Regional Webinar on Leadership and Capacity Building in Food Science and Technology in Africa

Theme: Promoting collaboration and partnership for research development among academic leaders in Food Science and Technology

Date: February 15, 2024
Time: 9 a.m. Eastern Time / 14:00 GMT
Duration: 90 minutes
Register to participate via Zoom:  https://bit.ly/48z85CK

 Participation is FREE of charge

Concept Note

 Introduction

 The three main tenets of the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) which represents food scientists, technologists, and engineers globally, are Education, Food and Nutrition Security, and Food Safety. To carry out its mission, IUFoST works with the Association of African Universities (AAU), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Development Organization (UNIDO), CGIAR (Consultative Group on Agriculture Research), IFPRI (International Food Policy Research Institute), and many other R&D establishments, academic institutions, industry, non-governmental and governmental organizations, and its national adhering bodies worldwide.

The Association of African Universities (AAU) is the organization responsible for enhancing the quality and relevance of higher education in Africa and strengthening its contribution to Africa’s development. AAU remains the leading advocate for higher education in Africa, with the capacity to provide support for its member institutions in meeting national, continental, and global needs.

Objectives of the Regional Webinar

The capacity-building webinar, organized by IUFoST and AAU, aims to:

(a) improve the knowledge and understanding of professors and heads of departments of food science and technology within African universities on the collaboration and partnership process, the dimensions, and how collaboration and partnership can be operationalized at a regional level.

(b) disseminate useful insights, guidelines, and resources for successful collaboration and partnership.

(c) create a platform for academic leaders in Food Science and Technology within African Universities to share best practices and challenges encountered in research development in this subject area.

Background

The Association of African Universities (AAU) established the Africa Research, Innovation, and Development (AfRID) as a development platform for empowering African universities and African research teams to leverage research to contribute to development on the continent. The network is bringing together peer African institutions and researchers willing to work together, with a view to generating a critical mass that can effectively support development initiatives on the continent. In the last quarter of year 2022, the Association of African Universities (AAU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) for the purpose of organizing training and education for capacity building in Africa, especially in the areas of Food Science, Food Safety and Technology, Agro-food production and processing. The objectives of IUFoST include the encouragement and fostering of: international cooperation and exchange of (scientific) knowledge and innovative ideas among food scientists, engineers, and technologists at a global level; education and training of food scientists, technologists, and engineers; and development of both individual professionalism and professional organization among food scientists, technologists, and engineers for safe, secure, and sustainable technologies globally with local application.

The signed MoU is geared toward finding solutions to future food security challenges and the SDGs through actions to address and thus reduce food losses and waste; mitigating environmental effects through encouragement for innovative and new technologies; improving capacity building and education and training at all levels, especially in combating undernutrition; and providing safe food for all within the continent.

Webinar Modality

The first regional capacity development webinar, coordinated by IUFoST-AAU, holds on February 15, 2024, via Zoom. The duration of the meeting will be approximately 90 minutes. The webinar will feature plenary sessions with simultaneous interpretation (English, French and Arabic). The agenda for the meeting and relevant documentation (including the guides) will be shared with all registered participants in advance to give them enough time to familiarise themselves with the information.

Participation

Expected Participants: Professors and Head of Departments of Food Science and Technology Programmes in African Universities, Executives from AAU and IUFoST, all interested stakeholders.

Agenda

1. Mentoring in Food Science and Technology.
2. Promoting Regional Collaboration and Partnership in Food Science and Technology.
3. Digitalization and Virtual Learning in Food Science and Technology.
4. The African Research, Innovation and Development Networks – Food Science and Technology Network in Africa.
5. International Union of Food Science and Technology (IUFoST) focus on Africa