Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IDEA D4D HUB (“Innovation Dialogues Europe-Africa” D4D Hub)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-12-01 do 2022-11-30
What is it about?
The IDEA D4D Hub Project operates under the D4D Hub principle of through working closely with stakeholder groups like civil society and academia in jointly shaping the digital transformation process. The objective is to mobilise CSOs and academia in Africa and strengthen their capacity, so they can better play a role in the digital transformation process of their country and region. In addition, it aims to establish Europe-Africa collaboration and co-creation of solutions to digital transformation challenges.
Why civil society and academia?
• Key players working with African grassroots organisations and communities, for a truly inclusive and human centric digital transformation
• Key players to hold government and private sector to account (for example on human rights and data protection)
• Represent voices of marginalized groups, citizens and users
• Key players in the exploration of “new” topics like ethical AI, gender based violence online etc
What is the methodology?
Piloting and developing the methodology is in itself a goal of the project. It will be tested in 5 countries that have ecosystems of very different levels of maturity, and that are located in different regions and speak different languages (Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Morocco, Uganda). The methodology starts with a stakeholder identification phase, after which a workshop is held to identify the main bottlenecks and challenges for civil society and academia in the country. Based on outcomes from the workshop, capacity building sessions are prepared to strengthen the capacity of civil society and research organisations in the run-up to the innovation day. During the innovation day, civil society and academia actors are combined with all other stakeholders in the digital ecosystem of the country, using a multi-stakeholder approach. Over two days the participants co-created innovative solutions to the challenges identified. Finally, winning teams are encouraged to develop their ideas further and connected with potential partners.
The IDEA D4D Hub Project operates under the D4D Hub principle of through working closely with stakeholder groups like civil society and academia in jointly shaping the digital transformation process. The objective is to mobilise CSOs and academia in Africa and strengthen their capacity, so they can better play a role in the digital transformation process of their country and region. In addition, it aims to establish Europe-Africa collaboration and co-creation of solutions to digital transformation challenges.
Why civil society and academia?
• Key players working with African grassroots organisations and communities, for a truly inclusive and human centric digital transformation
• Key players to hold government and private sector to account (for example on human rights and data protection)
• Represent voices of marginalized groups, citizens and users
• Key players in the exploration of “new” topics like ethical AI, gender based violence online etc
What is the methodology?
Piloting and developing the methodology is in itself a goal of the project. It will be tested in 5 countries that have ecosystems of very different levels of maturity, and that are located in different regions and speak different languages (Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Morocco, Uganda). The methodology starts with a stakeholder identification phase, after which a workshop is held to identify the main bottlenecks and challenges for civil society and academia in the country. Based on outcomes from the workshop, capacity building sessions are prepared to strengthen the capacity of civil society and research organisations in the run-up to the innovation day. During the innovation day, civil society and academia actors are combined with all other stakeholders in the digital ecosystem of the country, using a multi-stakeholder approach. Over two days the participants co-created innovative solutions to the challenges identified. Finally, winning teams are encouraged to develop their ideas further and connected with potential partners.
State of Play
(October 2022)
Mozambique
After a process of stakeholder identification, a workshop with 19 CSOs was conducted in July 2022 in Mozambique. Two capacity building sessions (one on the “Digital Enquirer Kit”, a tool, and one on existing digital policies in the country) were organised as follow ups. The Innovation Days took place in October 2022 in Mozambique, and brought together a motivated group of more than 50 participants who worked for two days in teams to co-create solutions. The whole national digital stakeholder eco-system was represented, with local CSOs, academic institutions, government agencies, start-ups, private companies and innovation programmes. Selected participants were supported to travel from other regions of the country to attend the event.
Quote: “The three main challenges identified by the CSOs in Mozambique were access to connectivity and devices, lack of digital skills in society and the absence of CSO participation in the policy making processes.”
Participants valued the intense learning on digital topics, the possibility to meet inspiring and interesting people and the exposure to innovation methodologies like design thinking. Thanks to the diverse actors being part of the implementation of the project, a wider network of stakeholders could be identified and participants appreciated meeting new people beyond the “usual suspects”.
The implementing consortium is currently discussing how best to follow up the outcomes of the innovation day in Mozambique, and how to adapt learnings from the event into the planning of the next ones.
Learnings from Mozambique:
• Being a physical event, achieving a European presence for Europe-Africa co-creation was a challenge at the innovation day in Mozambique. However, some participants did have a European angle, like one from a Dutch chamber of commerce that works with companies both in the Netherlands and Mozambique
• Discussions are on-going about the main focus of the innovation days: should it be the impact of bringing the ecosystem together and going through the process, or should emphasis be on getting high quality outcomes? For Mozambique, which has an ecosystem in very early stages and only few semi-operational innovation hubs, there was a huge value in itself to get the stakeholders together.
Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso, the workshop with 20 CSOs took place just two days before the second coup in 2022. Participants were very engaged and based on learnings form Mozambique, the work in the workshop went beyond identifying topics to working on solutions. This will better prepare the upcoming innovation days in November, that will still take place. A success story is that two Burkinabé members of the EU delegation participated the entire day as participants, and reported to having learnt a lot about civil society and digital topics as a result.
Next steps:
After the innovation day in Burkina Faso in early 2023 the project will embark on the challenging task of organising the workshop and innovation day in two different countries in North Africa: Tunisia and Morocco. Finally, the last workshop and innovation day will take place in Uganda.
(October 2022)
Mozambique
After a process of stakeholder identification, a workshop with 19 CSOs was conducted in July 2022 in Mozambique. Two capacity building sessions (one on the “Digital Enquirer Kit”, a tool, and one on existing digital policies in the country) were organised as follow ups. The Innovation Days took place in October 2022 in Mozambique, and brought together a motivated group of more than 50 participants who worked for two days in teams to co-create solutions. The whole national digital stakeholder eco-system was represented, with local CSOs, academic institutions, government agencies, start-ups, private companies and innovation programmes. Selected participants were supported to travel from other regions of the country to attend the event.
Quote: “The three main challenges identified by the CSOs in Mozambique were access to connectivity and devices, lack of digital skills in society and the absence of CSO participation in the policy making processes.”
Participants valued the intense learning on digital topics, the possibility to meet inspiring and interesting people and the exposure to innovation methodologies like design thinking. Thanks to the diverse actors being part of the implementation of the project, a wider network of stakeholders could be identified and participants appreciated meeting new people beyond the “usual suspects”.
The implementing consortium is currently discussing how best to follow up the outcomes of the innovation day in Mozambique, and how to adapt learnings from the event into the planning of the next ones.
Learnings from Mozambique:
• Being a physical event, achieving a European presence for Europe-Africa co-creation was a challenge at the innovation day in Mozambique. However, some participants did have a European angle, like one from a Dutch chamber of commerce that works with companies both in the Netherlands and Mozambique
• Discussions are on-going about the main focus of the innovation days: should it be the impact of bringing the ecosystem together and going through the process, or should emphasis be on getting high quality outcomes? For Mozambique, which has an ecosystem in very early stages and only few semi-operational innovation hubs, there was a huge value in itself to get the stakeholders together.
Burkina Faso
In Burkina Faso, the workshop with 20 CSOs took place just two days before the second coup in 2022. Participants were very engaged and based on learnings form Mozambique, the work in the workshop went beyond identifying topics to working on solutions. This will better prepare the upcoming innovation days in November, that will still take place. A success story is that two Burkinabé members of the EU delegation participated the entire day as participants, and reported to having learnt a lot about civil society and digital topics as a result.
Next steps:
After the innovation day in Burkina Faso in early 2023 the project will embark on the challenging task of organising the workshop and innovation day in two different countries in North Africa: Tunisia and Morocco. Finally, the last workshop and innovation day will take place in Uganda.
Added Value of the IDEA Project
Expertise with a diverse stakeholder group
Established networks of stakeholders working on digital topics, across Africa and Europe
Methodology focusing on co-creation, network building and multi-stakeholder innovation, across continents. Learning what works for different types of ecosystems.
Implementing in Team Europe Approach, including Smart Africa
Raise awareness of the role of CSOs and academia in partners and stakeholders
Concrete deliverables: identified challenges, policy papers, solution proposals, business models
Impact
CSOs and Academia are connected to each other and to other players in the ecosystem
Capacity building in soft skills, available digital tools, design thinking, on digital topics
CSOs and Academia are empowered and encouraged to play active role in digital transformation process – can demand role in digital policy making
More CSOs encouraged to become active in digital topics
Raised awareness about challenges faced by CSOs and Academia
Project has played an active role in advising the D4D Hub on the structure of its CSO and Academia Advisory Group
Expertise with a diverse stakeholder group
Established networks of stakeholders working on digital topics, across Africa and Europe
Methodology focusing on co-creation, network building and multi-stakeholder innovation, across continents. Learning what works for different types of ecosystems.
Implementing in Team Europe Approach, including Smart Africa
Raise awareness of the role of CSOs and academia in partners and stakeholders
Concrete deliverables: identified challenges, policy papers, solution proposals, business models
Impact
CSOs and Academia are connected to each other and to other players in the ecosystem
Capacity building in soft skills, available digital tools, design thinking, on digital topics
CSOs and Academia are empowered and encouraged to play active role in digital transformation process – can demand role in digital policy making
More CSOs encouraged to become active in digital topics
Raised awareness about challenges faced by CSOs and Academia
Project has played an active role in advising the D4D Hub on the structure of its CSO and Academia Advisory Group