icipe participates in the Launch of Grand Challenges Rwanda
icipe participates in the Launch of Grand Challenges Rwanda
icipe, Regional Coordination Unit for the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif), is pleased to have participated in the Launch of Grand Challenges Rwanda themed ‘Supporting research and development (R&D) through cooperation to promote excellence and scale of evidence-based innovations’. The launch took place from 18-19 May 2023 at Kigali Convention Center (KCC), Rwanda; alongside Rwanda’s National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), which led the event and initiative.
Rwanda is a founding member of PASET and was an early contributor to Rsif in 2018. Rwanda is the current chair of PASET and the first country to make a second additional USD 2 million contribution to Rsif. There are 22 competitively selected Rwandan Rsif PhD students in five thematic areas in eight different African Host Universities across the continent; four Rwandan Rsif alumni and 39 publications by Rwandan Rsif students. University of Rwanda was competitively selected as an Rsif African host university in ICT, including artificial intelligence and data science in 2019. The ACE Internet of Things (IoT) is hosting 18 Rsif funded students (44% women) from eleven different nationalities. Seven Rsif funded research and innovation projects are under implementation in Rwanda. Read more about Rsif in Rwanda here.
The goal of Grand Challenges is to support most creative scientists to collaborate with their colleagues in Africa and globally, to implement research that fosters innovation in solving the most critical development challenges in Africa.
The launch was attended by key players across the national, regional and global arena to deliberate on strategies for improved investment in Research & Development (R&D). Participants at the launch in Kigali were welcome to interact with icipe’s research and innovations displayed at the exhibition booth. The event and exhibition amplified icipe’s existing scientific collaborations with Rwanda, demonstrated some of icipe’s scalable technologies that are relevant for Rwanda, and presented new opportunities for collaboration with Rwandan scientists on frontier research.
The concept of Grand Challenges was established in 2003 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland to fund ground-breaking scientific research on specific unique health challenges in a country using bold mind ideas and innovative solutions.
Grand Challenges prioritize funding opportunity to high-level quality ideas by researchers and innovators with exciting ground-breaking innovative research projects leading to products and services as unique solutions. The emphasis is that research developed in partnership with industries, companies and academic institutions using highly recognized labs, industries, innovation hubs and other settings leads to products, services and knowledge and technology transfer, as well as strengthen the ties between global and African collaborators.
Several African countries such as Ethiopia, South Africa and Botswana have launched Grand challenges. Science Foundation for Africa (SFA) based in Nairobi coordinates Grand challenges in Africa to develop innovations on the African continent. In partnership with national stakeholders, Science for Africa Foundation (SFA) and AUDA-NEPAD National Council for Science and Technology (NCST)
Rwanda hopes to support the most creative scientists to implement research that fosters innovation and promotes collaboration in solving the most critical development challenges in Rwanda and Africa. These collaborations are seen to be between industries and academic institutions using highly recognized labs, innovation hubs and other actors in Africa and globally.
For more information about this event visit: https://www.ncst.gov.rw/gc-rwanda/about-gc-rwanda; https://www.ncst.gov.rw/news-detail/launch-of-grand-challenges-rwanda