The Seventh Globelics Conference, entitled “Inclusive Growth, Innovation and Technological Change: Education, Social Capital and Sustainable Development,” took place in Dakar, Senegal, from 6 to 8 October 2009. Organized in collaboration with Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD), the Centre de Recherches Économiques et Sociales (CRES), UNU-MERIT, and the Globelics network, the conference represented a significant milestone in the expansion of innovation studies across Africa. By bringing the annual meeting to Senegal, Globelics reinforced its commitment to promoting research that addresses the development challenges and opportunities of low- and middle-income countries while strengthening collaboration between African and international scholars.
The conference was coordinated through a broad international partnership that reflected the interdisciplinary nature of the Globelics network. Members of the Globelics Dakar 2009 Committee included Luc Soete, Théophile Azomahou, Micheline Goedhuys, and Mulu Gebreeyesus from UNU-MERIT, together with Abdoulaye Diagne and Mbaye Diené from the Centre de Recherches Économiques et Sociales (CRES), Abdelkader Djeflat from the University of Lille, Dave Kaplan from the University of Cape Town, and Mammo Muchie, representing both Aalborg University and the Institute for Economic Research on Innovation (IERI) at Tshwane University of Technology. Their collaboration ensured that the conference combined African perspectives with contributions from leading international institutions working on innovation and development.
The local organization was supported by an extensive team drawn from UNU-MERIT and CRES, including Théophile Azomahou, Micheline Goedhuys, Wilma Coenegrachts, Aissatou Mathurin Diop, Awa Diop, Alhadji Ly, Mariètou Mbaye, Fatou Cissé Ndiaye, Mar Cathy Dieng Sylla, Aboubacry Thiam, and Mulu Gebreeyesus. Their work was instrumental in coordinating an event that welcomed researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners from around the world while strengthening Senegal’s role as a regional hub for discussions on innovation and economic development.
The conference’s scientific programme was guided by an internationally recognized Scientific Committee composed of leading scholars in innovation studies. Among its members were Susan Cozzens, Gabriela Dutrénit, Peter Gammeltoft, Shulin Gu, Jorge Katz, Helena Maria Martins Lastres, Bengt-Åke Lundvall, Rasigan Maharajh, Franco Malerba, Sunil Mani, Richard Nelson, Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Slavo Radosevic, Rajah Rasiah, Peter Senker, Luc Soete, Judith Sutz, Alexandre O. Vera-Cruz, and Rainer Walz. Their diverse academic backgrounds helped shape discussions that connected innovation theory with practical policy challenges across different regions of the world.
Unlike earlier editions that concentrated primarily on technological competitiveness, the Dakar conference placed inclusive growth at the centre of its agenda. Participants examined how innovation systems can contribute not only to productivity and economic expansion but also to poverty reduction, educational opportunities, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Considerable attention was devoted to understanding how education, competence building, social capital, and institutional learning influence the capacity of countries to generate and diffuse knowledge that benefits society as a whole.
African development challenges occupied a particularly prominent place throughout the programme. Discussions explored how innovation policies could strengthen technological capabilities, improve institutional performance, and support locally grounded solutions for sustainable development. Rather than viewing innovation exclusively through the lens of scientific research or industrial performance, participants emphasized its broader social dimension and the importance of adapting innovation policies to the institutional, cultural, and economic realities of African countries.
The conference also fostered dialogue among universities, governments, international organizations, and research institutes, creating new opportunities for collaboration beyond the event itself. By encouraging interdisciplinary exchange and international cooperation, participants reinforced Globelics’ objective of building a worldwide community dedicated to understanding innovation as a driver of equitable and sustainable development.
The Seventh Globelics Conference therefore represented a decisive step in strengthening Africa’s presence within the global innovation studies community. Through its emphasis on inclusive growth, education, technological learning, and social capital, the meeting broadened the understanding of innovation beyond economic performance alone and demonstrated how knowledge-based development can contribute to more equitable and sustainable societies.