of research collaboration, as well as recent work conducted by his colleagues at CREST (e.g. work on science granting councils in Africa and findings from a large-scale survey of African researchers). He will also outline a possible way for studies of research impact in Africa, by focusing on individual researchers and their productive interactions.
Professor Nelius Boshoff is an NRF-rated researcher who specializes in studies of (1) research utilization and the societal impact of research, (2) research collaboration and (3) bibliometrics with a focus on Africa. He has a PhD in Science and Technology Studies from Stellenbosch University, on the topic of knowledge utilization in the South African wine industry. Nelius Boshoff is the author of numerous peer-reviewed articles in national and international journals and more than 80 research reports and contributions to research reports. He is also the academic coordinator of the postgraduate programme in Science and Technology Studies that is offered by CREST.
Please send a short email for registration until Dec 6 to stefan.skupien@wzb.eu.