The Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE), organized in collaboration with the UN Interagency Task Team Workstream 6 (UN IATT WS6), aims to foster the exchange of knowledge and experience among countries on the effective development and implementation of Research and Innovation (R&I) policies and strategies. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen the capacities of policymakers to design and execute impactful R&I initiatives.

This MLE brings together representatives from over a dozen countries that have benefited from assistance in reforming and enhancing their national R&I ecosystems, either through the OACPS R&I Policy Support Facility or UN agency-led Capacity Building in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Led by a team of high-level international experts, the MLE will achieve the following objectives:

• Identify good practices, lessons learned, and success factors through evidence-based analysis.
• Explore effective approaches to address current and emerging challenges in the R&I landscape.
• Tackle specific issues such as monitoring, funding mechanisms, and incentive structures.

The first activity of this Mutual Learning Exercise took place in Ethiopia from February 14–17, 2023, in collaboration with the UN IATT WS6, setting the stage for continued dialogue and capacity-building among participating countries.

Publications