Regional Symposium on trends and the future of research & innovation in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology in Sub Saharan Africa
Start Date: September 16th, 2025
End Date: September 18th, 2025
Venue: Protea Hotel Kampala Skyz, 1 Water Lane Naguru
Description
Introduction
Research and innovation are key drivers of sustainable economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction. Aligning with the African Union’s Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (2024–2034), African governments are investing in the PASET Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) to build research capacity and foster innovation-led growth. Rsif supports selected African universities to deliver high-quality PhD training, advance research excellence, and strengthen innovation ecosystems in applied sciences, engineering and technology (ASET). The current priority themes for PASET Rsif are Artificial Intelligence (AI), food security and agribusiness, minerals and materials engineering, renewable energy, and climate change. These priorities are aligned with the SDGs 2030, African Union Agenda 2063, and the African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA) 2034. Over 302 PhD scholars have enrolled in Rsif supported PhD programmes since 2018. Additionally, Rsif currently supports 64 research and innovation projects in 29 African universities and research organisations. These projects are producing technological solutions for acclerating socio-economic transformation across Africa. They also generate the evidence to inform policy, scale impactful innovations, and position African universities as engines of inclusive and sustainable growth.
Purpose and objectives
This 3-day regional science symposium will bring together partners from academia, industry and policy to:
a. Discuss trends in research and innovation in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Food Security, Climate Change, Minerals, Mining and Material Engineering and renewable energy.
b. Discuss the implications of these trends to future research priorities in the continent.
c. Brainstorm on the contributions of these research and innovation outputs to socio-economic transformation in sub–Saharan Africa.
Expected outcomes
This 3-day symposium is expected to develop a synthesis of the contribution of PASET Rsif’s investment in research and innovation to the socio-economic transformation in sub–Saharan Africa.
See event program here