January (2009)

Contents

28 January 2009 - IST-Africa 2009 Advance Programme Now Available

The IST-Africa 2009 conference and exhibition is scheduled to take place in Kampala, Uganda, between 6 and 8 May. IST-Africa 2009 will focus on: the Role of ICT for Africa's Development and specifically Applied ICT research topics in the areas of e-Health, Technology Enhanced Learning and ICT Skills, Open Source Software, ICT for Inclusion, e-Infrastructures, ICT for Environmental Risk Management, ICT for Networked Enterprise and eGovernment and eDemocracy. The conference programme will be complemented by a demonstration and technology exploitation focused exhibition and a networking reception to take place on 6 May 2008.

22 January 2009 - INCONTACT Reports on 3 Regional NCP Training Workshops

The latest INCONTACT newsletter contains reports on the three regional NCP training workshops it held in Moscow, Mexico and South Africa in October, November and December respectively. INCONTACT is the official project of the INCO NCPs, and is being implemented as a Specific Support Action (SSA), under the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme. The project will be operational until December 2009. To receive the next INCONTACT newsletter, contact Epaminondas Christofilopoulos. Or go direct to INCONTACT - click here.

22 January 2009 - European Framework for International Science and Technology Cooperation

To download the official communication from the European Commission to the European Union Council and Parliament - A Strategic European Framework for International Science and Technology Cooperation - click here.

21 January 2009 - Obama's Approach to S&T Issues to be Shaped by "Internationalist Outlook"

With yesterday's historic inaguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, many are anticipating the various impacts this will have on US foreign policy, in particular US relations with the developing world. In the field of science and technology Obama's appointees appear to signal that a new wave of policy approaches with a greater international focus is imminent, David Dickson, editor-in-chief of SciDev.Net, has argued. The appointees include John P. Holdren, Jane Lubchenco, and Harold Varmus.

To read the full article by Dickson click here.

21 January 2009 - 2009 Finnish Development Research Conference

The 2009 Finnish Development Research Conference entitled Knowledge, Development and Academic Partnerships, will take place from 12 to 14 February 2009 at the University of Helsinki in Finland. The conference will be organised by the Finnish Society for Development Research and the Finnish Universities' Partnership for International Development (UniPID), in cooperation with the Institute of Development Studies of the University of Helsinki.

The conference's main themes are knowledge in development and the implications of ongoing higher education reforms for North-South institutional partnership, and will bring together researchers, students, civil society actors and other stakeholders. Keynote speakers will provide their insights into the challenges facing development and North-South academic collaborations.

Invited speakers include: Professor Stephen Simukanga (University of Zambia); Prof. Seppo Hölttä (University of Tampere, Finland); Prof. Tania Li (University of Toronto, Canada); Dr. Giles Mohan* (Open University, United Kingdom).

The conference will also convene Finnish academics and policy makers with their Southern partners and counterparts to share experiences of academic partnerships and ongoing university reforms. All conference participants are invited to the open partner workshops for regional academic partnerships and familiarize themselves with the thematic South-North university networks at UniPID member universities.

Registration is required from all participants by 30 January 2009.

If you have any questions regarding the conference please contact Joni Valkila or Marja Suomela.

To view the conference programme click here.

20 January 2009 - New IP Law for South Africa

South Africa has signed a new intellectual property (IP) Bill into law. The Bill will pave "the way for the commercialisation of of IP (intellectual property) generated via publicly financed research," according to Research Africa In Brief, thus contributing to social and economic development. The Bill will be implemented by the National Intellectual Property Management Office and the Intellectual Property Fund. "The country's knowledge-generating institutions will now have clear guidance on how best to manage IP, as well as how to ensure that publicly financed IP gets out into the market place and is used," read a statement issued by the Department of Science and Technology.

For more information on the Bill, visit the website of South Africa's Department of Science and Technology - click [here.

14 January 2009 - First Announcement for COVIDSET III 2009

The third Conference of Vice-Chancellors and Deans of Science, Engineering and Technology (COVIDSET 2009), organised by the African Network of Scientific Institutions, will be held in Kampala, Uganda, in November 2009. The event will be hosted by Makerere University. The theme of COVIDSET 2009 is Revitalizing Science and Technology Research and Deployment for Sustainable Development in Africa: Strategic, Policy and Regulation Challenges and will build on discussions and outcomes of the first two conferences: the State of Science and Technology Training Institutions (COVIDSET 2005) and Science and Engineering Education for Sustainable Development (COVIDSET 2007).

