the limitations highlighted by this paper call for a reinvigorated dialogue of the two communities in the un forum on sti and beyond the oecd dac and sti committees could play a key role towards that end considering that the available information on development activities does not follow standard sti definitions and classifications several assumptions had to be made as to the assessment of which activities to consider as support to sti for example activities for developmental purposes conducted by universities often include both research activities and trainings or other capacity building exercises