Day 1

Welcome remarks

• http://www.adeanet.org/STIforum/cash-advance-columbia-sc

  Jean-­Pierre Ezin, Commissioner for Human Resources Science and Technology (HRST) of the African Union

• Gretchen Kalonji, Assistant Director-­General for Natural Sciences, UNESCO
• Kamal ElKheshen, Vice President, African Development Bank
• Aida Opoku-­Mensah, Director ICT and Science and Technology Division, UNECA
• Hon. Margaret J. Kamar, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Kenya

Setting the stage

Outcomes of ADEA’s 2012 Triennial, scope of the forum, how can STI contribute to inclusive growth, create wealth and reduce poverty in Africa? How can science help to reach the poor and enhance the quality of life through food security, clean water, affordable health care, energy, awareness in mitigation and adaptation strategies to address climate change, connectivity/e-­science?

• Dzingai Mutumbuka, ADEA Chair
• Sara Farley, Chief Operating Officer, Global Knowledge Initiative

General Rapporteurs for the Forum :

• Grand Rapporteur : Lamine Ndiaye, President of African Academy of Sciences
• Co-Rapporteur: Segenet Kelemu, Director, Biosciences eastern and central Africa Hub, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya

Tour of Exhibition “Africa on the Move” ‐ Coffee break

SESSION I: STEM EDUCATION & LABOR MARKETS IN AFRICA

Problem 1: Demand for STEM education is growing exponentially, but faculty rosters are not keeping pace and, in many cases, are actually declining. What can Africa do to meet the demand for quality STEM education in HEIs? What promising models can be developed?

• Chair: Shaukat Abdulrazak, Secretary/CEO National Council of Science and Technology, Kenya
• Discussant: Guy-­Florent Ankogui-­Mpoko, in charge of Education, Higher Education and Research, Prime Minister Office, Central African Republic
• Rapporteurs: Hamidou Boukary, ADEA and Anthony Maduekwe, Science Programme Specialist, UNESCO Office Dar es Salaam

Panelists:

• Mohammad Hassan, SIG Board Member, Immediate Past President of the African Academy of Sciences 15 mins
• Romain Murenzi, Executive Director, TWAS and Former Minister of Science in Rwanda 15 mins
• David W. Strangway, President and CEO, Canada Foundation for Innovation 15 mins
• George Essegbey, Director, CSIR Science technology Policy Research Institute, Accra, Ghana 15 mins

Moderated 30 min. open discussion on: “What will it take for us to make improvement across Africa in building a strong cadre of professors?”

Lunch session on Teaching of Maths

• Mahouton Norbert Hounkonnou, UNESCO Chair of Mathematical Physics and Applications, Benin
• SMASE-­Africa-­ADEA WG on Mathematics and Science Education
• Rebecca Walo Omana, Département de Mathématiques & Informatique, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Kinshasa

Problem 2: How can we ensure that STEM graduates have the skills required by prospective private (and public) sector employees? How have other regions tackled these issues?

Chair: Joseph Massaquoi, Director UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science in Africa

Discussants: Kabiru Kinyanjui (ADEA) and Boukary Savadogo, Manager, Education, Science and Technology Division, AFDB

Rapporteurs: Victor Konde, Scientific Affairs Officer, UNECA and Harry Kaane, Higher Education, Science and Technology Secretary, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Kenya

Panelists:

• Christopher Tan, Director, Electrical & Electronics And Innovation Economic Transformation Programme, The Performance Management & Delivery Unit (PEMANDU) under Prime Minister's office, Government of Malaysia 15 mins
• Michel Bezy, Associate Director, Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda 15 mins
• Dan Marcek, Organization of American States (OAS) Engineering for the America’s 15 mins
• Umar Buba Bindir, PhD, Director General/CEO, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion 15 mins

Moderated 30 min. open discussion on: "What will it take for us to make improvement across Africa in linking STEM education with labor markets in Africa?"

Tour of Exhibition “Africa on the Move” - Coffee break

SESSION II: Strengthening Scientific Research: A New Deal for African Science

Problem 3: Many African research centers are trapped in a vicious circle in which low funding levels lead to low quality research with low social and economic relevance. How can a new deal for African R&D, supported and financed by development agencies, provide increased funding for African science in exchange for enhanced quality and relevance? How can inter-disciplinary Pan-African and international partnerships support this process without diluting the focus on Africa’s problems as defined by Africans?

Chair: Prof. Crispus Kiamba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of HEST, and representative of the Coordination and Advancement of Sub-Saharan Africa-EU Science & Technology Cooperation (CAASTNET), Kenya

Discussants : Zohra Ben Lakhdar, Professor of Physics, University of Tunis (Tunisia), Laureate for Africa, L’Oreal-UNESCO Award 2005 AND Charlotte Wonani, STI expert, University of Zambia

Rapporteurs: Kevin Urama, Executive Director ATPS, Kenya and Philippe Mawoko, Executive Secretary for African Observatory on STI, AUC/ Equatorial Guinea

Panelists:

Moderated 30 min. open discussion on: “What will it take for us to make improvement across Africa in R&D?

• Shigeo Okaya, Director, Research Partnership for Sustainable Development Division, Japan Science and Technology Agency Paris office - 15 mins
• Alfred J Watkins, Executive Chairman Global Innovation Summit. Proposal on a National Science Foundation for Africa – national and regional centers of excellence– 15 mins
• Saul Hahn, STI consultant and former Chief of the Division of Science and Technology at the Organization of American States (OAS) - 15 mins
• Beatrice Njenga, Pan-African University /AUC 15 mins

Cocktail / Reception sponsored by AFDB (venue: poolside)