African scientists will converge in Tunisia next week (3rd-7th) for the second African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) conference.

Themed Catalysing Research and Innovation for Development, the conference, to be attended by policymakers, thought leaders, scholars, and ARISE fellows will delve deep on how to showcase advances made in their areas of specialisation.

According to the Executive Director of The African Academy of Sciences (AAS), Dr Peggy Oti-Boateng, the conference will be looking at the nexus between science, policy and society.
 

“We cannot do science without using it to influence policy as well as resonate with the needs of the society, so ARISE will explore how this can be achieved seamlessly in a timely manner,” she added.

“Besides, we will have sessions on how to ensure governments in Africa invest in science, its scientists to avoid the pitfall of early career scientists going to work abroad due to lack of opportunities back in Africa,” she said.

“At the end of the conference, we hope to have a vibrant community of scholars committed to brokering connections that enhance their career progression, while accelerating their contributions to the transformation of lives in Africa through science,” said Obed Ogega, Programmes Manager at the institution.

The two experts were speaking during a media science café hosted at the Academy’s backyard for members of the Media for Environment, Science, Health, and Agriculture (MESHA) last Monday.

ARISE is an innovative Research and Innovation (R&I) support program of the Academy, implemented by the AAS in partnership with the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU).

Founded on the AU-EU High-Level Policy Dialogue (HLPD) on Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI), ARISE provides a vibrant platform and pathway for research and innovation exchanges in Africa and beyond, in contributing to sustainable and inclusive development, economic growth, and job creation.

The program aims at broadening and strengthening Africa’s science base in contribution to the transformation of Africa into a knowledge-based and innovation-led continent.

“This is a very innovative program because it provides a platform for scientific exchanges between Africa and also with the rest of the world while building individual and institutional strength in terms of research capacity for the continent,” added Ogega.

According to Ogega, the research support program is open to all fields of scholarship. It is also an innovative program that provides an opportunity for transdisciplinary research to enable social scientists to work with the best scientists for a greater impact.

The program supports 47 principal investigators in 38 countries in Africa. Plans are underway to expand to the remaining African countries for advancement of research and innovation in the continent.

The current cohort started the fellowships in June 2022, and so far, some of the grantees have made significant progress in terms of project implementation. Many interesting outcomes are beginning to show a lot of promise, particularly on how they impact the communities served by the science and scientists.

The Tunisia gathering provides these grantees with the opportunity to showcase their projects, highlight the progress made, and discuss the way forward.

“Once scientists develop innovations, we don’t stop there. We go the extra mile to ensure these innovations are translated into products that benefit communities. The idea is that the science has been done; now, how do we translate that science into programs that benefit communities?”

He added that, “So in Tunisia we are convening not just scientists, but also industry experts, practitioners, policymakers, and representatives from science granting councils.”

Besides, governments and development partners will be attending the meeting. The goal is not only to observe and understand the work of scientists but also to engage in a conversation about how we can collaborate as practitioners, scientists, and policymakers to ensure that science informs our continent’s development, as envisioned in Agenda 2063.

The event will amplify the African science perspectives by highlighting the academy’s interventions in a bid to show that Africa can be a hotbed of positive developments and solutions.

Original article written by Njeri Murigi and published in MESHA.