IST-Africa 2020 Conference

18 - 22 May 2020

Welcome

Due to the unprecedented circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic, to protect the health and well being of IST-Africa Community Members, IST-Africa 2020 will take place as a virtual event from 18 - 22 May.

Hosted by the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Supported by the European Commission and African Union Commission, IEEE Africa Council, IEEE UK and Ireland Societal Implications of Technology (SSIT) Chapter, IEEE Uganda Section and IEEE Humanitarian Activities committee, IST-Africa Week 2020 is the fifteenth in an annual series of Ministerial Level Technology Research Conferences.

IST-Africa Week 2020 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, technical and policy papers, case studies and workshops. It also provides an opportunity to identify potential partners for future research cooperation under Horizon 2020.

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

IST-Africa 2020 Programme

FINAL PROGRAMME

The Final Programme incorporated 31 thematically focused sessions featuring over 95 presenters from public, private, education and research organisations in 21 countries as a single track event from 18 - 22 May. Click here to download the Conference Report.

The IST-Africa YouTube channel provides access to a selection of plenary and paper video presentations.

Click here to access the conference proceedings.

Plenary Presenters included:

- Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Uganda

- Daan du Toit, Deputy Director-General: International Cooperation and Resources, Department of Science and Innovation, South Africa

- Moctar Yedaly, Head, Information Society, African Union Commission

- Fadila Boughanemi, Deputy Head, International Cooperation II (Asia, Africa, Middle East & External Relations), DG Research and Innovation, European Commission

- Prof. Magdalena Salazar Palma, Director, IEEE Region 8

- Moses Bayingana, Senior Policy Officer for ICT, African Union Commission

- GÉANT Ubuntnet Alliance, WACREN and ASREN

- Ilari Lindy, SAIS2, Namibia

- Paul Kostek, IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee Events Chair

- Vincent Kaabunga, IEEE Africa Council Chair

The Scientific Programme for IST-Africa 2020 is based on a double blind peer review of Papers submitted to an open Call for Papers which closed on late December 2019.

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 and updated version for 2020 Calls published on 02 July 2019. Click here to download updated Work Programmes.

IST-Africa has prepared 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 2019 Calls for Proposals in Horizon 2020 provides an overview of Calls, themes and deadlines during 2019 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.

- TheIST-Africa Report on ICT Initiatives, Research and Innovation Priorities and Capacity (ISBN No: 978-1-905824-58-8) provides an update on the ICT enabling Environment, ICT-related Initiatives and Research Capacity in IST-Africa Partner countries (Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda) as at December 2018. It provides insights into National Research Priorities, Priority areas for collaboration in the context of H2020 and Horizon Europe and a mapping of research organisations and research priorities to H2020 themes. It provides an update and mapping of Innovation Spaces in IST-Africa partner countries. It is an excellent resource to identify partners in other countries and to learn more about achievements in policy development and ongoing projects in each IST-Africa partner country.