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Since 2018, the World Bank has been facilitating Africa-Japan higher education partnerships through World Bank-financed initiatives such as the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) and the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering, and Technology (PASET) Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF). These flagship programs aim to enhance the quality of scientific research and innovation in priority areas across Sub-Saharan Africa, while fostering regional and international collaboration to strengthen education and research.

In response to growing interest from Japanese universities and industries in partnering with African institutions, two matching events were held in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the signing of over ten Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).

This year, with TICAD once again taking place in Japan, the World Bank has invited interested ACEs to explore new collaboration opportunities with Japanese academic and industrial partners. 

In this context, the World Bank is organizing a special seminar focused on partnership development with participating ACEs.

Nine centers from universities in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi (three universities), Nigeria, and Togo will be joining the seminar to explore potential partnerships. Each ACE will deliver a brief presentation, followed by matchmaking sessions conducted both in person and virtually.

Objectives

The objectives of the seminar are to:

(i) provide an overview of the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs) and explore potential partnership opportunities, and

(ii) engage in discussions on research collaboration, innovation, and student/faculty exchanges.

The seminar aims to facilitate meaningful dialogue that may lead to the establishment of concrete collaboration opportunities.

Program

2:00pm-2:05pm   Opening

2:05pm-2:20pm   About the World Bank financed ACE project

2:20pm-3:10pm   ACE presentations (5 mins each)

Ethiopia:

• Africa Center of Excellence for Water Management, Addis Ababa University

Ghana:

• Regional Transport Research and Education Centre Kumasi (TRECK), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

Malawi: 

• Africa Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Policy Analysis (ACE II AF APA), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR)
• Africa Centre of Excellence in Aquaculture and Fisheries Science (AquaFish), LUANAR
• Africa Centre of Excellence in Transformative Agriculture Commercialization and Entrepreneurship (TACE), LUANAR
• African Centre of Excellence in Neglected and Underutilized Biodiversity (ACENUB), Mzuzu University
• African Centers of Excellence for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS), University of Malawi

Nigeria:

• Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology (ACENTDFB), Ahmadu Bello University

Togo:

• Centre d'Excellence r¨¦gional pour la Ma?trise de l'Electricit¨¦ (CERME), Universit¨¦ de Lom¨¦

3:10pm-3:20pm   Introduction on how the matchmaking works

3:20pm-4:50pm   Matchmaking discussions (online and in-person)

4:50pm-5:00pm   Closing and Next Steps