Twaweza East Africa’s Post

Today the Flemish Government, Department of Economy, Science and Innovation is hosting the 2nd European Mission Forum #EMIF. An initiative of the TRAMI Project (https://lnkd.in/ezE76BZg) the EU funded project focussing on Making EU Missions Work by creating Communities of Practice, exchanging knowledge and offering mutual learning. Today we will learn on the results of the TRAMI project and discuss on best practices in EU Missions implementation. Together with relevant stakeholders we will dive into the challenges and needs for * National, regional and European Mission Governance; * Monitoring the EU Missions; * How to Engage Citizens in the EU Missions; * Creating the European Mission Network EMiN and * Engagement with the Private Sector. A very interesting day ahead! #eumissions #horizoneu #eu2024be #TRAMI Departement Economie, Wetenschap en Innovatie (EWI)

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📅 🎟️There's still time to register for our upcoming Annual Stakeholder Event, which will take place in London on 12 September 2024. The world is facing significant challenges, the burden of which often falls disproportionately on those living in hashtag #LMICs. Collective action and international cooperation have paved the way for progress. But despite global efforts, advancement toward the hashtag #SDGs has slowed and is even regressing in some areas. We know that research is integral to finding the solutions we need to meet global challenges and set hashtag #InternationalDevelopment objectives on track. Furthermore, research partnership and science diplomacy remain a shared language for cooperation in an increasingly volatile world. As crises converge today, we need commitment to, and investment in, research. This will be vital to deliver a healthier and more equitable tomorrow. Join UKCDR and our expert panel for a timely dialogue on why research and research investment matter now. The panelists will offer a range of perspectives on this topic from across the research ecosystem. The discussion will be moderated by Ehsan Masood, Nature's Bureau Chief for Editorials, Africa and the Middle East. Panelists include: Dr Joanes Atela, Founder and Executive Director, Africa Research and Impact Network Professor Charlotte Watts – Chief Scientific Advisor, FCDO Dr Jaideep Gupte – Director of Research, Strategy and Innovation, Arts & Humanities Research Council Professor Melissa Leach – Executive Director, Cambridge Conservation Initiative and Interim Chair of the Strategic Coherence in ODA-funded Research Board ➡️ https://bit.ly/3W5Dg4V

🇪🇺🆕📢 The annual report on EU R&I 2023 activities is out! The report provides a non-exhaustive overview of the EU’s key #research and #innovation activities in 2023 and monitoring of #HorizonEU, #H2020 and the #Euratom Research and Training programme. It offers interesting information on: 🔹 highlights and new features 🔹 association to Horizon Europe 🔹 monitoring data on calls and topics 🔹 project proposals and success rates 🔹 grants signed 🔹 EU policy priorities 🔹 applicants and beneficiaries 🔹 first results 🔹 dissemination and exploitation activities Read more 👉 https://lnkd.in/gfUsHkU9

What did the EU do in 2023 for research and innovation? And what did research and innovation do for citizens? The European Commission has published "The EU in 2023 - General Report on the Activities of the European Union". The Report focuses on the various topics the EU has worked on - and delivered on. These relate to the EU's 2019 - 2024 priorities and R&I features throughout ⬇ Research was a core part of the EU's work on Building a Fair and Social Europe in 2023. At the heart of this is #HorizonEU - the world's largest framework programme for funding research - which includes the flagship #MSCA programme and the five #EUMissions. These are delivering for Europeans by funding innovative researchers and their work. The European Research Executive Agency (REA) played a central role in implementing #HorizonEU by investing over €2.5 billion on behalf of the EU in 2023 - with over €3 expected to be invested this year. But through the exploitation of results and feedback to policy, R&I also supported other objectives throughout 2023: - Creating a climate-neutral and prosperous Europe - Ensuring affordable, secure and sustainable energy for Europe - Protecting people and freedoms (including better health) - Strengthening the economy and the EU’s competitiveness - The EU’s response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine 2023 was an important year – one in which the EU continued to meet the aspirations of Europeans and to address challenges as they emerged. Research is at the heart of these actions, driving us towards a better future.

