Conference held on opportunities for African-European research infrastructure partnerships
19 October 2012
Austria
Professor John Wood, Secretary General for the Association of Commonwealth Universities and former chairperson of European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures (ESFRI), opened the session, putting emphasis on the importance of research collaboration. “We are now facing global challenges,” Professor Wood said, “and RIs, both single-sited and dispersed, are vital for addressing them. We need researchers across the globe to work constructively together and manage the RIs properly, and that is important for tackling these global challenges.’’
Case studies of European RIs presented at the workshop confirmed that such partnerships are not only possible, but also beneficial for all parties involved. The RIs presented included CLARIN (Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure), ELIXIR (sustainable infrastructure for biological information in Europe to support life science research), and the African Laser Center.
Also presented at the workshop were the results of the most recent PAERIP studies, including the report on “Opportunities for African European Collaboration.” Dr. Anthon Botha, CEO TechnoScene, South Africa and PAERIP consortium partner, said that “with this study we have created a platform for understanding and advocating for the formation of RIs partnerships through existing African and European RI that are already collaborating or could potentially benefit from forming partnerships, and by pointing out the different dimensions of RI partnerships.”
The results of an analysis of the socio-economic impact of African-European RI cooperation presented by Mr Declan Kirrane, Managing Director at ISC Intelligence in Science, Belgium and PAERIP consortium partner, showed that RIs have demonstrable social and economic returns. Dr. Daniel Adams, Chief Director of Emerging Research Areas and Infrastructure at the South African government’s Department of Science and Technology, confirmed the importance of this study during the closing panel by stating that research and innovation both stimulates the economy and improves the quality of life, and thus it is necessary to demonstrate to policymakers that investment in RIs is a positive way of addressing societal and economic concerns.
Dr. Eric Mwangi of the Kenyan Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and PAERIP consortium partner, presented a study entitled ‘’Supporting Africa-EU research infrastructure cooperation by development cooperation instruments’’, highlighting the need to leverage new funding opportunities for Africa-EU RI partnerships.
The closing panel also noted the significance of the PAERIP project and its importance for the future of RI partnerships between Europe and Africa. Panel member and presenter Elena Righi-Steele, Program Officer for Infrastructures at the European Commission DG for Research, confirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting RI partnerships.
During the final Q&A session, presenter and PAERIP consortium partner, Dr. Eric Mwangi emphasized the need to ensure that RIs have a more prominent role in Africa’s Consolidated Science and Technology Plan of Action, which is currently being discussed, and that more active discussions should take place about what the role should be.
The PAERIP consortium will further contribute to promoting Africa-Europe RI partnerships by finalizing new studies, producing additional recommendations on how such collaboration could be fostered, and organising events both in Europe and Africa. The next event, organised in collaboration with the CAAST-Net project, will take place on 3 -4 December 2012 in Accra, Ghana. The conference aims to enrich and strengthen the Africa-Europe science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation by providing a forum for exchange of opinions and mutual learning on the role of RIs in scientific and technological cooperation partnerships between Africa and Europe.
Notes to Editors
PAERIP (Promoting African – European Research Infrastructure Partnerships) is a project funded under FP7 (Theme INFRA-2010-3.2). PAERIP is focused on undertaking a series of studies, which will identify African‐European cooperation opportunities related to existing research infrastructures, explore opportunities for cooperation between the two continents in developing new research infrastructures and promote research infrastructure policy dialogue.
Consortium partners involved in the PAERIP project include South African Department of Science and Technology, Technoscene Ltd (South Africa), the Association of Commonwealth Universities (UK), ISC Intelligence in Science (Belgium), Sigma Orionis (France), Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (Egypt), National Documentation Centre (Greece) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (Kenya).
More information at http://www.paerip.org/(opens in new window)
Media enquiries
Karolina Krzastek
ISC Intelligence in Science
Rue du Trône, 4
1000 Brussels - Belgium
Tel. +32 2 8888 100
Fax +32 2 5138114
Email: Karolina.krzastek@iscintelligence.com
Case studies of European RIs presented at the workshop confirmed that such partnerships are not only possible, but also beneficial for all parties involved. The RIs presented included CLARIN (Common Language Resources and Technology Infrastructure), ELIXIR (sustainable infrastructure for biological information in Europe to support life science research), and the African Laser Center.
Also presented at the workshop were the results of the most recent PAERIP studies, including the report on “Opportunities for African European Collaboration.” Dr. Anthon Botha, CEO TechnoScene, South Africa and PAERIP consortium partner, said that “with this study we have created a platform for understanding and advocating for the formation of RIs partnerships through existing African and European RI that are already collaborating or could potentially benefit from forming partnerships, and by pointing out the different dimensions of RI partnerships.”
The results of an analysis of the socio-economic impact of African-European RI cooperation presented by Mr Declan Kirrane, Managing Director at ISC Intelligence in Science, Belgium and PAERIP consortium partner, showed that RIs have demonstrable social and economic returns. Dr. Daniel Adams, Chief Director of Emerging Research Areas and Infrastructure at the South African government’s Department of Science and Technology, confirmed the importance of this study during the closing panel by stating that research and innovation both stimulates the economy and improves the quality of life, and thus it is necessary to demonstrate to policymakers that investment in RIs is a positive way of addressing societal and economic concerns.
Dr. Eric Mwangi of the Kenyan Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and PAERIP consortium partner, presented a study entitled ‘’Supporting Africa-EU research infrastructure cooperation by development cooperation instruments’’, highlighting the need to leverage new funding opportunities for Africa-EU RI partnerships.
The closing panel also noted the significance of the PAERIP project and its importance for the future of RI partnerships between Europe and Africa. Panel member and presenter Elena Righi-Steele, Program Officer for Infrastructures at the European Commission DG for Research, confirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting RI partnerships.
During the final Q&A session, presenter and PAERIP consortium partner, Dr. Eric Mwangi emphasized the need to ensure that RIs have a more prominent role in Africa’s Consolidated Science and Technology Plan of Action, which is currently being discussed, and that more active discussions should take place about what the role should be.
The PAERIP consortium will further contribute to promoting Africa-Europe RI partnerships by finalizing new studies, producing additional recommendations on how such collaboration could be fostered, and organising events both in Europe and Africa. The next event, organised in collaboration with the CAAST-Net project, will take place on 3 -4 December 2012 in Accra, Ghana. The conference aims to enrich and strengthen the Africa-Europe science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation by providing a forum for exchange of opinions and mutual learning on the role of RIs in scientific and technological cooperation partnerships between Africa and Europe.
Notes to Editors
PAERIP (Promoting African – European Research Infrastructure Partnerships) is a project funded under FP7 (Theme INFRA-2010-3.2). PAERIP is focused on undertaking a series of studies, which will identify African‐European cooperation opportunities related to existing research infrastructures, explore opportunities for cooperation between the two continents in developing new research infrastructures and promote research infrastructure policy dialogue.
Consortium partners involved in the PAERIP project include South African Department of Science and Technology, Technoscene Ltd (South Africa), the Association of Commonwealth Universities (UK), ISC Intelligence in Science (Belgium), Sigma Orionis (France), Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (Egypt), National Documentation Centre (Greece) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (Kenya).
More information at http://www.paerip.org/(opens in new window)
Media enquiries
Karolina Krzastek
ISC Intelligence in Science
Rue du Trône, 4
1000 Brussels - Belgium
Tel. +32 2 8888 100
Fax +32 2 5138114
Email: Karolina.krzastek@iscintelligence.com