Associate Professor Eric Tutu Tchao, Principal Investigator and Scientific Director of the Distributed IoT-Platforms, Privacy and Edge-Intelligence Research Lab at KNUST ((DIPPER Lab) has been appointed Lead Author for Chapter 11 of the forthcoming eighth edition of the UNESCO Science Report, making him the University's sole representative on the international team preparing UNESCO's flagship publication on science, technology and innovation (STI). 

Professor Tutu Tchao is among 157 experts from more than 70 countries selected by UNESCO through its first-ever global open call for contributors to the report. The publication, expected in early 2027, will provide a comprehensive assessment of global developments in science, technology and innovation and serve as a key reference for governments, policymakers, researchers and international organisations. 

As Lead Author for Chapter 11, Professor Tutu Tchao will work with an international team of researchers and science policy experts selected for their disciplinary expertise, geographical diversity and contributions to advancing science and innovation. UNESCO said more than 3,000 experts from across all regional groups responded to the call before 157 authors representing over 70 countries were selected through a rigorous evaluation process. 

The UNESCO Science Report, published every five years since 1993, is the organisation's flagship assessment of global trends in science, technology and innovation. It examines how countries build scientific capacity, invest in research and innovation, respond to emerging technologies and use science to address sustainable development challenges. The report is widely used by governments, development partners, researchers and international organisations as an evidence base for science, technology and innovation policy. 

According to UNESCO, the eighth edition will examine recent transformations in national and global science, technology and innovation systems while exploring the opportunities and challenges likely to shape science and innovation in the years ahead. It will analyse evolving research ecosystems, technological change, international scientific cooperation and the role of science in addressing global priorities. 

As Principal Investigator and Scientific Director of the University's DIPPER Lab, he leads multidisciplinary research in digital innovation, artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and their application to sustainable development and planetary health. His selection reinforces the University's expanding role in shaping global conversations on science, technology and innovation.

The eighth edition of the UNESCO Science Report is expected to be published in early 2027 following multiple rounds of peer review coordinated by UNESCO and an independent editorial board.

Story: Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah