Africa, Ireland and UCD: Working together to address global sustainability challenges - Call for Presentations

Africa, Ireland and UCD: Working together to address global sustainability challenges
Thursday 22 May 12:30-5:30 (exact timings to be confirmed), followed by reception

Venue: O'Brien Centre for Science

(opens in a new window)UCD’s Africa Engagement Strategy 2023-2028 was published last year, establishing Africa as a priority region and committing the university to deepening its research, scholarship and innovation engagement with the continent. This ambition will be achieved through the development of meaningful and equitable relationships with scholars and institutions from across the continent of Africa, as well as leveraging the broad range of existing partnerships. Sustainability, climate and environmental research that tackles key global challenges is of critical relevance in this context.

UCD is among the Irish Higher Education Institutions most actively engaged in Africa and with African partners, based on student population, educational initiatives, and research collaborations. However, current engagement is siloed within different academic disciplines and does not adequately represent the importance of Africa in the world. The aims of this event are to 1) connect researchers across UCD who engage with Africa in the areas of sustainability, climate and environment, 2) engage with the wider funding and policy context for these activities, and 3) build capacity for future initiatives. 

This event has three sessions. The first session will showcase environmental, climate and sustainability researchers across multiple disciplines in UCD who work with African partners or whose research is centred on African contexts. It will create a space to share research and explore intersections, synergies and opportunities to collaborate. A second session will provide researcher and funder insights to the recent Research Ireland / Irish Aid funding for collaborative, transdisciplinary projects. The final keynote panel session will address the external context as well as the benefits, challenges and priorities for collaborations around sustainability, climate and environment research between Irish and African research partners, in the context of UCD's research partnerships in Africa and the recent UCD Africa Engagement Strategy.

We hope that the legacy of the event will be a UCD network for sustainability research in Africa and an agenda for future collaborations and partnerships in this area. 

Full programme and registration links will follow soon. 

Call for research presentations and posters

We are currently inviting submissions for the first session:  environmental, climate and sustainability researchers across multiple disciplines in UCD who work with African partners or whose research is centred on African contexts.  

Presentations must be 1-slide and five minutes in length, outlining your current or recent research project related to Africa. Please include information on the research project and its aims, where it took place and local partners you worked with, challenges faced as well as any outcomes. 

Posters must be A0 in size and will be mounted in the Science Centre for display during the event. 

Please complete this (opens in a new window)call for submissions form by Wednesday 30 April, 5pm. Final presentations will be required by Friday 16 May, 5pm. Posters must be brought to the venue on the morning of the event.