African-European Radio Astronomy PlatformBuilding mutually beneficial African-European research and

innovation partnerships

Presentation by Takalani Nemaunganid

Background and Context

• Radio Astronomy on Agenda of South Africa - EU Bilateral Summit - September 2011, 2012 and 2013

• Promoting African-European Research Infrastructure Initiative (PAERIP) – EU FP7 funded initiative. Final recommendations communicated to the European Commission and made available to relevant AU and NEPAD structures

Context

• Joint Africa-EU Strategy includes 8th partnership initiative on Science, Information Society and Space (launched in October 2007 in Lisbon and Joint Action Plan 2011-2013

• Priority 1 : Capacity Building for implementation of AU’s S&T Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) – currently under review

• Expected outcomes include improved pan-African infrastructure and facilities for R&D; development of STI evidence-based Africa-EU policy making

AERAP

• AERAP is structured around a network of key stakeholders who come together in regular meetings to work

on developing and updating agendas for radio astronomy cooperation

• The agenda has been developed through dialogue with industry, research institutes and the public sector from across EU Member States and African nations

• It is aimed at better aligning the priorities of the radio astronomy community with the instruments of the researches with those of industry.

The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

• Objectives

• Bring together key African and European radio astronomy players from policy, funding, research and industry research sectors

• Support participants to develop and update agendas for bi-regional African-European radio astronomy cooperation • Strengthen research and innovation in Europe and Africa• Improve knowledge transfer between the continents• Stimulate competitiveness across both continents

• Identify and encourage, and facilitate access to, funding opportunities for Africa-EU radio astronomy cooperation

• Leverage EU-Africa collaboration in radio astronomy as a platform to support broader global partnerships

Snapshot of available instruments

• European Development Fund (11th EDF next cycle 2014-2020)

• EU Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI)

• Research funding (Horizon 2020 to be launched soon)

• Researcher mobility, staff exchange and education programmes

• Africa-EU Infrastructure Trust Fund

• EIB, AfDB, etc

• Philatronphic (e,g Ethiopia), Foundations, Venture capital, etc

The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

• Activities thus far in Brussels:• AERAP Helpdesk: supported FP7, ACP funding applications

Date Event29 May 2012 Workshop on Leveraging New Funding Opportunities for

African-European Radio Astronomy Partnerships

6 September 2012 Workshop on Human Capital Development – Researcher Mobility and Training Programmes

9 October 2012 Workshop on Renewable Energy Solutions for Radio Astronomy

14 November 2012 Workshop on Infrastructure Investment and Technology Development including Scientific Instrumentation for Radio Astronomy

6 and 7 March 2013 Workshop to discuss the Draft AERAP Framework Programme for Cooperation

18 and 19 June 2013 Workshop to elaborate options for implementation of AERAP Framework Programme for Cooperation

The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

• Activities thus far in Africa :• AERAP Helpdesk: supported FP7, ACP funding applications

Date Event27 September 2012 Workshop on Human Capital Development in Pretoria,

South Africa23 October 2012 Presentation at the Africa SKA Working Group Meeting in

Pretoria, South Africa14 November 2012 African Ministerial Committee on Science and Technology

(AMCOST) Senior Officials Meeting in Congo-Brazzaville 22 November 2012 East Africa Astronomy Workshop in Uganda26-27 June 2013 Workshop on EU-Africa Research Infrastructure

CooperationAddis Ababa, Ethiopia

8 July 2013 Progress Update Report at the Africa SKA Working Group Meeting in Pretoria, South Africa

17 July and 02 August 2013

Workshop and Presentation at Astronomy Town Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa

The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

AERAP Framework Programme for CooperationPurpose and Evolution

• Thematic priorities:

Background – Objectives – Key Actions

AERAP Framework Programme for Cooperation

• Key actions (selection):• Develop content delivery networks for global distribution system

of science data and better data streaming

• Pilot training programme for engineers and technicians to maintain and operate the Africa VLBI network

• Development of cloud based techniques as applied to radio astronomy problems such as the search for pulsars and transients

• Form an international centre for radio astronomy education and training

• Develop innovative ways of teaching astronomy by means of e-Science technologies

AERAP Framework Programme for Cooperation

Achievements: AERAP

• Allowed us to provide input to the review of current instruments and strategies in the two continents

• Profiled and elevated radio astronomy cooperation between the two continents at highest to lowest levels

• Brought closer together key stakeholders in radio astronomy and assisted in building new partnerships especially for the AVN

• Facilitated proposal submissions to FP7 and ACP calls (shortlisted on ACP)

The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

• Next Steps

• Following completion of stakeholder consultation, Framework Programme presented and accepted by AERAP Group in the European Parliament

• AERAP Framework Programme presented to Joint Expert Group (JEG-8) of the Africa-EU Science, Information Society and Space Partnership

• AERAP Framework Programme become instrument for operationalizing radio astronomy as priority focus area for Africa-EU cooperation in 2014-2020

Further information on AERAP:

www.aerap.org

Contact:aerap@aerap.org

Thank you for your attention!