7th December 2016; 10:00-17:00
Venue: National Research Foundation – Albert Luthuli Auditorium– Pretoria
Announcement
South Africa and Italy have pursued a successful bilateral research cooperation since 2000. This cooperation has financed numerous joint research projects between researchers which also included the training of students and young researchers. This current bilateral programme is due to end and the two countries have agreed to continue building on the previous success, grow and expand the cooperation. It is in this context that the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the Italian Embassy in Pretoria have decided to organise a one day workshop as a platform for all relevant stakeholders to come together and design a future bilateral research programme between the two countries. This workshop, therefore, aims to reinforce the ongoing cooperation between researchers and conceptualise a new phase for a future cooperation.
The workshop is scheduled for 7 December 2016 from 10:00 to 17:00 at the NRF headquarters in Pretoria, as a side-event preceding the Science Forum South Africa of 8-9 December 2016. Participants at this workshop includes (1) researchers who are funded under the current bilateral programme, (2) all the Italian researchers (and Italian SARChI) currently employed in South African universities and research councils and (3) all South African and Italian researchers cooperating under the EU-funded multilateral programmes (i.e. FP7 and H2020).
The workshop emphasises a bottom-up approach in analysing existing research capacities of both countries in order to consider potential for building and reinforcing a more directed and targeted Programme in strategic areas for specific outcomes.
The workshop will be organized in three working sessions as follows:
Programme
| 10:00-10:20 | Welcoming Remarks | – Mr. Daan du Toit – Deputy Director General – DST
– HE Pietro Giovanni Donnici – Ambassador of Italy |
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SESSION 1 BILATERAL COOPERATION Moderator: Prudence Makhura, NRF |
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| 10:20-11:30 | Roundtable Discussion with Principle Investigators / Grant-Holders of the mobility and great relevance joint projects funded under the current South Africa / Italy Bilateral Programme. | Dr. Isabella Prandoni, INAF (PI – GR Radio Astro)
Dr. Mattia Vaccari, UWC (PI – GR Radio Astro) Prof. Muzi Ndwandwe, UNIZULU (PI – mobility nanotech) Prof. Alex Quandt, WITS (PI – GR Green Energy) Dr. Giulia Esposito, TUKS (PI – mobility biotech) |
| 11:30-11:40 | Coffee/Tea Break | |
| 11:40-12:00 | Questions and Answers | Moderator: Ms. Prudence Makhura, NRF |
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SESSION 2 ITALIAN SCIENTISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA Moderator: Pierguido Sarti, Italian Embassy |
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| 12:00-13:15 | Roundtable Discussion with Italian researchers (and Italian SARChI) currently employed in South African universities and research councils. | Prof Sergio Colafrancesco, WITS
Prof Francesco Petruccione, UKZN Prof Renzo Perissinotto, NMMU Prof. Salvatore Mancuso, UCT (NIRC Pres.) Dr. Anita Virga, WITS (NIRNEP Coord.) |
| 13:15-14:15 |
LUNCH BREAK |
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| 14:15-14:35 | Questions and Answers | Moderator: Dr. Pierguido Sarti, Italian Embassy |
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SESSION 3 MULTILATERAL COOPERATION Moderator: Isayvani Naicker, DST |
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| 14:35-14:50 | Horizon 2020: opportunities for multilateral research | Presenter : Caterina Buonocore APRE |
| 14:50-15:50 | Roundtable Discussion with all South African and Italian researchers cooperating under the EU-funded multilateral programmes (i.e. FP7 and H2020). | Mr. Bob Bond, TUT (SafeWater Africa – H2020)
Dr. Isabella Capurso, Cons. REMEDIA (EWIT – H2020) Eng. Andrea Sterpellone, Cons. REMEDIA (EWIT – H2020) Dr. Linda Godfrey, CSIR (EWIT – H2020) Prof. Mauro Giacca, Director General ICGEB |
| 15:50-16:00 |
Coffee/Tea Break |
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| 16:00-16:25 | Questions and Answers | Moderator: Dr. Isayvani Naicker, DST |
| 16:25-16:40 | Strengthening Technology, Research and Innovation Cooperation between Europe and South Africa – ESASTAP 2020 | Presenter: Ms. Tugela Matubatuba, DST |
| 16:40-17:00 | Closing Remarks and Way-forward | Mr. Khaya Sishuba, DST |
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DINNER RECEPTION Hosted by H.E. Ambassador Donnici, Italian Ambassador to South Africa 18:00 – 21:00 Italian Ambassador’s Residence, Waterkloof in Pretoria |
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NIRNEP 