Namibia to Conduct a Nationwide Data Collection Exercise

A multistakeholder team in Namibia has embarked on a nationwide data collection exercise to benchmark the country’s science, technology and innovation system against the norms and standards of the Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers.

Namibia is one of six pilot countries taking part in the project Strengthening STI Systems for Sustainable Development in Africa, an initiative funded by the Swedish International Development Agency.

In its latter stages, the project will support Namibia in designing inclusive policies that integrate the Recommendation’s standards and norms. The benchmarking exercise will inform this process by helping to identify gaps, needs, strengths and opportunities in policy and practice.

Across the country, about 700 stakeholders had completed online or physical questionaries by early December 2021. Data were collected for all but two regions between 20 September and 1 October 2021.

Many of these stakeholders reported that the data collection exercise had been their first opportunity to learn about or engage with the Recommendation; a significant portion also indicated that they wished to be consulted on the issues raised by the Recommendation in future. The data collection team consisted of stakeholders from Namibia’s National Commission on Research, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Higher Education, Technology and Innovation and UNESCO.

On 17 September 2021, the team discussed the national exercise on NBC TV’s Good Morning Namibia. Members of the team also participated in interviews with regional radio stations, raising awareness of the data collection exercise.