IST-Africa 2019 Conference

Nairobi, Kenya, 08 - 10 May 2019

Welcome

Hosted by the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education, Supported by the European Commission and African Union Commission, IEEE Society on Social Implications of Technology, IEEE Region 8 and IEEE Kenya Section, IST-Africa Week 2019 (Nairobi, Kenya, May) is the fourteenth in an annual series of Ministerial Level Technology Research Conferences.

IST-Africa Week 2019 will provide a world-class international forum to showcase existing Research, Innovation and ICT4D activities and capacity in Kenya, the rest of Africa and Europe. The Conference Programme combines strategic keynote presentations, a High-Level Roundtable, technical and policy papers, case studies and workshops. It also provides an opportunity to identify potential partners for future research cooperation under Horizon 2020.

IST-Africa Week is the flagship event of the IST-Africa initiative, co-funded under the European Framework Programme since 2005 - current Contract No. 723240.

The goals of the IST-Africa Conference Series are to

- Support Development of the Information Society and Knowledge Economy in Africa

- Promote International Research Innovation, and Policy Cooperation and Coordination

- Showcase African Research and Innovation Capacity

- Stimulate exploitation of research results by the public and private sectors

Other co-located multi-lateral and bi-lateral meetings will place during the IST-Africa 2019 week.

IST-Africa 2019 Programme

The Final Programme features an Opening and Closing Plenary Session and a Scientific Programme with 34 thematically focused sessions featuring over 135 presenters from public, private, education and research organisations in 31 countries. Click here to download the Final Programme brochure.

The Scientific Programme for IST-Africa 2019 is based on a double blind peer review of Papers submitted to an open Call for Papers which closed on late December 2018.

Plenary Speakers and Roundtable panelists include:

- Prof. George Magoha CBS, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Education

- Prof. Collette A. Suda, PhD, FKNAS, CBS, Chief Administrative Secretary and Principal Secretary, State Department for University Education and Research, Ministry of Education

- Walter Tretton, Head of Infrastructure Section, First Counsellor, Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kenya

- Dr. Jemimah Onsare, Ag. CEO. National Research Fund, Kenya

- Dr Gilbert Mugeni, Ag. Assistant Director, Innovation and Research Development, Communications Authority of Kenya

- Dr Katherine Getao, CEO, ICT Authority of Kenya

- Dr. Moses Rugutt, Director General, National Commission for Science Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI)

- Prof. Meoli Kashorda, Executive Director, Kenya Education Network (KENET)

- Megan Bettilyon, Director, Renewable Energy and Special Projects, Global Good

- Dr. Salome Guchu, Ag. CEO, Kenya National Innovation Agency (KENIA)

- Dr Charity Wayua, Senior Manager, IBM Research Africa

- Dr. Maxwell Otim Onapa, Director Science, Research and Innovation, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Uganda

- Boniface Akuku, Director, Information and Communication Technology, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO)

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 commenced in January 2014 as the new Framework Programme to implement the Innovation Union with research and innovation funds of €80 billion from 2014 - 2020.

Horizon 2020 addresses all research and innovation funding that was previously provided through the Framework Programmes for Research and Technical Development (e.g. FP7), Competitiveness and Innovation Programme (CIP) and European Institute of Innovation and Technology.

Support for Research and Innovation under Horizon 2020 includes:

- Strengthening research in Science

- Strengthening Industrial leadership in Innovation, including investment in key technologies, access to capital and support for SMEs

- Address Societal challenges such as climate change, sustainable transport and mobility, affordable renewal energy, food security, ageing population

The Work Programmes for 2018 - 2020 were published on 27 October 2017 with the updated version for 2019 published on 24 July 2018. Click here to download updated Work Programmes.

IST-Africa has prepared two resources to support engagement with Horizon 2020:

- IST-Africa Introduction to Horizon 2020 is designed to support newcomers to Horizon 2020 to better understand the structure, rules and expectations.

- IST-Africa Guide to 2018 Calls for Proposals in Horizon 2020 provides an overview of Calls, themes and deadlines during 2018 within the Marie Curie, eInfrastructures, Leadership in Enabling and Industrial Technologies (LEIT) and each of the Societal Challenges (Health, Food Security and Agriculture, Energy, Transport, Environment, Inclusive and Reflective Societies, Secure Societies) Work Programmes.