Open African Innovation Research (Open Air)

Open AIR is a unique collaborative network of researchers spread across 14 African countries, Canada, and elsewhere answering two overarching questions: How can open collaborative innovation help businesses scale up and seize the new opportunities of a global knowledge economy? And which intellectual property (IP) and associated knowledge governance systems will best ensure that the social and economic benefits of innovation are shared inclusively across society as a whole? A partnership involving five leading academic institutions: - the University of Ottawa in Canada - the University of Cape Town in South Africa - Strathmore University in Kenya - the Nigerian Institute for Advanced Legal Studies - The American University in Cairo, Egypt Open AIR has recently been awarded prestigious, multi-million-dollar grants to supports its work over the next 3-7 years. Funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) will help ensure that the Open AIR network further strengthens its position as a sustainable, influential bridge of cooperation between the African continent, Canada and the rest of the world.