Hans-Erich Schulz, Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI), was elected First Vice President of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO) at its General Assembly held in November in Cape Town, South Africa.
WAITRO is recognised as the Global Innovation Family. It is a network of over 100 organisations, from more than 50 countries engaged in science, technology and innovation. It encompasses both developed and developing countries from all continents, and provides a mechanism for its members and partners to connect, partner, share, inspire, and multiply their contributions to solve global challenges and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On speaking about his appointment to the WAITRO Executive Board, Mr. Schulz has stated his intention to work with the other Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs) across the globe in order to collaborate on projects that would be of benefit to Trinidad and Tobago and the region and increase the pool of expertise by actively encouraging knowledge transfer programmes. He has signaled his intention to use this platform to continue CARIRI’s mission to be a national and regional focal point for technology and innovation. As a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), Mr Schulz sees Trinidad and Tobago bringing a new perspective to the table that has long been dominated by the larger, more developed countries. As First Vice President, Mr. Schulz will contribute to charting WAITRO’s strategic direction, endorsement of the work programmes and budget plans for the upcoming period, as well as advance its goals, with particular focus on strengthening relations among Latin American and Caribbean RTOs, broadening the membership base in the region, and generally improving collaboration and synergies within the Global Innovation Family.
Over the years, CARIRI has benefitted from various training and capacity building collaborations through arrangements with the Danish Technological Institute (DTI); Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM Berhad); Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (FhG), Germany; SHRIRAM Institute for Industrial Research, India; and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), South Africa, and will continue to seek out these partnerships in the future.
