Hosted by the Government of Mauritius through the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology and the National Computer Board, and Supported by the European Commission (EC) and African Union Commission (AUC), IST-Africa 2014 (06 - 09 May) is the ninth in an annual series of Ministerial Level Technology Research Conferences.
IST-Africa 2014 is technically co-sponsored by IEEE Mauritius Subsection and IEEE UK&RI Social Implications of Technology Chapter. Final papers accepted for inclusion in the Proceedings (following updates as a result of the blind peer review) will also be submitted to IEEE Xplore for publication.
Focused on Information Society and ICT Policy Dialogues, International Development and Research Cooperation and Community Building, each conference brings together senior representatives of leading public, private, education and research organisations from 50 countries to discuss policy, share insight and identify collaboration opportunities.
The IST-Africa Conference Series is part of the IST-Africa Initiative, co-funded under the European Framework Programme since 2005 - current Contract No. 611795.
The goals of the IST-Africa Conference Series are to
- Support Development of the Information Society and Knowledge Economy in Africa
- Promote International Research and Development Cooperation and Coordination
- Showcase African Research and Innovation Capacity
- Stimulate exploitation of research results by the public and private sectors
The 4th Annual IST-Africa Living Lab Thematic Working Group meeting will take place on Tuesday 06 May as a pre-conference event with other co-located multi-lateral and bi-lateral meetings taking place during the week.
The Final Programme features an Opening and Closing Plenary Session and a Scientific Programme with 37 thematically focused sessions (including workshops on Horizon 2020, African Research Capacity and eInfrastructures) featuring over 167 presenters from public, private, education and research organisations in 38 countries. The IST-Africa Living Labs Working Group meeting is on Tuesday 06 May. Download the Final Programme Brochure
The Opening Plenary on Wednesday 07 May features a high level dialogue on Implementation of the Information Society in Africa.
The Scientific Programme for IST-Africa 2014 is based on a double blind peer review of Papers submitted to an open Call for Papers which closed on 16 December 2013.
Plenary speakers confirmed to date include:
- Hon. Tassarajen Pillay Chedumbrum, Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Mauritius
- Mr Suraj Ramgolam, Chairman, National Computer Board, Mauritius
- Mr Dan Faugoo, Executive Director, National Computer Board, Mauritius
- Dr M. K Oolun, Executive Director, ICT Authority
- Dr A Suddhoo, Executive Director, Mauritius Research Council
- Prof. A.K. Bakhshi, Executive Director, Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), Mauritius
- Mr N. Jugmohunsing, Assistant Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science, Research and Technology, Mauritius
- Mr Jean Claude de l'Estrac, Secretary General, Indian Ocean Commission
- Zauria Saifodine, Director of ICT Capacity Building, Instituto Nacional de Tecnologias de Informação, e Comunicação, Mozambique
- Mr Moctar Yedaly, Head of Information Society Division, African Union Commission
- Mr Morten Møller, Programme Coordination, DG CONNECT, European Commission, Belgium
- Prof Romeela Mohee, CSK, Vice-Chancellor, University of Mauritius
- Dr Hemant Chittoo, Ag. Director General, University Technology Mauritius
- Prof Darelle Van Greunen, School of ICT, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Africa
- Mr Moses Bayingana, ICT Expert, Information Society Division, African Union Commission
- Maryse Chung, Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute
- M. V. Ramana, Mauritius Oceanography Institute
- K. Poonoosamy, Managing Director, Board of Investment, Mauritius
This participatory Working Group Meeting builds on progress achieved at previous IST-Africa Living Labs Working Group Meetings (IST-Africa 2011 - establishment of EU - AUC Living Labs Taskforce for Africa, IST-Africa 2012 - establishment of new Living Labs in Tanzania, IST-Africa 2013 - introduction of Living Lab concepts in Kenya).
Cunningham, P. (2013) proposes that: "Living Labs are environments or a methodical approach focused on user-driven open innovation. End-user communities collaborate with Innovation Stakeholders (public, private, education and research, societal and funding sectors) in real-life settings to co-create innovative products, services, processes, business models or policies, or adapt existing ones, to better match market or societal needs. Successful deployments can be replicated or networked to achieve scale and wider impact ".
This 4th Annual Working Group Meeting which will take place on Tuesday as a pre-conference event provides an opportunity for all key Innovation Stakeholders to (a) learn more about the potential of leveraging Living Labs methodologies for socio-economic development and (b) contribute to the establishment of a network of experts and key stakeholders committed to supporting national and cross-border Collaborative Open Innovation in Africa.