EURAXESS Africa co-hosted an international conference from 25-27 July, 2024 at Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia, titled "International Conference on Revolutionizing Sustainable Development through AI and Advanced Modeling, and Funding Opportunities through Horizon Europe". The 3rd Annual Congress of the Computational Science and Engineering Society of Ethiopia (CSESE) featured a one-day pre-conference hands-on training sessions on advanced modeling and AI tools like machine learning and density functional theory, followed by a two-day scientific and Horizon Europe information session. The event was jointly organized by EURAXESS Africa, CSESE, Hawassa University, and the EU Delegation to the African Union, bringing together international experts and local specialists to explore the application of AI and modeling for sustainable development, as well as the funding and networking opportunities available through the Horizon Europe program.
The event brought together over 120 participants from more than 25 institutions, including senior and junior scientists from various universities and research institutes within Ethiopia and across the globe. The goal was to share ideas, experiences, and disseminate knowledge and skills in the field of computational sciences and engineering. This group of experts, which included prominent figures from the Ethiopian scientific community as well as invited speakers from countries such as Italy, Belgium, Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Cameroon, contributed to the success of the conference through their rich and insightful discussions.
The conference featured a diverse range of captivating scientific talks and discussions, presented by distinguished international and local experts in the field. The topics covered a broad spectrum of computational science and engineering, with a focus on advanced modeling and AI-driven sustainable research and development. The event showcased plenary talks by prominent researchers such as Prof. Clement Onime from the Abdus Salam International Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP-Italy), Prof. Kingsley Obodo from the East Africa Institute of Fundamental Research (EAIFR-Rwanda), and Prof. Alhadji Malloum from the University of Maroua (Cameroon), Prof. Fekadu Gashaw, Dr. Girum Ayalneh and Dr. Helen Nigussie from Addis Ababa University. Invited experts actively engaged with the participants during both the lecture sessions and hands-on training workshops. During the opening and closing ceremonies, high-level officials and experts, including Prof. Teketel Yohannes (executive director of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences), Dr. Ayano Berasso (the President of Hawassa University), Dr. Tafesse Matewos, (vice president for research and technology transfer, Hawassa University), Dr. Zufan Bedewi (Dean, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Hawassa University), Prof. Ahmed Mustef (the Vice President of the CSESE), Dr. Laurent Bochereu (the Minister-Counselor for Science, Technology and Innovation at the EU Delegation to the African Union), and Dr. Yedilfana Setarge (a regional representative to EURAXESS Africa), delivered speeches.
The conference highlighted various mobility, research funding, and networking opportunities available under the Horizon Europe framework to the African researchers and institutions.
Dr. Laurent Bochereau, the Minister-Counselor for Science, Technology, and Innovation at the European Union Delegation to the African Union, and Dr. Yedilfana Setarge, the regional representative of EURAXESS, presented and discussed these opportunities to all participants. The attendees included professors, graduate students, and researchers ranging from junior to senior levels, as well as research directors from over 25 universities and research institutions, directors of research institutes, and representatives of various organizations.
The conference featured detailed presentations on the opportunities available through the Horizon Europe program, the European Union's key research and innovation funding initiative. Dr. Laurent Bochereau and Dr. Yedilfana Setarge provided an overview of the various funding and support mechanisms, including the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA), the European Research Council (ERC), the Africa Initiative-III grants, and the diverse services offered by EURAXESS Africa. The speakers highlighted the wide range of research funding, mobility, and networking opportunities that Horizon Europe and its associated programs offer to researchers and institutions across Africa and worldwide. The detailed discussions helped participants understand how to access and leverage these valuable resources.
Dr. Laurent Bochereau encouraged participants to explore the various opportunities available for African researchers and innovators to engage in collaborative projects with their European counterparts in areas such as renewable energy, health, sustainable agriculture, and digital transformation. He stressed the importance of Hawassa University and other Ethiopian institutions actively accessing these EU research and innovation funding opportunities to drive progress and sustainable development in the country, in alignment with the EU's broader cooperation with Africa in this domain.
Additionally, Dr. Yedilfana advised the researchers to frequently visit the EURAXESS Africa and the EU Funding and Tenders portal to stay informed about available job, funding, and networking opportunities. He also encouraged the participants to explore the previous recorded videos and presentation slides on the EURAXESS Africa portal and social media channels to gain insights and develop the skills needed to write successful funding proposals for the various Horizon Europe programs.
The congress also provided a platform for knowledge sharing and inspiration. Previous Horizon Europe awardee Dr. Yared Merid from EpiGen Ethiopia, as well as MSCA PhD fellows Dr. Girum Ayalneh and Dr. Tadege M Ayalew, shared their personal testimonials with the audience.
Dr. Yared Merid, affiliated with Hawassa University, is the Principal Investigator for the EpiGen Ethiopia project. He discussed how the Horizon Europe funding and established consortium have enabled their groundbreaking research on the EpiGen project, which focuses on addressing critical societal problems related to public health. The project consortium includes several Ethiopian institutions involved in national public health programs, as well as EU partners. By working with this diverse consortium, the team has been able to acquire valuable experience in collaborative problem-solving and engaging with global challenges. The Horizon Europe funding and collaborative framework have been instrumental in allowing the EpiGen project to make important impact.
Additionally, the conference featured two insightful testimonials from Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) doctoral network fellows. Dr. Girum Ayalneh, an MSCA fellow and associate professor at Addis Ababa University, shared his rich experience as the Principal Investigator of a 1.4 million Euro EU project secured through the EU's Intra-Africa academic mobility program. Dr. Tadege M Ayenew, a recent MSCA PhD graduate from Greece, also provided a firsthand perspective on the opportunities and benefits afforded by the MSCA fellowship.
They shared how the MSCA training had helped them acquire the necessary skills to secure large international grants and grow professionally in academia. The fellows highlighted the interdisciplinary and international nature of the MSCA program, which had broadened their perspectives and equipped them with the tools to tackle complex, real-world problems.