National ICT Research Capacity and Priorities for Cooperation - The Republic of Mozambique

National Priorities

National ICT Research Priorities include:

- eHealth - Self-management of health; Improved diagnostics; Data collection; Health care provision and Integrated Care; Research on HIV AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Meningitis, Cholera; Parasitological research, Virology and molecular biology research. Institutions involved include: UEM-Faculty of Medicine, Ministry of Health - National Institute for Health, Higher Institute for Health Science, Pedagogical University (UP) and some NGOs

- Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture - Sustainable agriculture and forestry; Sustainable and competitive Agri-food sector for safe and healthy diet; Research on type of hydraulic solutions that need to be put in place to overcome problems related to drought; Research on agricultural logistics, market access, value chains and on services required by the technology start-ups (finance, consultation, etc.). Institutions involved include: Ministry of Agriculture, Agrarian Research Institute of Mozambique (IIAM), Ethnobotanical Research an Development Center (CIDE), Pedagogical University (UP), FAO and other NGOs

- Energy - Alternative Energy Sources. Institutions involved include: Ministry for Energy

- Future Internet - Networks, Software Services and Wireless Communications. Institutions involved include: INTIC, INCM, CIUEM

- Technology-enhanced Learning: Platforms and pedagogies; Capacity building programs

- eGovernment - Research on service delivery transformation and use of ICTs and eGovernment architectures as a catalytic force for public sector reform, Research on innovative services on health and education, including science laboratories, and government information and content.

- ICT for Rural Development - Research on robust and well standardized, easy maintenance access terminals for rural areas; Research on low cost wireless solutions to address digital divide; Research on low cost public terminals, business models, universal access, shared network infrastructures, security architectures; Research on community based content and service needs, tailored to cultural and linguistic context of rural areas

- Entrepreneurship & Socio-economic development - Promoting entrepreneurship using ICT; Entrepreneurship for poverty alleviation

National Research Capacity

The following universities and research centres in Mozambique are undertaking ICT-related initiatives:

Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM)

- Depts include: Electronic Engineering and Informatics Departments and CIUEM

- Research areas include: Agriculture, Marine Science, Fishery, Building, Ecotourism, Health, Social Sciences, Environmental Sustainability, Economic Development, Networks, Software Services, Privacy and Trust and Wireless Communications

Mozambican ICT Institute (MICTI)

- Research areas include: ICT, Environment, Science & Engineering Education / Training, Manufacturing, Energy

Mozambican Catholic University (UCM)

- Depts include: Faculty of Engineering: Department of Information Technology and Faculty of Management of Tourism and Informatics: Center for Research in Sustainable and Technological Development (CIDST).

- Research areas include: Sustainable and Technological Development, Environment, Tourism, Social Education, eCommerce and Electronic Enterpreneurship

Higher Polytechnic and University Institute (ISPU)

- Depts include: IT and Scientific Investigation

- Research areas include: Social and Political Sciences, Rural and Economic Development

Pedagogical University (UP)

- Depts include: Social Science and Health

- Research areas include: Social Sciences, Health, Technology-enhanced Learning

Higher Institute for Health Sciences

- Research areas include: Public Health, Child and adolescent health/nutrition, Health systems, parasitology, virology and molecular biology, evaluation and analysis of health status, policy analyse and formulation, training and Post-graduate in health sciences

São Tomás University (USTM)

- Research activities related to the use of ICT and Entrepreneurship for poverty alleviation

Mozambican Higher Institute of Science and Technology (ISCTEM)

ICT-39 Priority Themes

Based on consultation with stakeholders and discussion during the IST-Africa H2020 Workshop on 19 November 2014 the following thematic areas are considered to be important in the context of the ICT-39 Call:

Thematic Areas	Topics	Partners include
eHealth / mHealth	Health Information Systems/Electronic Health Records; Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH); Health diagnosis and Surveillance - Malaria, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, cholera (during rainy seasons); Mechanisms and alarms to deal with compliance issues (remembering to take medication, attend clinic etc); Telemedicine and remote diagnosis	National Institute for Health; Ministry of Health; Eduardo Mondlane University (Faculty of Medicine); Higher Institute for Health Sciences; Pedagogical University
eAgriculture	Crop Management; Agri-food based applications	IIAM (Agricultural Research Institute); Eduardo Mondlane University; Pedagogical University; CIDE (Centre for Research and Development of plants):
Technology-enhanced Learning	Distance Learning; mLearning	National Institute of Distance Learning; Pedagogical University
Environment	Water Management; Agro Climatic Information for farmers	National Institute of Meteorology; Eduardo Mondlane University; IIA (Water Research Institute); University of Zambeze
eGovernment	Public Service Delivery, mGovernment services	INTIC

