[This article was written by Arnaldo Pellini from Capability and Vanesa Weyrauch from P&I  and it first appeared in Helvetas Mosaic, a quarterly publication exploring new trends and fresh ideas of international development. Subscribe to receive more articles like this in the future.] It is easy to get carried away with the promises of technology when we read about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or 4IR. In an earlier Mosaic article, Knowledge Systems and Policy Innovation i

Developments in technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing and energy storage hold the potential to improve lives and livelihoods for many people. But this “Fourth Industrial Revolution“ (or 4IR) could also exacerbate existing inequalities. Emily Hayter and Jon Harle reflect on a new paper about the implications of the 4IR for governance and what this might mean for higher education institutions and policymakers. We recently welcomed Arnaldo Pel

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is already here… challenges are as huge and varied as opportunities: are we ready for them? Can knowledge systems contribute to make the best of this wave of change, leaving no one behind? There is no way to answer this with a simple strategy, and in isolation. On the contrary, this is an incredible window of opportunity to sense how knowledge can play a significant role in making public policy decisions to face the “unknown” embracing c

[This blog post was produced by Clément Gévaudan as a generous and thoughtful contribution to ignite discussion around our paper “State Capability, Policymaking and the Fourth Industrial Revolution: do Knowledge Systems matter?” . Clément is a Program Specialist on Science and Innovation research and policy. His focus is on strengthening knowledge and innovation systems to create an enabling environment for pressing issues of the digital transformations agenda. He designed th

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is already here… challenges are as huge and varied as opportunities: are we ready for them? Can knowledge systems contribute to make the best of this wave of change, leaving no one behind? There is no way to answer this with a simple strategy, and in isolation. On the contrary, this is an incredible window of opportunity to sense how knowledge can play a significant role in making public policy decisions to face the “unknown” embracing c

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is bringing both aspirations and concerns  in terms of governance, policy making, and the knowledge systems that inform policy decisions. We believe that by being aware and better understanding the implications of this revolution  in our field, we can contribute to nurturing knowledge eco-systems that promote the wellbeing of all, leaving no one behind. As part of this initiative, some of us are working on a Discussion paper whose aim is