The Formation of Globelics
Globelics was conceived at the very beginning of the new millennium. Inspired by the work of Christopher Freeman and Richard Nelson, the network was initially developed through conversations among scholars in the South (Jose Cassiolato, Mammo Muchie and Shulin Gu) and in the North (Bengt-Åke Lundvall, Christopher Freeman, Richard Nelson and Luc Soete) and developed by economists and experts on innovation systems. Over time the network has integrated expertise from a wider social science background and experts on broader aspects of development.
In November 2002 the first formal meeting took place in Aalborg with support from Aalborg University. The first Globelics conference was organized in Rio by scholars from Rio Federal University in 2003. The first Globelics Academy was organized in Lisbon, 2004.
The Network
The network is open and diverse in terms of disciplines, perspectives and research tools. However the network’s core field of study remains the role of innovation, and of innovation systems as complexes of institutions that mold and support innovation in countries at different levels of industrialization.
More than 3000 scholars have attended the Globelics Conferences, which has travelled around the world thrice – three conferences four in the Americas, six in Asia, one in Russia and three in Africa. More than 300 Ph.d. students have participated in the Globelics Academy. The Globelics Website has had more than 4 million visits and there are 2000 registered users.
At conferences and in other contexts Globelics engages in dialogue with donor organisations, policy makers, NGO’s and business managers on how to use the insights produced within the network.
The Future
On the basis of grants from Sida, Sweden and Aalborg University, Denmark, the Globelics Secretariat has been consolidating the network and intensifying communication of research outcomes to academia and to policy makers. With the beginning of 2017 the function as Secretariat has moved from Aalborg, Denmark to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and José Cassiolato has taken over the function of Secretary General from Bengt-Åke Lundvall.
Later, Jeffrey Orosco took cover as the secretary general and secretariat was shifted to the National University of Costa Rica. At present, K J Joseph, Director, Gulati Institute of Finance and Taxation (GIFT) Kerala, India is the Secretary General and the secretariat is located in GIFT.
At the end of 2016 the Globelics Scientific Board unanimously agreed on a Globelics Constitution. The decision to establish a constitution for Globelics has been prepared over the last three years.
The aim is to give scholars who are active in the Globelics network the opportunity to become Members of Globelics and through voting procedure to influence the composition of the Globelics Scientific Board.
Read the Globelics Constitution
One implication is that Globelics will establish a formal Membership in the beginning of 2017. Members who subscribe to the preamble in the constitution and who have taken active part in Globelics conferences will be offered to apply for membership. Members can be nominated as candidates to become members of the next Globelics Scientific Board, they can themselves nominate candidates and finally they can give their votes in the election.
