On July 11, 2019, icipe was honored to host members of the Committee of Education, Research and Technology Assessment of the German Federal Parliament. icipe has several collaborations with Germany including through the German Academic Exchange Services (DAAD), focused on providing PhD level capacity building through icipe’s African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Sciences (ARPPIS); and more recently the Max Planck Partner Group that supports high quality international research partnerships.

The Delegation had the opportunity to learn about icipe’s work and more specifically the Regional Scholarship and Innovations Fund (RSIF), a flagship project of the Partnership for Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (PASET). RSIF aims to strengthen training, research and innovation environments at selected African Universities in PASET priority areas and enhance the generation of transformative technologies that respond to African problems and ultimately contribute to the economic growth of Sub Saharan African Countries.

The Parliamentarians noted PASET Priority thematic areas and the opportunities that exist for collaboration between Germany and Africa specifically in the area of ICTs including big data, robotics, and artificial intelligence which hold strong promise for Africa’s development. Ms. Anke Domscheit-Berg, the Spokeswoman for the Left Party Parliamentary Group on the Committee on Digital Agenda and Group’s spokeswoman on internet policy highlighted the importance of using digital technologies to revolutionize production techniques to reduce the cost of labour, turnaround time and increased production in major sectors of Africa’s economy especially food production.

In addition the parliamentarians emphasized the need to enhance collaboration with German universities, research institutions and the private sector to increase knowledge generation to solve Africa’s challenges.

Visit www.rsif-paset.org for more information about PASET RSIF.

PASET is an African government-led initiative created to accelerate building of a scientific and technically skilled labor force by focusing on the continuum of skills from foundational skills to upper secondary/technical/vocational training as well as higher education, scientific research and innovation. icipe was appointed the Regional Coordination Unit for the Fund and is responsible for project implementation. PASET Priority Thematic Areas are: (a)ICTs including big data and artificial intelligence; (b)food security and agribusiness; (c)minerals, mining and materials engineering; (d)energy including renewables; and (e) climate change

Press Release

26 June 2019

Major scholarship opportunity for African scientists

PASET-RSIF, Africa’s most innovative doctoral training initiative,  announces Call for PhD funding

This opportunity is provided by the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF), the flagship programme of the Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET). An initiative by African governments, PASET aims to address fundamental gaps in skills and knowledge necessary for long-term, sustained economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

African scientists interested in pursuing doctoral training in applied sciences, engineering and technology (ASET), have a chance to access fully funded scholarships, tenable in selected African universities in collaboration with highly recognised international institutions.

RSIF aims to support PhD training, research and innovation, towards creating much needed technical and scientific capacity for the advancement and use of transformative technologies for development in Africa. The initiative is currently funded by contributions from African governments, the World Bank and the Government of Korea; with the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) serving as the Regional Coordination Unit (RCU).
In a call for applications announced on 14 June 2019 with a closing date of 22 July 2019, RSIF is availing 45 scholarships in five thematic areas identified by PASET as priority economic sectors for growth and development in Africa: information communication technologies (ICTs), including big data and artificial intelligence; food security and agribusiness; minerals, mining and materials engineering; energy including renewables; and climate change.
Scholars will be enrolled in one of the following 10 competitively chosen African institutions:
ICTs including big data and artificial intelligence 

• University of Gaston Berger, Senegal (Africa Center of Excellence for Mathematics, Informatics, and ICT);
• University of Rwanda (Africa Center of Excellence in Internet of Things – ACEIoT).

Food security and agribusiness

• University of Ghana (Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness);
• Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania (Africa Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans & Animals in Southern & Eastern Africa -SACIDS).

Minerals, mining and materials engineering

• Kenyatta University, Kenya (Department of Physics);
• Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Tanzania (Africa Centre of Excellent in Water Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy Futures – WISE-Futures).

Energy including renewables

• University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria (Africa Center of Excellence in Oilfield Chemicals Research – ACE-CEFOR);
• University of Nairobi, Kenya (Department of Physics).

Climate change

• University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte D’ivoire (Africa Center of Excellence for Climate Change Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture);
• Bayero University, Nigeria (Africa Centre of Excellence in Dryland Agriculture)

In addition, the scholars will conduct part of their research in international organisations, where they will collaborate and be mentored by leading global experts in their fields of study.
Complete details regarding the RSIF scholarships are available at: http://www.icipe.org/content/rsif-phd-scholarships

Notes for Editors

The Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) is an Africa-led initiative with the objective of strengthening the science, technology and engineering capability in sub-Saharan Africa to further its socio-economic transformation. Led by African governments, PASET champions a regional approach which complements individual country efforts. It functions as a convening platform by bringing together African governments, the private sector, and new partners, such as Brazil, China, India, and Korea, to invest in Africa. Overall, PASET focuses on maximizing investment in key sectors, while increasing the capacity of universities, research centers and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) centers to generate knowledge and create skilled workforces, researchers and innovators relevant to Africa’s development challenges. Further information: http://www.worldbank.org/en/programs/paset

The Regional Scholarship Innovation Fund (RSIF), the flagship initiative of PASET, aims to respond to prevailing opportunities and challenges in SSA by reinforcing doctoral training in ASET through a virtuous circle that will increase the number of PhD graduates and the quality of higher education through stronger faculty. A competitive grants scheme, RSIF has two components: (i) a general fund, which supports PhD training, research and innovation projects and (ii) a permanent or endowment fund, whose proceeds will be channeled into the general fund. Further information: https://www.rsif-paset.org/
 As the Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) of RSIF, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (www.icipe.org), has a mandate that includes overall coordination planning, monitoring and evaluation of RSIF activities. Specifically, icipe  manages the two RSIF funds; strengthens the capacity of universities and partnering institutions to train PhDs, and to facilitates research and innovation in the PASET priority sectors.Further information: http://www.icipe.org/news/icipe-manage-regional-doctoral-training-research-and-innovation-fund

Contacts
The Manager, RSIF RCU
International Centre of Physiology and Ecology (icipe) P.O. Box 30772-00100, Nairobi, Kenya; Tel +254 (20) 8632000. Email: rsif@icipe.org www.icipe.org | www.rsif-paset.org
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