ETH4D visits EPFL to foster future collaborations
On 26th February 2020, ETH4D visited Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) to discuss innovation, sustainable development and possible cooperation in fighting global challenges.
Upon arrival, the ETH4D team was warmly welcomed by representatives from three initiatives: external pageTech4impact, external pageEssentialLab and external pageExcellence in Africa, which share one common goal: to fight the major sustainability challenges by brining together engineers, natural and social scientists as well as NGOs, governmental and private sector agencies. These parties then explore new research and teaching approaches to develop, test and scale solutions that address the challenges and needs of low-income communities.
Tech4Impact
Tech4Impact provides a common platform to engage with students, researchers, entrepreneurs, corporates, NGOs, international organizations, and foundations, as well as society at large to fulfil the potential that multi-stakeholder partnerships hold for advancing the external pageUN Agenda 2030. To achieve that, Tech4Impact collaborates with industries and organisations.
In 2019 launched a new Global South program – external pageTech4Dev, which focuses on providing experience-based education, promoting impactful entrepreneurial solutions, as well as innovative cross-sector research projects – all focused on the beneficiaries’ needs and opportunities in countries of the Global South in order to bridge the theory-practice gap, accelerate innovation and develop and implement innovative technological solutions.
EssentialLab
external pageEssentialTech Center is a research centre attached to EPFL’s Vice Presidency for Research. Its goal is technology innovation for development, for humanitarian action and for the promotion of peace. EssentialLab is a part of EssentialTech Center and a place for research and design of essential technologies, adapted to the context of developing countries. It is a place for dynamic exchanges stimulating innovation which arises from transdisciplinary collaborations on aspects related to technologies, socio-economic contexts and deployment strategies, in line with EssentialTech’s methodology. It is also the place where EssentialTech’s projects are coordinated and managed.
Excellence in Africa
Excellence in Africa is a new program jointly launched by external pageEPFL and external pageUM6P (Mohammed VI Polytechnic University – Morocco) which aims to have a significant impact on excellent scientific research throughout the African continent:
- through a network of highly-educated junior faculty based in Africa, to build a solid ground for excellent research and innovation;
- by anchoring collaboration within partner African institutions;
- by increasing EPFL’s and Switzerland’s visibility in Africa, for attracting talent and conducting excellent research;
- by accompanying the digital transformation in Africa.
The program consists of three pillars: 1) Junior African faculty development through research project with EFPL professors 2) Mentoring of 100 PhDs enrolled in African universities by EPFL professors and 3) Digital education.
After formal meetings and presentations on the initiatives and projects, the teams used the last hour for networking and Apèro. The visit helped build the relationship between the two institutions and prepare the ground for two potent structures to collaborate.