10 May 2023 | Over the past years, Africa has become more and more a focal point of interest to the EU, particularly in the field of research and innovation. In the 2021-2027 financial programming period, the R&I priorities for collaboration with African countries lie on public health, the green transition, innovation & technology, and capacities for science (human capital development, science for policy, open science, gender). Last week, senior officials discussed the final draft version of the joint AU-EU Innovation Agenda to foster actions in those four key priority areas. The need to strengthen innovation as a key driver for common sustainable growth in Europe and Africa will be crucial to face current challenges.
The EuroTech Universities have collaborated bilaterally with African partners over a number of years. Now, they are pooling their efforts and are launching a new EuroTech working group on EU-Africa collaboration. On 22 May, representatives of all six EuroTech Universities will meet at École Polytechnique in Palaiseau, France, to kick-start their collaboration. They will be joined by Fadila Boughanemi, Deputy Head of International Cooperation – Asia, Africa, Middle East and external relations at the European Commission. The meeting will serve to bring together both EuroTech researchers who collaborate with African peers and International Relations staff in charge of their university’s partnerships with African institutions. Ms Boughanemi will present the EU-Africa initiative and, against that backdrop, elaborate on funding opportunities 2023-2024.
The new working group aims to:
- Assemble knowledge on education and research collaboration
- Stimulate exchange of best practices
- Develop tools for working together and create a EuroTech network on Africa collaboration
- Launch joint proposals with African partners.
