The division of science technology and innovation has officially launched the second edition of the ‘Open Innovation Challenge for Climate Change’.
A collaboration between the division of science technology and innovation (DSTI), Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment (MACCE) and Ministry of Education (MoE) under the DSTI’s Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programme, the second edition of the ‘Open Innovation Challenge’ was launched on Tuesday this week at the Independence House Annex, Victoria.
The aim of the competition is to encourage the participation and enthusiasm of pupils in Stem education and frontier technologies to tackle climate change.
It is also to push pupils to co-create impactful projects and to involve both the public and private sector so that practical projects can become feasible.
Director general (DG) for DSTI, Xavier Estico, senior education officer Lynndina Essack from the Ministry of Education and Donald Estico, chairman of the Stem education committee, gave details to the media during a press conference.
DG Estico stated that this year the competition is open to pupils at primary level, secondary, professional centres and the public in general.
He added that the reason they have added the general public is because there was active interest from the public for the first edition of the competition.
Participants have until September 15 to register for the competition and announcement for selected projects will be on September 20. From October 22-26, 2022 the pitching competition will start for all categories and the award and certificate ceremony will be on October 31.
Participants can come up with various innovative projects that can help in the community (social), disruptive innovation (innovation that changes the way we perform certain actions), grassroot (sustainable innovation) that is on a level that does not require a lot of resources, frugal innovation (in terms of community but optimises the resources being used), reverse innovation, process innovation (manufacturing) that minimises carbon emission, product and open and inclusive innovation.
Participants have the option to register as a group or individually.
“This year’s theme which is climate change has been chosen due to the taking place of COP 26 early this year,” said Mr Estico.
He noted that after the meet in Glasgow, Scotland, the confidence instilled was that the solution is through science technology and innovation. “We need to motivate our educational institutions as well as the public and private companies that we need to learn as a small island state. We will be the first respondent for crisis, we can resolve our issues ourselves through our own creativity and innovation,” he stressed.
The first edition which focused on Covid-19 had 120 participants with 80 chosen and finally 20 projects selected as viable solutions.
DSTI is in the process of setting up an incubator programme whereby people with innovative and creative ideas can seek funding and commercialisation for their products.
For the competition, participants can present their project in written form, concept or prototype. Participants’ projects can also be protected under intellectual property rights whereby Mr Estico noted that the rights will remain with the participant unless a joint collaboration is needed with sponsors or developers then joint rights can be put forward. “Our option is the rights go to the creator and innovator as we (government) are the facilitator,” he stated.
The director general of DSTI also highlighted that possibly in the future they might have a National Innovation Award that is judged per category.
Senior education officer Lynndina Essack imparted that many pupils have very innovative ideas and solutions that even adults have not thought of. “We have many partners ? national and international ? at the Ministry of Education that can help us with funding. So when the pupils come with their projects we got funding from MCB (Mauritius Commercial Bank) for one of the projects whereby they were given the money to materialise their project.”
For further information, members of the public can contact DSTI directly or visit their website www.dsti.sc to register or for further information regarding the competition.
Source: Seychelles Nation
