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Monday 12th October 2009, at 13.00 - 16.30
Perspectives on ICT and Innovation in Africa
Metallimiehenkuja 2, Otaniemi, Espoo
Escaping the global downturn, ICT and innovation in Africa are poised for growth today. However, the landscape for creating and implementing knowledge in Africa is markedly different from anything else in the world. While some regions excel in stability and social cohesion, mounting social and economic challenges frame development efforts elsewhere. This variety of national, regional and local conditions is giving rise to uniquely “African models of innovation”, whose closer understanding is prerequisite for successful innovation and sustainable contribution to development.
Our experience and understanding of how ICT and innovation unfold in Africa is fragmentary. At the same token, several on-going trends, such as open innovation and bottom-of-the-pyramid-innovation, are reshaping the way African communities and people create, adopt and implement technologies. Combined the challenges and transformations offer tremendous opportunities for Finnish organizations to contribute to development in Africa by mobilizing Finnish capacities in ICT and innovation.
Often overshadowed by China and India, Africa is to play an important role in globalization in the coming decades, as its population is estimated to be close 2 billion by 2050 and its capabilities in economy, science, technology and innovation assume momentum. With the on-set of new stage of developments in Africa, also Finland must examine how to continue to forge special partnership with Africa in the future.
This seminar is devoted to discuss and analyze the prospects of ICT and innovations in Africa, as well as to network people who share interest in the theme. The event is sponsored by VTT. Attendance is free of charge but registration is required.
Seminar program
SESSION I: Finnish Policies and Strategies Stimulating Innovation and ICT in Africa
13.00 - 13.05 Welcome
Technology Manager Heli Talja, Ph.D., VTT
Organizations, Networks and Innovation Systems
13.05
- 13.10 VTT
and ICT and Innovation in Africa (pdf)
Dr. Hannes Toivanen,
Senior Research Scientist, VTT Organizations, Networks and Innovation Systems
13.10
- 13.30 The
Development Cooperation Strategy of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy
(pdf)
Permanent Under-State Secretary Markku Wallin, Ministry
of Employment and the Economy
13.30 - 13.50 Finnish
Development Cooperation – Support for Information Society Development in
Africa (pdf)
Advisor, Ilari Lindy, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
of Finland (tbc)
13.50 - 14.10 Open Discussion:
What Is The Role of Public Policies and Development Cooperation in Fostering
ICT and Innovation in Africa?
14.10 - 14.30 Coffee
Break
SESSION II: Lessons learnt: Cases and
experiences
14.30 - 14.50 What
does it take for the Village Connection to Work (pdf)
Mika
Skarp, Nokia Siemens Networks
14.50 - 15.10
Knowledge and Solution Transfer – Experiences of a Finnish Start-Up in the
Great Lakes region
Dr. Edward Mutafungwa, partner and co-founder,
Buddusoft Ltd / Researcher, Helsinki University of Technology, Department of
Communications and Networking (Comnet)
15.10 -
15.30 Development of Local Economy and need of electricity
Mervi
Suni, Nokia Siemens Networks
15.30 - 15.50 Supporting
South African National Innovation Strategy (pdf)
Maija
Kaltakari, FCG
15.50 - 16.10 Nokia/NSN
co-operation project with South Africa goverment - Mobile learning for formal
education for mathemathics
Riitta Vänskä, Senior Manager, Mobile
and Learning solutions, Sustainable Operations, Nokia
16.10
- 16.30 Open Discussion
16.30 - Refreshments and snacks