Africa is quickly becoming an influential force in the world of science and research and Unesco, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is set to organize a research summit in 2022, expecting it to become the largest gathering of stakeholders ever to be held on the continent.
The Unesco Research Summit scheduled to take place on 15-17 November 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will bring together leaders from higher education, industry, and civil society as well as renowned scientists from across the globe. The program features keynote speeches, plenary sessions on innovative research projects, and interactive panel discussions. Additionally, a series of side meetings and high-level meetings will give participants the chance to network and discuss strategies for leading Africa’s transformation into a vibrant hub for science research.
The Unesco Research Summit 2022 will showcase current trends in science and technology and highlight opportunities for collaboration between African countries. Prioritized topics include Bio-sustainable Agriculture which is key for economic growth; Women & STEM which focuses on gender equity in scientific fields; Disruptive Technologies; Climate Resilience & Sustainable Development; Innovative Governance; as well as traditional practices and knowledge systems that have been boosted by new technologies. Emphasis will be given to underrepresented topics such as Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Open Science — both critical forms of knowledge transference called for by the African Union in its Science & Technology Strategy.
At the end of the summit, a communiqué will be released detailing recommendations that address national, regional, and international concerns. This document will become a reference point for governments and other players wishing to support Africa’s research landscape.
Unesco is expectations are high for this event – with over 3000 international delegates expected – as it builds on past initiatives such as the inaugural state-of-the-art African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Conference that brought together top scientists from 23 African countries to define a collaborative research agenda on 14-16 November 2018 in Durban, South Africa.
The 2022 UNESCO Research Summit in Africa will be a convening of leaders from across the continent to explore the power of knowledge for Africa’s development. Participants will include government and civil society representatives, academia, and private sector partners, coming together to discuss research, access to knowledge, and the role of public-private partnerships in tackling some of Africa’s most pressing development issues.
The two-day summit, organized by UNESCO and hosted by the African Union Commission, is part of a series of meetings that began in 2015 to bridge the gap between policy makers and knowledge producers in Africa. The event hosted 150 participants from 24 countries in 2020, including representatives from Malawi, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania and Senegal.
This year’s event will focus on “Reimagining Science for Societal Transformation”. It promises to be an exciting opportunity to have meaningful dialogue and leads to tangible action plans from participants from all around world. The program will encompass key themes such as evidence- based policy making, innovation ecosystems and how governments can better address the needs of marginalized communities.
The plenary sessions at the Summit will bring together renowned international figures and local change agents discussing innovation strategies which can bring about positive transformation in African societies. A plenary panel on integrating research into policy-making will also shed light on best practices for fostering innovation-driven solutions. The summit’s sessions also promise to explore how education systems in Africa can better engage students so they are better equipped to drive social transformation through their research efforts. The program contains rich options for networking opportunities within the African research community, with a particular emphasis on encouraging collaboration on research publications that have direct implications for the continent.
At the closing session of the summit, participants will be expected to commit to a 2025 agenda for knowledge for African Growth guided by sustainable development goals (SDGs). They will explore regional partnerships between universities among countries and discuss ways to ensure equitable access to knowledge resources throughout the continent. These findings that come out of this summit will serve as a vision of ways forward for Africa in terms of science-driven development solutions that can benefit all its citizens.
We invite you to be part of this landmark event taking place on January 27 – 28th 2022 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia! Click here or visit our website for more information on registration process and full program details! We look forward to seeing all those passionate about research come together at this important summit!