A new programme of work is emerging to accelerate just transitions across sub-Saharan Africa. This is a collaboration among the Deep Transitions Lab (DTL), Utrecht University (UU), the Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium (TIPC), and South African partners including the University of Pretoria’s Future Africa Campus and Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI).
The programme aims to connect innovation policy, entrepreneurship, transformative investment and inclusive AI, bringing together policymakers, researchers, practitioners and partners from across Africa and Europe. In March, programme coordinators convened in Pretoria to advance this work through a series of workshops, strategic engagements and a conference focused on moving beyond isolated pilots towards systemic change.
The week-long programme began with the Transformative Innovation Africa Hub (TIAH) hosting a regional Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) workshop at the Graduate School of Technology Management (GSTM), University of Pretoria. The two-day workshop brought together participants from several of TIPC’s African member countries—Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa—alongside partners. It opened with updates and perspectives from member countries, followed by discussions aimed at deepening shared understanding of experimentation, co-creation, resource mobilisation and the conditions needed for TIP to have impact across African contexts.
For a more detailed breakdown of activities and outcomes, read the blog post by the Deep Transitions Lab.