Transfer of technology and access to scientific knowledge and applications

This chapter assumes that technological innovation is a driving force in economic transformation and analyzes the evolutionary and dynamic relationships between technological innovation and human rights, as well as their implications for further research in the context of global development. After explaining that economic transformation is to a large extent an expression of the "freedom to innovate", it outlines the major challenges that will occupy global attention over the remainder of this century and explores the prospects offered by exponential technological advancement and technology transfer in solving these global challenges, as well the clashes between technological innovation and human rights, such as intellectual property rights protection. Further, it examines the importance of infrastructure, technology education and entrepreneurship as part of wider innovation systems in the development process and concludes with an outline of the implications of technological abundance for human rights and the key frontier research themes in the shifting debate to new forums that involve more non-state actors.