CSIR, Heritors Labs Collaborate to Advance Research and Innovation Standards

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Heritors Labs Limited has organized a workshop on the theme: "Advancing Standards and Certification in Research and Innovation: Building a Symbiotic Relationship with Regulators and a Culture of Standards among Researchers and Innovators."

The workshop, held in Accra, brought together a diverse group of participants, including researchers, innovators, industry representatives, policymakers, and service providers. The primary focus of the event was to promote a culture of standards in the research and innovation ecosystem and foster a symbiotic relationship with regulators.

From left to right; Prof. Alex Dodoo, Director-General; GSA, Prof. Marian Nkansah, Associate Professor, KNUST; Prof. Marian Quain, Deputy Director-General, CSIR; Mr. Seth K. Seaneke, Deputy CEO, FDA; Mr. Derrydean Dadzie, CEO, Heritors Labs

Prof. Marian Quain, the Deputy Director-General of CSIR Ghana, emphasized CSIR's prominent position as the country's leading research and innovation organization. CSIR envisions harnessing the transformative power of science, technology, and innovations to foster wealth creation.

She further underscored the significance of adhering to standards and certification processes to ensure the quality and acceptance of research and innovation outcomes. Embracing these practices is critical for sustaining the credibility and impact of CSIR's endeavors in research and development.

Prof. Marian Quain, Deputy Director-General, CSIR

The Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Prof. Alex Dodoo, said the draft charter was a timely one because achieving a resilient economy required adherence to national and international standards. He explained that as a country there was a need for an aggressive industrialization approach with a focus on good quality products, processes, practices, and tools for local consumption. “To achieve the Ghanaian dream, academia, researchers, innovators, and industry must work with the Ghana Standards Authority and researchers to create wealth,” he added

Prof. Alex Dodoo, Director-General; GSA

Presenting the draft charter at a workshop in Accra, Prof. Marian Asantewaah Nkansah, a Senior Lecturer at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), emphasized the significance of a vibrant research and innovation ecosystem for economic growth, job creation, and improved quality of life. The workshop, themed "Advancing Standards and Certification in Research and Innovation," brought together researchers, industry experts, academics, policymakers, and service providers to discuss ways to promote a culture of standards in the ecosystem.

Prof. Marian Nkansah, Associate Professor, KNUST

Prof. Nkansah highlighted the strides made by the Ghanaian government in promoting research and innovation through policies and initiatives like the Ghana National Science Technology and Innovation Policy and the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda. However, she stressed the need for a robust standardization, certification, and conformity assessment system to further enhance the ecosystem's effectiveness and responsiveness to stakeholders' needs. The draft charter is expected to contribute to reshaping the research and innovation landscape, creating a foundation for sustainable standards, certification, and conformity assessment in products and services.

Chief Executive Officer of Heritors Labs, Derrydean Dadzie, expressed the hope that the charter would reshape the research and innovation landscape as well as communities, build a strong foundation for a sustainable trajectory of defacto standards, certification, and conformity assessment embedded in products and services produced by researchers.

Mr. Derrydean Dadzie, CEO, Heritors Labs

The charter's adoption is seen as a crucial step in achieving a resilient economy, fostering industrialization with a focus on high-quality products, practices, and tools for local consumption. Through collaboration between academia, researchers, innovators, industry, and the Ghana Standards Authority, the aim is to create wealth and elevate Ghana's reputation for excellence and reliability in the global market.

Source: Corporate Affairs Division