Journal of Science Policy & Governance
​Volume 20, Issue 03 | August 22, 2022

Essay: Capacity-Building for Big Science in the Global South: Lessons Learned from the Square Kilometer Array

Anna-Lena Rüland
Leiden University, Science Based Business, Leiden, South Holland, The Netherlands

​Corresponding author: [email protected]​
Keywords: capacity-building; Big Science; Global South; Square Kilometer Array
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG200305

Executive Summary

Hosting a big science project, a research facility that is anchored around large and complex instruments in the billion-dollar class, presents both an opportunity and a challenge for countries from the Global South. On the one hand, big science projects may foster a host country’s local and national capacities in science and technology (S&T). On the other hand, contenders need solid S&T capacities to bid for a big science facility. In the Global South, and in particular on the African continent, few countries currently have such capacities. With the exception of South Africa, which is host to the Square Kilometer Array (SKA), a billion-euro radio astronomy facility, no African country hosts a big science project. This essay outlines how South Africa, which initially lacked human capital and infrastructure in radio astronomy, succeeded in building capacity for SKA. In addition, it draws two lessons from South Africa’s capacity-building efforts. These lessons could prove useful for countries from the Global South that are keen to strengthen their S&T capacities for big science.

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Background header image courtesy of https://www.skatelescope.org/copyright/
Anna-Lena Rüland is a Ph.D. candidate at Leiden University, the Netherlands. She holds a master’s degree in International Relations from the Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University and University of Potsdam. Her current research focuses on topics such as science diplomacy, North-South research collaboration and Big Science.

Acknowledgements 
​The author would like to thank Simcha Jong, Dominika Czerniawska, Li Yi, Richelle Boone, and the reviewers from JSPG for their helpful comments and suggestions on earlier drafts of this paper.

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