Recent News
ATPS Listed in top 100 Think Tanks Globally, Clinches number 8 in Africa
The African Technology and Policy Studies Network (ATPS) has been listed amongst the top 100 think tanks globally and number 8 in Africa in the just released 2012 Go To Think Tanks Index Report. This Report is comprised of the results of 2012’s Rankings and summary of the major trends and issues with respect to think tanks worldwide, as they have been identified through the annual survey of think tanks and the Program’s interviews with the staff of think tanks and civil society organizations in every region of the world.
ATPS participates at the 2nd Annual Conference of the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP)
PARIS – 5 April 2013 - Africa's economic growth is under pressure due to the changing climate, but green growth presents a chance for the region to foster sustainable development. “Developing countries ought to see green growth as a way to use their resources better, and in more efficient ways, ” said Prof. Kevin Urama, Executive Director of the Africa Technology Policy Studies (ATPS).
Climate Change Adaptation and Peace building in Africa Workshop Report
ATPS Participated in a 2 day workshop on Climate Change Adaptation and Peace building in Africa. The workshop, which was co-sponsored by Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Institute for Security Studies, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and U.S. Department of State was aimed at providing an opportunity for leading African scholars and practitioners to engage with 30-40 U.S.-based experts from multiple levels of the climate change, adaptation, humanitarian, and peace building communities in order to identify and debate both challenges and opportunities presented by climate change adaptation.
ATPS in the News: Why Africa Still Lags Behind
Lack of appreciation of indigenous research findings, that would form the basis of policy formulation, is a serious drawback to Science Technology and Innovation in Africa. This was expressed by Dr. Nicholas Ozor who is the Senior Research Officer at the African Technology Policy Studies Network.
ATPS Participates in UNESCO’s Science Policy Workshop
The ATPS executive director Prof Kevin Urama represented the ATPS in a science policy workshop organised by UNESCO’s pision for Science Policy and Sustainable Development in collaboration with countries from West and Central Africa. The workshop held from 12-14 March 2013 at Novotel Hotel in Dakar, Senegal aimed to analyse STI and policy instruments in line with the conference theme “Better governance on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).
ATPS participates in the first Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference
The ATPS participated in the first Bio-Innovate Regional Scientific Conference at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 25 – 27, February 2013.
During the conference the ATPS Presented a paper titled “The Status of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policies in Eastern Africa”.
Bio-Economy through Policy in Eastern Africa: ATPS participates in BIPCEA consortium meeting
The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) participated in a Bioscience Innovation Policy Consortium for eastern Africa (BIPCEA) project meeting.
Participants at the BIPCEA consortium meeting (Click to enlarge)This was the fourth monitoring, evaluation and planning meeting under the project which is supported by SIDA through the bio-innovate Program.
2012 ATPS Annual Conference Blog
As the 2012 ATPS Annual Conference scheduled to be held on 19th to 22nd November 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia nears, the ATPS would like to hear your views about the conference. The conference, whose theme is "Emerging Paradigms, Technologies and Innovations for Sustainable Development: Global Imperatives And African Realities" will reflect on a post-Rio+20 futures for Africa.
ATPS-USA Policy Chatham House Strategic Planning Roundtable (Updated, to be held on 31st October 2012)
The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) will host a Chatham House Round Table discussion on "Strategic Planning for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, Research and Practice in Africa in a post Rio+20 World: Role of Africans in the Diaspora and Friends of Africa in the United States", scheduled on 31 October 2012 at the Woodrow Wilson Centre for International Scholars. The event, which was originally planned for 29th October 2012 was pushed forward due to bad weather.
2012 ATPS Annual Conference: Participant Information Note and Conference Registration
ATPS is pleased to announce the dates for the 2012 Annual Conference and Workshops. The Conference, whose theme is “Emerging Paradigms, Technologies and Innovations for Sustainable Development: Global Imperatives and African Realities” will be held between 18th and 24th November, 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
ATPS Participates in the Africa Australia Research Forum and the Africa Down Under Conference
ATPS, through its Executive Director, Prof. Kevin Urama participated in the 2nd Africa-Australia Research Forum that was held on 28th August 2012 in Perth, Western Australia. The forum, whose theme was ‘Maximizing the value and minimizing the harm of Africa’s extractive industries’ brought together African Nationals, Australian and African mining companies, Australian and African academics, NGOs, and Government representatives to explore selected aspects of the Africa Mining Vision and how Australian entities can engage with their African counterparts to undertake research that will support the execution of the action plan to maximize value and minimize harm.
ATPS Launches the Australian Chapter
The African Technology Policy Studies Network in collaboration with Murdoch University launched the Australian Chapter of the Network. The Australian Chapter brings the total number of ATPS Chapters to 30, and increases the number of diaspora chapters from 2 to 3.
ATPS Executive Director holds talks with representatives from the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development
A delegation from the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, ICTSD, held talks with the ATPS Executive Director, Prof. Kevin Urama at the ATPS Secretariat. The delegation, led by Mr Melendez-Ortiz, ICTSD Executive Director, was on a fact finding mission on the the establishment of an ICTSD entity in Sub-Saharan Africa, with Nairobi as the host City, as well as explore areas of common interest for collaboration between the two institutions.