ACRID Network, the Associated #Candidate #Countries Research, Innovation and Development Network in partnership with the K4I Forum in the European Parliament Forum, is organizing a series of events focused on #Research & #Innovation (R&I), engaging #public, #private, and #academic sectors. . These events will explore EU opportunities available to accession and candidate countries and aim to strengthen collaboration to enhance their innovation capacities. The forum seeks to boost European R&I community’s competitiveness, particularly addressing #EuropeanGreenDeal objectives. Discussions will cover topics around #AI, #circulareconomy, and green practices in various settings, emphasizing community engagement, social inclusion and green job creation. The forum will feature diverse contributions from EU and accession and candidate countries as well as from third countries, that participate in EU projects. . More specifically the events aim at: 1. Networking, collaboration, and communication on #Science, #Innovation, #Research and #Development among associate and candidate countries, EU member states, as an important part of the accession process. 2. Understanding and experiencing what Europe can offer to candidate and associate countries from the perspective of various funding instruments and programs and how these countries can support the #EUGreenDeal and the New #EuropeanInnovationAgenda. 3. Elaborating on the needs of candidate and associated countries in the areas of Science, Research and Innovation. . Agenda Tuesday, 30 January 15:00-17:00 – Panel Discussion on Collaboration & Funding Opportunities among Quadruple Helix actors 19:30-22:00 – Dinner Debate on Science, Research and Innovation Impact to EU Market 18:30-19:30 – K4I Forum New Year Reception Wednesday, 31 January 08:00-09:30 – Breakfast Debate on Science Diplomacy for EU Green and Digital Transition 10:00-12:00 – Panel Discussion on Higher Education Institutions and Future Education Needs for Green and Digital Transition 12:00-14:30 – Local Governments Strategy for EU Green and Digital Transition for Smart Cities Key Speakers, Participants and Presentation Panels from EU Projects, Applied Research Scientists from:  Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, USA, Japan, Singapore, France, Greece, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and Sub Saharan Africa Countries.

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Science+ programme, developed by Free Press Unlimited. The conference focused on "Joining Forces Against Misinformation: Societal Resilience in Central and Eastern Europe" and took place in Bucharest, Romania. It was an enriching experience, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such meaningful discussions and initiatives. Moreover, I had the privilege of co-facilitating an interactive workshop alongside Palladium: Make It Possible and the The International Foundation for Electoral Systems at the Science+ conference. Our session focused on "Protracted emergency and community cohesion: debunking misleading narratives about Ukrainian refugees in the context of healthcare and education crime." During the workshop, we delved into the detrimental effects of misleading narratives on community cohesion between Ukrainian refugees and host communities in Central Europe. Topics included healthcare, education, and criminal issues. Participants explored strategies to mitigate these effects, such as sharing stories of Ukrainian refugees' contributions, analyzing root causes of conflicts, and enhancing information literacy among populations. It was an enlightening discussion aimed at fostering resilience and combating misinformation. Looking forward to more impactful collaborations ahead! #SciencePlus #Palladium #IFES #Misinformation #CommunityCohesion #Resilience

AI is the ultimate springboard to propel transformative innovation and spark unprecedented growth across society. This is going to be most pertinent for #healthcare and in #Africa. By harnessing the potential of AI, we can leapfrog healthcare barriers, accelerate development, and create a future where Africa stands at the forefront of health technological innovation. We are embracing #leapfrogging at Vitafluence.ai and iZola.life. Join us as our Co Founder and CEO Peter Owotoki, with other exciting speakers Pren-Tsilya Boa-Guehe and Beibei Yan, share more about #leapfrogging at the panel on Trail Blazers in Action at the Africa Business Forum. Which will take place on Feb 19, on the side lines of the 37th ordinary session of the ASSEMBLY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT OF THE AFRICAN UNION in Addis Ababa. #theafricawewant #sustainabledevelopmentgoals #trailblazers #izola.life #addisababa #innovation #transformation #ABF2024

Paolo Campanella of WASDI, spinoff of the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and CIMA Research Foundation, had the privilege to present the project RISE (Remote Imaging Support for Emergencies) during the 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐞 𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐩𝐞́𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐮𝐱𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, with the theme “𝑇𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐼𝑛𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑤’𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑡𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑦’𝑠 𝑔𝑙𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑠?” RISE empowers #humanitarian organizations, #NGOs and governments involved in #emergencyResponse or #disasterRiskReduction to get actionable #geospatial intelligence to help exponentially more people with way less money and in a fraction of the time. Thanks to the scientific support of the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and the field experience of the Shelter Research Unit of the Croix-Rouge luxembourgeoise, the insights from #satelliteImagery provided by RISE will enable swift and effective responses during crises and #naturalHazards RISE is funded through the Humanitarian Innovation Accelerator Programme (#HIAP), powered by the World Food Programme (WFP), and is supported by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Luxembourg, and the Austrian Development Agency. #LISTenvironment #AssisesdelaCooperation2024 #earthobservation

Some months ago, I was part of a team of researchers & evaluators who interrogated the nuances, constraints and opportunities of African led evaluations on the African continent. We explored four broad topics of African evaluation including African-led evaluation versus Indigenous ways of knowing; Perceptions of competence, quality, capacity and professionalism of locally-led evaluation; How different is African-led evaluation from non-African-led evaluations; and Does locally-led evaluation achieve better results than externally-led evaluations? Check out our recent publication on these topics titled ''Unpacking locally led research and evaluation through the lens of Collaborative. autoethnography''.