06.04.2024 - 08.04.2024 | Almaty, Kazakhstan
Evidence policy making in science, technology and innovation is an important matter that finds its response in STI strategies developed and programmes implemented. Key-indicators for assessment of STI are widely used to set targets in national strategies but advanced knowledge about data production guidelines, processing standards for statistical data and the usability are fields widely neglected in Central Asian countries.
Reflecting the situation of STI statistics in a dedicated analysis covering Eastern Europe and Central Asia in IncoNet EECA it became clear that internationally accepted standards are only partly applied. This led to plan in the IncoNetCA/SC a dedicated workshop providing essential information and being starting point for pilot activities. The workshop in Almaty brought together 56 experts either producers of STI data or data users from agencies, governmental organisations etc..
Six internationally well known experts provided input during the three days workshop, interactive working sessions aimed at identifying future strands of regional co-operation and for the improvement of the national STI statistics. Focusing on the basic S&T indicators defined in the Frascati –family manuals and in the more advanced innovation statistics provide a good overview how quality STI statistic data can be produced. The invited co-organiser UNESCO Institute of Statistics demonstrated with an international overview the take over of guidelines for producing reliable STI data and the white spots in some of the concerned countries. 
The aim of the workshop was to define possible “Pilot activities” that put emphasis on regional networking or contributes to better national STI data production by applying internationally accepted guidelines. Notably, attention was paid to the broad usage of innovation statistics in the EU member countries. Evidently a pure “overtaking” of survey structures and its application in the CA countries’ is impossible. Only a stepwise approach might be fruitful and it is needed to find ways of adopting international comparable standards to national and regional needs. Thus, following the European experience it is the most practical way when (national) STI data users define jointly with data producers what data should be stepwise improved that useful and internationally comparable data can be produced. This process requires in depth knowledge on the matter from both sides, the data producing statistical agencies and the users of STI data.
The workshop was organised in the course of the IncoNetCA/SC Task 5.1 in Almaty. The experienced partner InExCB-Kz could attract a high share of financing from the Kazakh National Innovation Fund. The coverage of all CA countries and the attention in Kazakhstan motivate the involved partners to introduce and assist in the next year pilot activities for improving STI statistics. ZSI (Austria) was reliable for content and workshop setting, the contribution of Archimedes (Estonia) was as well of high importance.
Martin Felix Gajdusek
Gajdusek@zsi.at
