1. European Tunisian Conference
Introduction to the Moroccan Research and Innovation
System.
Sectoral Innovation Systems: Lessons from catching-up
economies
Ilyas AZZIOUI Date : 19 february 2013
CNRST. Morocco
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

2. Research Policy
ty
er s i
of Univ
e
ica l r ol
co nom 2009

Emergency Pgm
c io-e & Morocco
a so innovation
rds
T owa initiative
2005
 Vision 2025 +
2003
2006-2010 PLAN
2000 
1999 Evaluation of the
 Research System
+ FSP launching
COSEF Charter Law 01-00
Linking University- Role of the university in
entreprise : priority the dvlpt of the country
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

3. Knowledge
Circulation Research to Business
Technology Dissemination Network (RDT) – Réseau de Diffusion de Technologie
–. It focuses at matching needs in the enterprise sphere with competencies
based at universities and public research centres. The objective is to
accompany client compqnies in all stages of implementation of a technology
strategy.
The Moroccan Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (IMIST) –
Institut Marocain de l’information Scientifique et Technique– leads efforts to
improve links between industry and academia by providing online access to
catalogues of research results and databases of competencies available in the
universities and research organisations and carrying out technology watch
activities mainly in the field of Agro-food.
Morocco Spin-off/Spin-out and Incubation Network (RMIE) – Réseau Maroc
Incubation et Essaimage –The RMIE supports a network of mainly “university
based incubators”. It focuses on providing technical as well as financial support
(Pre-seed capital to enable the development of the business idea into a credible
business plan) to new technology based start-ups through a pre-incubation and
incubation process.
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

4. Research System
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

5. Resources for
R&D
GDP (2010): € 67 billion

Inter Coop GERD/GDP (2010): 0,73 %
(2006): 3 %  GERD/GDP (2006): 0,64 %

GERD (2010): € 560 M

Inter Coop (2010): 
1.5 %
Public GERD
Private GERD  (2010)
(2006): 12 %
68 %


Private GERD Public GERD (2006)
(2010): 30 % 82 %
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

6. Societal Challemges
for R&D
According to the vision 2025, the main societal challenges that should drive
Moroccan research in the future are:
1. Education and training
2. Access to basic services (infrastructure, potable water, electricity,
health, etc.)
3. Fight against poverty and social exclusion
4. Other challenges: fight against drought’s effects, environment
degradation, slums and diseases (AIDS, Malaria, etc.)
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

7. Priorities for R&D
Thematic S&T Priorities are as follows:
1. Agriculture in difficult conditions
2. Improved quality of life
3. Knowledge, preservation and valorisation of natural resources
4. Environment and sustainable development
5. Biotechnology
6. Risk management
7. Innovation and competitiveness of enterprises
8. Cultural and socio-economic development
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

8. HR for R&D
 There are 37246 researchers in the country (headcount, not full-time
equivalent) out of which 12166 are faculty members who work in universities and
17686 are PhD student (2010)
 According to the advisory report published by the Hassan II Academy of
science and technology in 2009:
Morocco has to train about 15000 (professors-researchers or full time researchers )
for the next decade to face the research quality requirements, the increasing number
of students and retirement departures
Researchers represented a share of 1,89/1000 of the economically active
population in the age group 25-64 in 2005
Across disciplines, 37% of the R&D personnel belong to the field of Social and
Human Sciences, 32% are in Natural and exact sciences, 22% operate in
Engineering Sciences and 9% in Medical Sciences
 In 2006, 12643 were registered as PhD students (56% in Social and Human
Sciences) but only 785 theses were defended the same year (69% in Social and
Human Sciences).
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

9. Knowledge
Production
 In a study using Scopus database and published by the Moroccan Scientific
and Technical Information Institute (IMIST) in 2010, it was found that:
 the Moroccan scientific production numbered 16120 publications between
1999 (1200 publications) and 2009 (2117 publications)
 Distribution across scientific disciplines is as follows: 52% in Physical
Sciences, Health Sciences 24%, Life Sciences 20%, and 4% only for Social
Sciences.
 ESTIME project (Laville et al., 2007) investigating Thomson database found that
:
 The two disciplines for which the world share was the highest were
mathematics (2,78‰) and chemistry (1,21‰).
 The specialisation index for Morocco were, in 2004, mathematics (3.21),
chemistry (1.39) and astro and geo-sciences (1.13).
 The best world share of citations were in mathematics (0,91 ‰) and
engineering (0,66‰).
 The average impact index for Morocco was 0.28. The highest impact rates
were registered in engineering (0.78) followed by chemistry (0.51), while
medical research had the lowest one (0,12);
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

