UGANDA’NIN BİLİM VE TEKNOLOJİ POLİTİKALARINI ŞEKİLLENDİREN ULUSLARARASI AKTÖRLER: SON ON YILA DAİR BİR DERLEME

Abstract

Uganda’nın bilim, teknoloji, yenilik, araştırma ve geliştirme (STIRD) ekosistemi geleneksel olarak Küresel Kuzey’den gelen aktörler tarafından şekillendirilmiştir. Ancak son on yılda Türkiye ve Çin gibi Güney ülkelerinin katılımıyla daha çeşitlenmiş bir tablo ortaya çıkmıştır. Buna rağmen, Uganda’nın STIRD yolculuğunu etkileyen uluslararası aktörlerini bütünsel olarak inceleyen sınırlı sayıda çalışma bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Uganda’nın STIRD ekosistemini şekillendiren kurumsal aktörler beş kategoride ele alınmaktadır: kültürel kurumlar, sağlık araştırma kuruluşları, kalkınma odaklı STK’lar, ikili/çok taraflı kalkınma ajansları ve STI politika ağları. Aktörler rolleri, ortaklıkları, tematik odak alanları ve ulusal politika üzerindeki etkileri belge analizi yöntemiyle incelenmiştir. Bulgular, ABD, Birleşik Krallık ve İsveç gibi yerleşik bağışçıların etkisinin sürdüğünü gösterirken, Türkiye, Çin ve bölgesel ağların artan rollerini de öne çıkarmaktadır. Bu aktörlerin katkıları özellikle finansman, kurumsal ortaklıklar ve kapasite geliştirme alanlarında belirgindir. Çalışma, politika yapıcılar için koordinasyonu güçlendirme ve ulusal kalkınma hedefleriyle daha tutarlı stratejiler geliştirme konusunda öneriler sunarken, yeni aktörlerin daha stratejik STI diplomasisi yaklaşımları oluşturmasına ışık tutmaktadır. Ayrıca Doğu Afrika’daki inovasyon ortamına dair sınır ötesi etkileri daha iyi anlamak için ileriye dönük ampirik ve karşılaştırmalı araştırmalar yapılmasını önermektedir.

Keywords

• Bilim diplomasisi
• Uganda
• STIRD
• uluslararası ortaklıklar
• yumuşak güç

INTERNATIONAL ACTORS SHAPING UGANDA’S STIRD LANDSCAPE: A DECADAL REVIEW

Abstract

Uganda’s science, technology, innovation, research, and development (STIRD) ecosystem has historically been shaped by actors from the Global North. However, in the past decade, a more diversified landscape has emerged, marked by increasing engagement from Global South countries, including Türkiye and Chinese. Despite this evolution, limited research has examined the full spectrum of international actors influencing Uganda’s STIRD trajectory. This study addresses this gap by identifying and analysing the organisational actors that shape Uganda’s STIRD ecosystem—categorised into five groups: cultural institutions, health research organisations, development NGOs, bilateral/multilateral development agencies, and emerging STI policy networks. Using qualitative document analysis, the research investigates each actor’s roles, partnerships, thematic focus, and influence on national policy. Findings reveal a continued dominance of established donors like the USA, UK, and Sweden, yet highlight a growing role of actors such as Türkiye, China, and regional networks. These actors contribute through funding, institutional partnerships, and capacity-building. The study offers insights for policymakers to enhance coordination and alignment with national development goals and for new actors to craft more strategic STI diplomacy engagements. It concludes by calling for further empirical and comparative research to deepen understanding of transnational influences in East Africa’s innovation landscape.

Keywords

• science diplomacy
• Uganda
• STIRD
• international partnerships
• soft power

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