RUFORUM 1st triennial conference and 17th AGM to bring together over 1000 delegates in Cotonou, Benin

A session in a past RUFORUM conference

The First RUFORUM Triennial Conference 17th AGM and the 7th Higher Education Week is set to take place in Benin starting from 6th  to the 10th December, 2021. The Triennial conference will be unique in the sense that it will focus on university-science, technology and innovation for agricultural transformation. The proposed overall theme of the 2021 Conference is “Operationalizing Higher Education for Innovation, Industrialization, Inclusion and Sustainable Economic Development in Africa” 

The five-day conference will bring together policy makers including Ministers and Technical Experts, Higher Education Leaders in Africa, development partners, private sector leaders, researchers, innovators, students, and farmer organizations, among others. Approximately 1000 delegates are expected to attend from across the world. 

The Triennial conference and related events will be co-hosted by the Government of Benin through the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, University of Abomey-Calavi, the University of Parakou, National University of Agriculture and RUFORUM Network. It is envisaged that His Excellency Patrice Talon, President of the Republic of Benin and the designated Chair of the African Union Commission will grace the conference. 

The conference aims to catalyze investment in Higher Education for strengthening Africa’s’ Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity, promote international linkages and partnerships for strengthening Higher Education in Africa. It also aims to promote youth employment and skills acquisition for development, and strengthen University-Private sector business linkages. 

As part of this Triennial convening, a number of events will be held, like a series of skills enhancement training for University researchers, students and other actors, exhibitions to profile research for development outcomes, specific convening to discuss topical issues affecting science, technology and innovation development in Africa meetings with policy and private sector leaders RUFORUM governance meetings. 

This year, RUFORUM is blending both face to face and virtually participation and one can follow the proceedings through all the organization’s social media channels and also the Conference website.

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is a consortium of 129 African universities operating within 38 countries spanning the African continent. It is coordinated by a Secretariat hosted by Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

Photo courtesy / Agrinatura

Article by Research Beeline Correspondent

https://www.ruforum.org/Triennial2021/

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