10. Knowledge
Production (Patents)
 Patents: The Moroccan Industrial and Commercial Property Office (OMPIC)
received 1007 applications in 2010 against 929 applications in 2009. 151 were
nationals and 856 were foreigners. 11 Moroccan universities applied for 40
patents in the same year. There is no evidence with regard to the socio-
economic impacts of university patents. EPO and US PTO patenting is marginal.
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

11. Other Policies
 Digital Morocco (Maroc numéric): A budget of € 520 million (5.2 billion DH) was
allocated to support the plan during the period 2009-2013. Launched by the Ministry
of Industry, Trade and new technologies to promote the IT sector in Morocco, ( support
RDI activities, a seed capital fund (Maroc numeric fund), promotion and creation of new
technoparks and incubators in different regions and last but not least the creation of a
Soft Centre for software development (brings together public and private actors and
offers R&D services to Moroccan IT companies).
 GREEN MOROCCO PLAN (2010-2020) (Plan Maroc Vert) is a national strategy
based on a new, ambitious and pragmatic vision for the promotion of the agricultural
sector in Morocco. Green Morocco Plan devised several measures to raise the
agricultural GDP from € 7 to 10 billion (70 to 100 billion DH). Some of these measures
could have a direct or indirect impact on sectoral research in this field such as the
creation of new research centres, agro-poles.
 The Moroccan Solar Power Plan was launched November 2, 2009 in Ouarzazate by
HRH the King Mohammed VI, with an investment cost estimated at 9 billion US dollars. It
is part of the Moroccan energy strategy aiming to increase electricity production and
implement five Concentrated Solar Power plant of a total power output of 2000 MW by
2020.
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

12. Other Policies
 The National Pact for Industrial Emergence: Launched by the Ministry of Industry,
Trade and new technologies, it focuses on export oriented economic sectors where
Morocco could obtain a sustainable advantage and a high potential for growth.
1. off-shoring
2. textiles and clothing,
3. automobile
4. aeronautics,
5. electronics,
6. agro-food,
7. exploitation of marine resources and industrial crafts.
8. More recently high-tech sectors such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and
microelectronics were added. Publicauthorities provided direct support of
€ 50 million (500 million DH) over five years to the MASCIR foundation to
develop applied research in those fields.
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

13. Knowledge
Demand
 To support the National Pact for Industrial Emergence (2009-2015) a profiling of
the human resources needs of each sector for the whole period of the
programme (2009-2015) has been carried out. The main results are summarised
in the following table:
Sectors Managers Engineers Technicians Operators Total
Off shoring 1 000 3000 10500 55000 70000
Automotive 1500 7000 9000 32500 70000
Aeronautics 300 1900 3000 9800 15000
Electronics 200 1400 2700 4700 9000
textiles and
300 2000 7500 24000 32000
leather
Agro-food 500 500 8500 14500 24000
Total 3800 15800 39400 141000 220000
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

14. Knowledge
Circulation Cross Border
 International cooperation played an important role in the emergence of research
activities within universities . About 75 % of references recorded by SCI (1998-2002),
were co-authored by Moroccans and authors from a variety of countries. 88.2% of
Moroccan research labs declared to have international collaboration(s) in 2003 (622
were recorded), (66.4 % or 413) were with French, Spain (10.0 %), Belgium (4.7 %),
Germany, Canada, and Italy (4 %) & USA was in 7th place (3.5 %).
 According to the advisory report of Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology
(2009) co-publications of Moroccan researchers in 2008 were: 63,9% with
researchers from France, 13% Spain, 7,2% USA, 6,4% Italy, 5,5% Germany, 5,2%
Canada.
 Out of 749 cooperation conventions by Moroccan universities, 578 are with
European universities, making 70% of the total. French universities have 63% of
cooperation conventions with Europe and 49% of all the conventions signed. Spain
and Italy respectively registered a rate of 13% and 7% at the European level. Belgium
is rated fourth, with 30 conventions registering 5%.
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

15. Knowledge
Circulation Cross Border
 ASBIMED identified about 31 bilateral programmes between Morocco and EU
member (France 14, Spain 6, Belgium 6, Germany 2, Portugal 2and Italy 1). In
addition to agreements with EU member states Morocco has signed other
agreements with non EU countries, the most active ones are with the following
countries: Tunisia; Egypt;USA.
 In 2011, the CNRST allocated € 290,000 to support collaboration with French
institutions (CNRS, INSERM, INRIA) and € 114,000 to support collaboration with
institutions from other countries CSIC & CIEMAT (Spain), CNRi (Italy), DFG
(Germany), FCT (Portugal), KOSEF (South Korea), ONRT (Hungary). CSIC stopped
cooperation with the CNRST for 2012 most probably because of budget constraints in
Spain.
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

16. Une initiative arrimée aux stratégies sectorielles
INITIATIVE MAROC INNOVATION
Morocco Innovation
www.mcinet.gov.ma 16
Initiative

