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RSIF Weekly - Vol.2 Issue 1 

The RSIF Weekly Newsletter brings you a digest of information, news and opportunities relevant to the African higher education, science, technology and innovation space. In this edition, we recognize new funding for innovation provided by the European Union, welcome a new RSIF international partner organization, meet an RSIF PhD scholar working on geothermal energy system integration in Kenya, and much more.  
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NEWS AND EVENTS

The RSIF Team at icipe wishes you a successful 2021
We appreciate your engagement with and contributions to RSIF, PASET’s ambitious flagship programme that builds sustainable doctoral training, research, and innovation ecosystems to develop transformative technologies in Africa for economic growth and development.  Despite the challenges brought by Covid-19, we finished the year strong. We thank you for your partnership and support that made this possible. Some of the highlights:
  • 67 new RSIF PhD scholars in cohort II were enrolled. 
  • 14 RSIF research and innovation grants were issued.
  • Three more African governments: Burkina Faso, Ghana and Senegal contributed to RSIF.
  • RSIF international partner institutions increased to fourteen.
  • Over 2200 candidates applied to join RSIF third cohort.
  • Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta hailed the important role of RSIF and urged more investors to join
  • icipe awarded a Euro 4.2 million grant from the European Union to boost RSIF’s research and innovation efforts.
In the coming weeks and months, please stay tuned for:
  • Updates on more RSIF contributions, currently at final signature stage - and exciting news on the biggest investment from an African government yet.
  • Announcement of selected RSIF Cohort III scholars, to increase RSIF scholars to 200.
  • Selection results of new African RSIF host universities (AHUs), to increase AHUs to 15.
  • Release of several calls for proposals: PhD scholarships, research grants, and innovation grants of different types.
  • Dates for the First RSIF Annual Conference which will focus on "The Digital Revolution – implications for science, technology and innovation in Africa".
icipe receives Euro 4.2 million to boost RSIF’s efforts for unlocking inclusive innovation potential and accelerate inclusive green growth 
The International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (www.icipe.org) has been awarded a Euro 4.2 million grant by the European Union to be awarded competitively through the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) towards Accelerating inclusive green growth through agri-based digital innovation in West Africa. The funds will make available competitive innovation awards and technical support to grantees, with the global goal of unlocking the inclusive innovation potential and support the transition into knowledge-based economies for sustainable development and poverty reduction.  
IMT Mines Albi, France and PASET to collaborate on RSIF 
PASET through the chair of the Governing Council has signed an MOU with Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) Mines Albi, France for collaboration on RSIF through academic and scientific research cooperation and capacity development.  Activities will include but not be restricted to (i) Sandwich PhD programs; (ii) Visits of faculty for short duration teaching and capacity enhancement for research, innovation and PhD training; and (iii) Collaborative research and innovation projects with RSIF faculty and scholars in particular with the Research Centre in Albi for Particulate Solids, the Energy and Environment (RAPSODEE) (UMR CNRS5302). Projects will aim to address the needs of sub-Saharan African countries in the selected thematic areas and can involve collaboration with private sector firms for the development of new products and processes. We warmly welcome IMT Mines Albi as an PASET-RSIF International Partner Institution, alongside other advanced institutions globally that partner with RSIF.
Meet an RSIF PhD scholar working on geothermal energy system integration
Meet RSIF PhD scholar Kay Nyaboe Nyakundi whose research is in geothermal energy system integration.
MEET THREE OF RSIF's 82 PhD SCHOLARS
Nationality: Kenyan
RSIF African Host University: University of Nairobi, Kenya
PASET Thematic Area: Energy including Renewables
Research Area: Geothermal energy system integration - combined flash and binary power plants for Kenya
Kay is a member of the Association of Energy Professionals Eastern Africa (AEPEA), Women in Geothermal (WING) and African Network for Solar Energy (ANSOLE).
Name: Hissein Hassan Abdel-Razakh
Nationality: Chadian
RSIF African Host University: Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania, Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans & Animals in Southern & Eastern Africa (SACIDS)
PASET Thematic Area: Food Security and Agribusiness
Research Area: Studies of the in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant potentials of the extracts of some selected Chadian medicinal plants.
My research interest is in biotechnology, more specifically the research of the main substances with potential biological activity of African medicinal plants, including anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities.
Name: Chimango Nyasulu
Nationality: Malawian
RSIF African Host University: University Gaston Berger, Senegal, Africa Centre of Excellence for Mathematics, Informatics and ICT (MITIC)
PASET Thematic Area: ICTs including Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
Research Area: Collection and analysis of agriculture data
Through farmer field surveys, IoT, Data Mining and Machine Learning my research intends to define a farming model that respects the soil and the farmers. The contextualization of the data should make it possible to propose an agriculture model that focuses on reducing climate risks, while reducing the resources necessary for food production. Further, the study intends to realize a generic processing chain.

PUBLICATIONS

COVID-19 

FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS AND AWARDS

SCHOLARSHIPS AND TRAINING

CALL FOR PAPERS AND CONFERENCES

JOBS

ONLINE RESOURCES AND DISTANCE LEARNING 

Please continue to follow local health regulations and observe physical distancing to keep yourself and others safe.
 
All the best,
 
The Regional Coordination Unit at icipe
PASET Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund
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