2012 ATPS Annual Conference: Call for papers and Conference Registration
ATPS is pleased to announce the dates for the 2012 Annual Conference and Workshops. The Conference, whose theme is “Emerging Paradigms, Technologies and Innovations for Sustainable Development: Global Imperatives and African Realities” will be held between 18th and 24th November, 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
ATPS Executive Director welcomes China's pledge to increase support for African Science
The ATPS Executive Director, Prof Kevin Urama has welcomed China's pledge to increase support for African Science. Prof Urama was responding to a statement by the Chinese prime minister, Hu Jintao where he promised his country's support for ST&I in Africa in various fields including Health, Water and Agriculture.
BEST Project Highlights: Kenya and Tanzania Field Trips
The African Technology Policy Studies Network, in collaboration with the University College London (UCL), Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the International Livestock Research Institure (ILRI) are collaborating on a program on Biodiversity, Ecosystem Services, Social Sustainability and Tipping Points in African Drylands Project, BEST. The Program analyzs the impacts of the changes taking place in dryland ecosystems.
ATPS Launches its USA Chapter at the Woordrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, 1300 Pennsylvenia Avenue, Washington DC
The USA Chapter of the African Technology Policy Studies Network Was launched on Friday 8th June 2012. The event took place at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars, 1300 Pennsylvenia Avenue, Washington DC.
Business Daily article on the Africa Technology Awards
The Business Daily, a leading newpaper publication by the Nation Media Group recently published a feature on the African Technology Awards in which Prof. Kevin Urama, the ATPS Executive Director, and a winner of the Technology Executive category, and the ATPS were featured. Click here to view the article.
ATPS Launches its Liberia Chapter (Updated)
The Liberia Chapter of the African Technology Policy Studies Network was launched on June 22, 2012. The event took place during the commemoration of the inauguration of the T.J.R. Faulkner College of Science and Technology of the University of Liberia, as well as the celebration of the Science Technology and Innovation week of the College.
Communique on Strengthening Science, Technology and Innovation Capacities for Sustainable Development in Africa
ATPS Organised a two day consultative workshop in Naivasha, Kenya as part of its Phase VII Strategic planning. The workshop, which took place on 29th and 30th May 2012 brought together delegates comprising selected policy researchers and Policymakers drawn from African Union Commission (AUC), United Nations Agencies (UN), National Government Offices, and international partners from Africa, North America, Europe, India, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean.
ATPS to participate in a meeting on ‘Southern Voices in the Northern Policy Debate: African Perspectives’
The African Technology Policy Studies Network will take part in a joint initiative meeting organised by the Project on Leadership and building state capacity and the Africa Program at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars themed “Southern Voices in the Northern Policy Debate: African Perspectives”. Southern Voices aims to elevate African perspectives on major international issues affecting both the continent and the world in order to elevate African perspectives on serious issues and also serve to create a network of African think tanks and research institutions both with each other and their US counterparts that will help them keep their voices heard.
ATPS Executive Director named the Technology Executive of the Year at the Africa Technology Awards 2012
We are pleased to announce that the ATPS Executive Director, Prof. Kevin Chika Urama, has received an award as the Technology Executive of the Year 2012! He was one of three Executives nominated for the award by the United States based Africa Technology Awards (ATA) -
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Communique from the 2011 ATPS Annual Conference on Strengthening Linkages between Policy Research and Policymaking for African Development
The ATPS 2011 Annual Conference themed 'Strengthening Linkages between Policy Research and Policymaking for African Development' was held on the 8th and 9th November 2011 in Mombasa, Kenya.
Delegates at the 2011 ATPS Annual Conference (Click to enlarge)
The conference served as an implementation activity in response to the recommendations of the African Manifesto for Science, Technology and Innovation launched in Cairo, Egypt in 2010, and the UNESCO Science Report, 2010.
Expert Consultation Workshop on Capacity Strengthening in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Research for Sustainable Development in Africa
The African Technology Policy Studies Network will host a two-day Expert Consultation Workshop on Capacity Strengthening in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Research for Sustainable Development in Africa. The workshop is aimed at identifying key Science, Technology and Innovation policy research priorities for sustainable development in Africa.
ATPS in talks with UNIDO for collaboration in various programs
The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) is in talks with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for possible partnerships between the two institutions.
(Click to enlarge)Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, UNIDO’s Director General (left) and Prof. Kevin Urama, ATPS Executive Director held discussions on the areas of possible collaboration at the UNIDO headquarters in Vienna, Austria on 23rd January 2012.
Communique from The 3rd Steering Committee Meeting of the African Women Forum for Science and Technology (AWFST) and the 6th meeting of the African Youth Forum for Science and Technology (AYFST)
The 3rd Steering Committee Meeting of the African Women Forum for Science and Technology (AWFST) and the 6th Steering Committee Meeting of the African Youth Forum for Science and Technology (AYFST) were held on the 8th of March 2012 at the ATPS Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting followed the launch of the Y I Can and We CAN programs on the 17th of July, 2009 in Mombasa, Kenya, and the 2nd Steering Committee which was held on 09-11 August 2010 in Accra, Ghana.
ATPS collaborates with the UK-POST and SciDev.Net to host a Training Workshop on Communicating Science to Parliamentarians
Members of African parliaments are increasingly required to address the science, technology and innovation aspects of important policy issues, such as climate change, infectious diseases, ICT infrastructure, agriculture and food security, etc. They rely to a large extent on parliamentary staff to provide them with the information they need for informed debate on proposed new laws in such areas, and carry out the effective scrutiny of government.