17. Knowledge Circulation
“Valley of Death”
Lac
s k i k of
lls The Darwinian Sea
Basic
Research
Lack of Money
Invention •Research & •Innovation: new
Innovation
•Invention
Viable
•business
&
Business
New Business
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

18. Financement : Etat des lieux
Soutien du Produit RDT Programme
RMIE: Produit Soutien à InnovAct:
Fonds Soutien
RDT, l’innovation et Soutien de
Innovation TIC
Innov Act la mise à niveau projets
Soutien TIC technologique innovant
50% du
plafonné à plafonné à
230 KDhs / coût limité
36 KDhs 50 KDhs
projet à 2 000
TTC
KDhs
Construction du Identification et Lancement du
Idée Développement Validation
Business Plan formulation produit
Montants insuffisants Cibles limitées Lisibilité faible

19. Innovation Policy
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

20. Innovation Policy
Governance and framework:
1. Setting up a National Innovation Committee;
2. The creation of a dedicated structure (Moroccan innovation Centre);
3. Fostering a flexible and effective legal framework for innovation
Infrastructure:
1. Technological infrastructures;
2. Technology transfer infrastructures (implementation of Innovation cities );
3. Clusters.
Funding & Support:
1. Developing a portfolio of products/schemes to support innovation;
2. Stimulation of the venture capital system;
3. Development of the intellectual property market;
4. Mobilisation of international funds for innovation.
Attracting Talents:
1. Creation of the Moroccan Innovation Club;
2. Promotion of the innovation culture;
3. Positioning Morocco R&D and innovation offer.
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

21. Innovation Policy
Morocco Innovation Initiative
Achievements

Attracting Talents: Governance & Framework:
Creation of CMI + Innovation bill
Innovation Trophy + (incentives to innovative
Moroccan Club of Innovation   startups, Recruit of PhDs)
portal
Funding & Support:
Technological Infrastructure:
Intilak (up to € 100,000) for start-  
ups & Tatwir(up to € 400,000) for Creation of 4 clusters + Launching
private applied R&D project of 4 Innovation Cities
European Tunisian Conference Tunis, 18-19th February 2013

22. Financement: Mise en place de Nouveaux instruments
Construction du Identification et Lancement du
Idée Développement Validation
Business Plan formulation produit

23. Centre Marocain de l’Innovation
Comité de Suivi Pilotage opérationnel et
décisionnel
Entrepreneur Comité d’Evaluation
Examen et sélection
et d’Attribution
CMI: Guichet unique
CMI
ANPM
Entreprise E

24. Centre Marocain de l’Innovation
Guichet
unique
Missions
Missions
 Promouvoir les instruments de financement de la R&D et de
l’innovation
 Assurer l’interface avec les bénéficiaires
 Assurer le montage et la gestion des dossiers
 Assurer l’interface avec le Comité de Suivi et le Comité
d’Evaluation et d’Attribution et l’ANPME/CNRST
 Conduire une pré-évaluation des projets suite aux appels à
projets
 Assurer le suivi des projets soutenus

25. Les Cités de l’Innovations: Un plan de développement régionale avec les
universités
Phase 1 : lancement en 2011
• Marrakech
• Rabat
• Fès
Phase 2 :
• Casablanca
• Oujda
• Agadir
• Settat
• Tétouan
• Beni Mellal
• El Jadida
• Meknès

26. Structures de valorisation adossée aux grands projets
• Agropôles
• P2I – Plateformes Industrielles Intégrées
• Technopolis
• Technopark

27. Système d’innovation cible
Comité Permanent
Comité Permanent
Interministériel de la
Interministériel de la
Recherche scientifique et du
Recherche scientifique et du
Développement Technologique
Développement Technologique
Comité National de
Comité National de
l’Innovation
l’Innovation
Centre Marocain de
l’Innovation
UNIVERSITES
UNIVERSITES Assistance Coaching
Partenariats Financement
Centres Techniques
Centres Techniques
Projets R&D
Projets R&D
Services
Diffusion Technologiques
Entreprises
Entreprises
27
Centres R&D publics et privés
CNRST, MASCIR, INRA, INRH, CNESTEN, CRTS, REMINEX, CERPHOS….

28. Relevant issues to
innovation
Why we need to innovate?
 How can we promote it?
 What linkages are there between research and innovation?
Is it the same story across sectors( software, Auto, Agro-
food, etc.)?

29. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems

30. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems

31. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
What can we learn from the story of catch-up in six different sectors in emerging
Countries (Taiwan, Korea, brazil, India, China, and others)?
1.Pharmaceuticals (Science based),
2.Semiconductors and telecom (design and engineering is important),
3. Autos (scale intensive),
4. Software (specialized supplier and service sectors),
5.Agro-food (traditional sectors).

32. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Common features affecting
catch-up in 6 sectors
a) Firms learning: firms are the key actors in catch-up ,
b) Pharmaceuticals (Science based),
c) Semiconductors and telecom (design and engineering is important),
d) Autos (scale intensive),
e) Software (specialized supplier and service sectors),
f) (Agro-food) traditional sectors.

33. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Common features affecting
catch-up in 6 sectors
 firms are the key actors in catch-up , Learning
Firms Learning and Capabilities development of domestic
firms is a necessary condition for catch up
because they provide the catching up country
Access to foreign with the ability of absorbing foreign knowledge
Knowledge & technology and adapting and modifying
them to generate new knowledge and
Skilled Human Capital products.
Active Government
Policy

34. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Common features affecting
catch-up in 6 sectors
 the channels to which this access took place
Firms Learning have differed (sector & country). from vertical
networks with suppliers and users, to local
networks, collaborative R&D or production
Access to foreign agreements, to participation to the global value
Knowledge chain or just outsourcing;
 When access to foreign knowledge did not
Skilled Human Capital
take place, as in telecommunications in India
and Brazil, the catch-up process has been
Active Government seriously unpaired
Policy

35. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Common features affecting
catch-up in 6 sectors
 Important inward mobility form advanced
Firms Learning countries of highly skilled human capital
(scientists, engineers, technopreneurs)
Diasporap and foreigners (consultants) were
Access to foreign critical to the catch-up)
Knowledge
Skilled Human Capital
Active Government
Policy

36. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Common features affecting
catch-up in 6 sectors
 In our 6 sectors government policy has indeed
Firms Learning stimulated and fostered the learning processes
and the capability formation of domestic firms
with different intensity and tools.
Access to foreign
Knowledge
Skilled Human Capital
Active Government
Policy

37. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Diffrences across sectoral systems
 In automobile and telecom large firms have
been major actors in the catch-up process
Industry Structure  in software and agro-food small firms have
driven sectoral growth
 New entrepreneurial firms, SMEs or large size,
Demand and vertical
characterize the pharmaceutical and the
links
semiconductor firms
 local networks important for the catch-up
Gov Policies process in semiconductors (Taiwan) , formal
and informal interaction, knowledge sharing
 Advent of technological and market
Other elements discontinuities may favour either totally
newcomers or established domestic
companies. (Software in India Vs Telecom &
Pharmaceuticals where knowledge is
cumulative and strongly science based)

38. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Diffrences across sectoral systems
 Multinational companies played different roles :
Industry Structure 1. software, pharmaceuticals and semiconductors:
catching up countries had to specialize in some
product range in the global value chain and nd
Demand and vertical
eventually move uo the learning ladder to more
links
advanced stages of production or research.
Gov Policies
2. Telecom and Autos: the use of license from
multinationals or from foreign firms, or joint ventures
and alliances have been extensively used by domestic
Other elements firms to learn and accumulate capabilities.

39. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Diffrences across sectoral systems
 Demand has entered catch-up in two ways:
Industry Structure 1. Exports: have been the drivers of catch-up, for
both small firms and large firms. This is the
Demand and vertical case of semiconductors, telecom,
links pharmaceuticals, software and auto.
2. Domestic Market: has been a major driver of
the learning process and the accumulation of
Gov Policies capability by domestic firms in Large countries
such as China, India and Brazil;
Other elements

40. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Diffrences across sectoral systems
 Government policy has differed in the use
Industry Structure of tools and measures
1. Telecom ( Korea and China) - public policy
used R&D support, R&D consortia and public
Demand and vertical research organizations to help firms to move
links into new generations of telecom technologies
and products
Gov Policies 2. In software governments have used different
policies and tools, ranging from public
procurement, to R&D support for SMEs,
favourable companies tax rates and incentives
Other elements
to attract foreign direct investments

41. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Diffrences across sectoral systems
 Standards, regulations and norms : for
Industry Structure relax IP laws were important for the catch-up
of Pharmaceutical industry in India and Brazil
Demand and vertical  Finance: VC (Private equity) critical for the
links development of Software industry
Gov Policies
Other elements

42. Catching up in
different sectoral
systems
Diffrences across sectoral systems
 In some sectors such as Agriculture, health
Universities & Public and Telecom Public research proved quite
Research Laboratories relevant to domestic firms
 In the other sectors the main role of
universities was to provide advanced training
for advanced human capital in the scientific,
engineering and managerial fields. So they
increase the absorptive capacity of the human
capital for foreign cutting edge knowledge.

43. Conclusion

44. Thanks for your attention !
‫! شكرا لصغائكم‬
Feb 11th, 2013 CAAST Net Plus Kick-off meeting 44