IST-Africa Conferences
IST-Africa is one of the most established and prestigious ICT4D / Digital Development International Conference community showcasing technology-enabled Research, Innovation and ICT4D activities and capacity in Africa, Europe and other parts of the world.
Hosted by IST-Africa Partner Countries since 2006, the annual IST-Africa Conference showcases international cooperation and African Information Society, Digital Development, ICT and Innovation Adoption, Policy and Research Capacity Developments and Success Stories.
IST-Africa Week provides a platform in Africa to strengthen ICT-enabled Innovation, Science and Technology related policy dialogues within Africa and between Africa and Europe, Global Development, Research and Innovation Cooperation and Community Building. It also provides an opportunity to identify potential partners for future research cooperation under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe.
IST-Africa is a unique community that brings together cross-disciplinary stakeholders from public, private, education and research, societal sector with end user communities focused on ICT and STI Research and Innovation. It brings together on average 400 senior representatives of leading Public, Private, Education and Research Sector Organisations from 50 countries to discuss policy, share insight and identify collaboration opportunities.
Core thematic priorities include:
- mHealth / eHealth
- Technology-enhanced Learning and eSkills
- mAgriculture / eAgriculture & Environmental Sustainability / Food Security
- Energy - ICT for Power Delivery, Micro-grids
- eInfrastructures and NRENs (National Research and Education Networks)
- Next Generation Computing (Big Data, Cloud Computing, Future Internet, IoT)
- eGovernment and Public Service Delivery
- Content Technologies: Language; Digital Preservation
- Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust
- Collaborative Open Innovation and ICT-enabled Entrepreneurship (including Social Entrepreneurship)
- Global Development (including ICT4D, Digital Development)
- Societal Implications of Technology
IST-Africa Conferences are preceded by a participatory workshop and feature an Opening Ministerial Roundtable focused on Policy and International Cooperation, a Closing Plenary focused on African Initiatives including Host Country Success Stories, and a Scientific Programme featuring parallel thematic tracks. Papers in the Conference Proceedings are selected through a double blind peer review process.
IST-Africa Paper Repository
The IST-Africa portal hosts is one of the largest double blind peer reviewed Paper Repositories focused on research and innovation undertaken in Africa and/or relevant to Africa and other developing country environments.
Providing Open Access to over 1,900 papers, it is a valuable research resource which is available to all members of the IST-Africa community as well as the general public. The general public can search for relevant papers by thematic area or author. When they click on a link to access the PDF paper, they require a login to download the paper. There is no charge for registration or access to the Paper Repository. This ensures that the wider community who were not able to attend this year's conference still have access to the research and innovation results shared. All authors retain the copyright for their paper. Existing members simply use their log-in details when they wish to access a full paper. If a person is interested in reading a particular paper but is not already a member of the IST-Africa community, they simply enter their details via Mailing List and will automatically receive their username and password details by email.
IST-Africa Conferences have been hosted by the Government of
- South Africa - Department of Science and Technology (10 - 14 May 2021, 16 - 20 May 2022, Virtual; 31 May - 02 June 2023 Tshwane)
- Uganda - Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (18 - 22 May 2020, Virtual)
- Kenya - Ministry of Education (08 - 10 May 2019, Nairobi)
- Botswana - DTPS, Ministry of Transport and Communications (09 - 11 May 2018, Gaborone)
- Namibia - National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (31 May - 02 June 2017, Windhoek)
- South Africa - DST (11 - 13 May 2016, Durban)
- Malawi - National Commission for Science and Technology (06 - 08 May 2015, Lilongwe)
- Mauritius - Ministry of ICT and National Computer Board (06 - 09 May 2014, Mauritius
- Kenya - MoEST (06 -09 May 2013, Nairobi)
- Tanzania - COSTECH (09 - 11 May 2012, Dar es Salaam)
- Botswana - DRST (11 - 13 May 2011, Gaborone)
- South Africa - DST (19 - 21 May 2010, Durban)
- Uganda - UNCST (06 - 08 May 2009, Kampala)
- Namibia - MoE (07 - 09 May 2008, Windhoek)
- Mozambique - INTIC (09 - 11 May 2007, Maputo)
- South Africa - DST (03 - 05 May 2006, Tshwane)