The conference will consider the following questions: What it the current status of SET research, development and development and deployment systems in African universities and research centers? Are prevailing policies, regulations and strategies conducive to vibrant R&D and deployment? What lessons can be drawn from successful R&D and Deployment (R&D&D) cases in Africa? What role can South‐South and North‐South partnerships play in revitalizing R&D&D? ‐ Policy implications. What role can African scientists in the Diaspora play? Can African university and research centers design strategies that can make R&D more responsive to priority development needs on the continent? What strategies may be considered to increase investment from the public and private sector for R&D&D in Africa?

For more information, visit COVIDSET 2009 online - click here. To download the conference brochure - click here.

14 January 2009 - ANSTI Announces Call for Fellowships Applications for 2009/2010

The African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI) has announced a call for applications for its post-graduate fellowships in 2009/10. The fellowships, which cover fees, subsistence and international travel, are awarded to staff of ANSTI member institutions for postgraduate studies (M.Sc or Ph.D) at African universities for staff development. Fellowships will be awarded to sub-Saharan African nationals for studies outside the applicants' home countries. Applicants must hold a good bachelor's degree (at least upper class second division) and not be older than 36 years of age. The initial award of the fellowships covers one year, with extension to two years possible upon successful completion of the previous year. The deadline for submission of applications is 31 May 2009. For more information, contact the ANSTI, or visit the ANSTI website - click here.

13 January 2009 - Deadline for ACP S&T Programme Proposals Fast Approaching

27 February 2009 is the deadline for proposals for participation in the ACP Science and Technology Programme. The deadline for questions about the programme and the call is 6 February 2009. These will be addressed by 16 February 2009. To submit a question, click here or write to the programme management team.

Links
Go to the ACP S&T programme's website
Information leaflet
Frequently asked questions
How to apply?
Partner search

8 January 2009 - FP7 ICT Call for 2009 to Close on 1 April

The European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) Information and Communication Technologies call for proposals was released on 17 November 2008. The call, which closes in approximately three months time, has a total budget of €801 000 000. The call's objectives include international cooperation with countries in Asia, Latin America, and Africa, in addition to other developing and industrialised nations. For general information on the call, visit the CORDIS website. An electronic proposal submission service (EPSS) is also available via CORDIS.

8 January 2009 - 1st Euro-Africa Coooperation Forum

For the first time in Europe, sub-Saharan African and European policy-makers and research organisations are being brought together to address the development of research collaborative projects in the ICT field. The first Euro-Africa Cooperation Forum on ICT Research will take place at the European Commission premises (Charlemagne EC building) on March 25-26, 2009. This two-day event is co-organised by the European Commission (EC Directorate-General Information Society and Media) and the African Union Commission (AUC) with the support of the EuroAfriCa-ICT project, a FP7 coordination and support action aiming at enhancing ICT research cooperation between Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.

This Forum will be a unique opportunity for event attendees (over 300 are expected) to: network with key stakeholders in the field (private and public); identify potential cooperation partners; learn more about the "EU-AU Partnership on Science, ICT and Space" (the 8th Partnership) and the EC/AUC Programmes; get detailed information on the EU's 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) and opportunities to enhance African participation in FP7; learn more about successful EU-African cooperation projects; get feedback and lessons learnt from EU-African PPP (Public-Private Partnerships).

Links
Registration and additional information
Contact us
Download the latest conference brochure

6 January 2009 - WHO 2008 Annual Report Available for Download

The World Health Organization's Annual Report is its leading publication and has been published annually since 1995. The 2008 report, entitled "Primary Health Care: Now More Than Ever," which was launched in October last year, is available for download from the WHO's website - click here. To order a hard copy of the report, click here.

6 January 2009 - Mobile Technology for Development Workshop

W3C, the World Wide Web Consortium, are hosting a public workshop on the "Role of Mobile Technologies in Fostering Social and Economic Development in Africa" in Maputo, Mozambique, on 1 and 2 April 2009. The workshop will focus on exploring ways for mobile technologies to contribute to development objectives in Africa and the developing world at large. For more information, visit the workshop's website - click here. Or, write to Marie-Claire Forgue, W3C's Africa contact. To read about the W3C workshop on the same theme held in São Paulo on 2 and 3 June 2008, click here.

5 January 2009 - Year Two of CAAST-Net Looms Large

A very happy New Year to all CAAST-Net partners and stakeholders! As you may already know, 2009 is year two of CAAST-Net. With your input and participation, we trust it will yield many further positive outcomes for Africa-EU S&T cooperation. Should you have any news or comments to share with us, please send an e-mail with your name and contact details to the CAAST-Net editorial desk. Alternatively, to contact the project coordinator, Dr. Andrew Cherry, click here. For website support, contact Caite McCann.