STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS with higher education bodies in developing countries can help tackle the problems of the world’s poorest and least-achieving nations, President Mary McAleese told a conference in Dublin yesterday.
The President was speaking at the annual Universitas 21 symposium, held this year at University College Dublin. The gathering brought together academics and development practitioners from more than 13 countries to examine how universities can best apply research and collaborative efforts to issues related to public health, poverty, the environment and illiteracy in the developing world.
Mrs McAleese noted that the Government’s recent White Paper on Irish Aid highlighted the potential of developing nations’ higher education and research sectors in helping solve problems in those countries.
She said Irish universities, along with Irish Aid, the Government’s overseas development division, and the Higher Education Authority, were actively co-operating with a number of African universities to develop their research capacity.
“These strategic partnerships offer not just enhanced research opportunities but improved quality of research output, increased capacity to influence government and to influence education, health and economic policies,” she said.
“They build confidence and courage, two important sources of energy especially for those working in tough conditions with very sparse resources.”
The President told academics that their institutions constituted a “massive intellectual and experiential” resource. “The leverage you have is considerable and positions you well to assume a leadership role as the principal instigators and co-ordinators of a new type of international development partnership, bringing together key stakeholders such as government agencies, funding bodies, corporate partners, charities and faith-based organisations.”
The combined power of government and academia holds potential on “a grand scale” to make a real difference in the developing world, she said.
“The strategic partnerships you have in view have available some serious heavy-lifting equipment; just the kind of equipment needed for the serious problems faced by developing nations.”
Founded in 1997, Universitas 21 is an international network of 21 leading research-intensive universities from 13 countries. UCD is the only Irish member.