The objective of the seminar was to discuss innovation policies and strategies in Brazil, India and South Africa and their role in economic growth and development in a changing global landscape.

Innovation has become one of the main drivers for growth and development in some emerging economies. However, designing and implementing coherent and effective innovation policies that are supportive of wider development objectives and socio-economic needs is no easy task. In this regard, Brazil, India and South Africa have made important efforts in recent years to promote effective systems of innovation and to modernize their technological and scientific infrastructure in order to compete in an increasingly globalised marketplace. Encouraging results are appearing both in academia and the private sector. The seminar brought together representatives from governments, the private sector, international organizations, civil society and academia to discuss the challenges facing innovation policies in these countries taking into consideration their wider development objectives and the changing global landscape. The extent to which these policies are conducive to achieving a qualitative change in the positioning of these countries in the global knowledge economy and what lessons could be drawn for other developing countries seeking to promote innovation were also questions addressed during the seminar.