NACETEM in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) held a workshop on the Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy on the 23rd of November 2011 for stakeholders in the science, technology and innovation sector. The workshop, which had about 31 persons drawn from various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government and the academia in attendance, was organised in order to expose participants to global best practices on how to design an all-encompassing STI policy and assist policy makers to appreciate the significance of effective policy formulation for sustainable development.
Papers were presented on the state of STI policy in Nigeria, guidelines and mechanisms for designing an STI Policy, framework for action plan and policy implementation, bridging the missing link between policy design and implementation, fostering partnership in policy making and implementation and framework for policy performance, monitoring and evaluation. The Director-General/CEO of NACETEM, Dr. Willie Siyanbola, was among the paper presenters.
Some of the following recommendations were made during the workshop: Nigerian scientists and engineers should market themselves and participate in politics so as to contribute their quota to STI issues and other matters of national importance; local governments should be involved in subsequent workshops and reviews on the STI Policy; due recognition should be given to innovation and invention at the grassroots and researchers should undertake market-driven researches and imbibe STI culture.