Transformative Innovation Policy – South Africa (TIP – SA)

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The South African Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) Community of Practice is convened through a collaboration between the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), the Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII) at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), and the DSI/NRF/Newton Fund Trilateral Chair in Transformative Innovation, the 4IR and Sustainable Development at the University of Johannesburg.

 Transformative Innovation Policy (TIP) proposes a new approach to support innovation that addresses our complex societal and environmental challenges. It builds on the possibility of alternative futures, the potential of citizen movements, firms, governments, and knowledge organisations, and the co-creation of solutions through participatory approaches.

Since South Africa became a founding member of the Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium (TIPC) in 2017, a Community of Practice has been growing. Teams across the public sector are partnering with the DSI, to explore the value of the TIP approach.

Currently, we are building the community of practice by:

  • Developing a repertoire of knowledge resources: including masterclasses, public lectures, workshops, and written materials.
  • Providing customised advice and mentorship to programmes and teams willing to design clear strategies to change existing practices or initiate new projects seeking transformative outcomes.

The long-term goal is to build a vibrant and dynamic community of practice (in TIP in South Africa comprising multiple government agencies, practitioners and relevant stakeholders. In the long run, we aim to build national capacity and capabilities for policy experimentation by:

  • Formalising TIP training – offering a range of formal training opportunities in TIP (e.g. short learning programmes, MPhil in TIP and PhD by Practice in TIP at the University of Johannesburg)
  • Developing a network of mentors that can support widespread policy experimentation in South Africa (and further upscaling) in multiple themes.

If you are currently engaging in a transformative initiative or are interested in learning about TIP, please consider joining our Community of Practice by emailing tipsouthafrica@uj.ac.za.

To learn more about Transformative Innovation Policy in the South African context, watch our sessional recording at the 2021 Science Forum South Africa.

Read our 2021 colloquium report.