ABOUT US

Our History

The Centre was created in 2008 by Professor Xiaolan Fu as a multidisciplinary research hub within the Oxford Department of International Development which brings together scholars and practitioners who view technology and industrialisation as essential drivers of sustainable development. It has built on the pioneering work since the 1970s by its influential development economists —Frances Stewart, Sanjaya Lall, Barbara Harriss-White, Adrian Wood, and Valpy FitzGerald. In an era when the development agenda was dominated by concerns around food security, poverty reduction, and aid, these thoughts leaders have championed the transformative power of technology and industrialisation as key levers for progress.

Today, the centre’s mission is more crucial than ever. With increasing disparities in technological capabilities and a renewed global industrialisation race, especially in the transition to a low-carbon economy, it is imperative to push the knowledge frontiers on innovation and industrial policy for local prosperity and true sustainability for all.

2008

Foundation of the Sanjaya Lall Programme for Technology and Management for Development

Professor Xiaolan Fu founded the Sanjaya Lall Programme driven by a strong belief in technology as a powerful tool for advancing development in the global south, and to continue the work developed by Oxford’s most influential development economists: Sanjaya Lall, an thought leader on industrial competitiveness and technology transfer, who passed away in 2005.

2012

Formal establishment of the Technology and Management Centre for Development (TMCD)

Building on the early success of the Sanjaya Lall Programme, TMCD was formally established in 2012, bringing together a cohort of scholars and practitioners focused on industrialisation, foreign direct investment, and technology management.

2018

Global Impact and Research Expansion

By 2018, TMCD had led and collaborated on research projects worth over £4 million, working with scholars and practitioners across countries such as China, Ghana, Brazil, India, and Bangladesh. Collaborations included partners such UNEP, UNDP, IDB, and the World Bank but also as global corporations such as Facebook and Huawei.

2021

TMCD’s First Spin-out: OxValue.AI

TMCD launched its first spin-out, OxValue.AI, which uses AI to evaluate the monetary value of technologies and startups. This supports innovation, SMEs, and technology transfer to developing countries through the VEST (Valuation of Early Stage Technology) Tool.

2024

TMCD rebrands as the Technology and Industrialisation for Development Centre (TIDE)

After 15 years of leadership by Professor Xiaolan Fu, the centre appoints a new Director, Professor Amir Lebdioui, who brings expertise in industrial policy, green structural transformation, and biodiversity-based innovation models. The centre’s new name (TIDE) marks a new focus in these critical areas, while aligning with the intellectual roots of the centre.