Mapping to H2020 Themes

The mapping to Horizon 2020 Research areas is summarised below:

Horizon 2020 Industrial Leadership	Institution, Relevant Dept and Research area
Future Internet	INTIC: Networks, Wireless Communication; Eduardo Mondlane University (CIUEM): Networks, Software and Services, Wireless Communication
Content Technologies & Information Management	National Institute for Education Development (INDE): Technologies for Language, Learning, Digital Preservation; Pedagogical University: Technology-enhanced Learning; INTIC : Content & Information Management; Instituto Nacional das Comunicações de Moçambique (INCM); Mozambique Catholic University (Dept of Information Technology)

Horizon 2020 Societal Challenges	Institution, Relevant Dept and Research area
Health	Eduardo Mondlane University (Medicine; Higher Institute for Health Sciences: Public Health, child and adolescent health/nutrition; Health systems, parasitology, virology and molecular biology, evaluation and analysis of health status, policy analyse and formulation, training and Post-graduate in health sciences; Pedagogical University
Food Security, Sustainable Agriculture	Agrarian Research Institute (IIAM): Sustainable agriculture - Cereals; Roots and tubers Grain legumes; Cashew nuts; cotton; Big and small ruminants; poultry and pigs; Animal husbandry; Natural resource management including soils; and Forest Technology transfer and training ; CIDE (Centre for Research and Development of plants) : Research on native plants, photochemistry; Pedagogical University : Study of medical plants
Climate Action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials	IIA (Water Research Institute) : Water Research (Disaster Management, Water & Sanitation, Ground water); University of Zambeze : Water Quality, Environmental Quality, Socio-economic impact of gold mining (Environmental risks); National Institute of Meteorology; Eduardo Mondlane University UEM
Secure, Clean and Efficient Energy	Ministry of Energy: Alternative sources of fuel; Wireless energy sources

Level of Research Maturity

Mozambique has research capacity and a track record in collaborative research through participation in more than 20 FP7 projects, securing research funding of over €3.36 million .

Up to September 2018 Mozambique organisations have been successful in 8 Horizon 2020 projects with research funding of over €1 million across a range of thematic areas:

- HEALTH, H2020-PHC-2014-single-stage - EMI-TB (Instituto Nacional de Saúde)

- H2020-PHC-2015-single-stage_RTD - EHVA (Instituto Nacional de Saúde)

- H2020-WATER-2015-two-stage: DAFNE (Universidade Eduardo Mondlane); SafeWaterAfrica (Salomon Lda)

- H2020-ICT-2016-INT - IST-Africa 2016-2018 Instituto Nacional de Tecnologias de Informacao E Comunicacao

- H2020-SC5-2016-OneStageB - FORAM - Gondwana Empreendimentos E Consultorias Limitada

- H2020-SFS-2017-1 - AfriCultuReS (RIA) - Universidade Eduardo Mondlane

- H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017 - ANTHUSIA (MSCA-ITN-EJD) - Universidade Eduardo Mondlane

The level of research maturity in steadily strengthening, supported by the experience of being involved in internationally funded research and the impact of bi-lateral projects funded by a number of EU Member States. This is despite the difficulty created by the linguistic challenges for a Lusophone country trying to participate in international research projects. IST-Africa has made a significant contribution in this regard by facilitating relationship building with key stakeholders, exchange of experiences in Europe and Africa, focusing international attention on Information Society and ICT related challenges and opportunities in IST-Africa Partner Countries and providing opportunities to engage with international research stakeholders both in Europe and in Africa.

There is now a considerable sense of urgency in the Government and in the research community to build on recent successes and momentum achieved to date. While the primary focus is still on technology adoption and developing applications, there is an increasing focus on strengthening research capacity within the country, and facilitating the continued development of post-graduate programmes. Mozambique is one of a number of IST-Africa Partner Countries (including Uganda, Namibia and South Africa) that is investing in funding national research programmes.