THE newly appointed Chair of the Governing Council of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Mr Mark Anthony Taylor, has pledged four key pillars on which his administration will drive forward progress of the CSIR- Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (CSIR-INSTI).
They are namely, resource mobilisation and funding; infrastructural development; adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools; and commercialisation and sustainability.
Mr Taylor made the pledge during a day’s visit to the CSIR-INSTI in Accra as part of his familiarisation tour of the institutes of the CSIR.
He was accompanied by the Director-General of the CSIR, Prof. Paul Bosu, and the acting Director of Administration of the CSIR, Mrs Phyllis Nketia.
The CSIR Governing Council Chair noted that CSIR-INSTI would be a priority in any effort at engaging the Government and private partners to secure sustainable funding for research and digital infrastructure.
“The Council will work with management to upgrade the physical and digital structures of the Institute, including modern information systems, high speed connectivity and data management tools to ensure seamless information flow across all the CSIR Institutes,” Mr Taylor said.
He added that the Institute would be provided with Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven platforms to enhance data processing, knowledge dissemination and digital archiving, adding that “Our goal is for CSIR-INSTI to become a training hub for all CSIR Institutes, building the capacity of staff across the organisation, in the use of AI and emerging digital technologies.”
Mr Taylor said CSIR-INSTI would generate significant revenue through enhanced commercialisation strategies such as digital knowledge products, data analytics services and customised information solutions for industry, explaining that CSIR-INSTI could become self-sustaining while contributing to the broader financial independence of CSIR.
On capacity building and professional development, he stated that opportunities for local and international training would be pursued to the benefit of all staff.
In recognising the challenges faced by the Institute, including limited research funding and inadequate infrastructure amongst others, he gave the assurance of the Council in taking measures to address such issues. He stated that the Council was committed to working with Management to ensure that the Institute received the financial and logistical support needed to function effectively.
The Director-General of the CSIR, Prof. Paul Bosu, in a speech, noted the need to integrate the work of the Institute and its outputs into the curriculum of the CSIR College for Science and Technology (CCST), to ensure the incorporation of digital technologies in teaching and learning at the College.
Dr Paul A. Danquah, Director of the CSIR-INSTI, stated that he believed the CSIR had the capacity to be self-sustainable, instead of heavily relying on external funds for research.
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