African-European Radio Astronomy Platform

1. African-European Radio Astronomy Platform Building mutually beneficial African-European research and innovation partnerships Presentation by Takalani Nemaungani d

2. Background and Context • Radio Astronomy on Agenda of South Africa - EU Bilateral Summit - September 2011, 2012 and 2013 • Promoting African-European Research Infrastructure Initiative (PAERIP) – EU FP7 funded initiative. Final recommendations communicated to the European Commission and made available to relevant AU and NEPAD structures

3. Context • Joint Africa-EU Strategy includes 8th partnership initiative on Science, Information Society and Space (launched in October 2007 in Lisbon and Joint Action Plan 2011-2013 • Priority 1 : Capacity Building for implementation of AU’s S&T Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) – currently under review • Expected outcomes include improved pan-African infrastructure and facilities for R&D; development of STI evidence-based Africa-EU policy making

4. AERAP • AERAP is structured around a network of key stakeholders who come together in regular meetings to work on developing and updating agendas for radio astronomy cooperation • The agenda has been developed through dialogue with industry, research institutes and the public sector from across EU Member States and African nations • It is aimed at better aligning the priorities of the radio astronomy community with the instruments of the researches with those of industry.

5. The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform • Objectives • Bring together key African and European radio astronomy players from policy, funding, research and industry research sectors • Support participants to develop and update agendas for bi-regional African-European radio astronomy cooperation • Strengthen research and innovation in Europe and Africa • Improve knowledge transfer between the continents • Stimulate competitiveness across both continents • Identify and encourage, and facilitate access to, funding opportunities for Africa-EU radio astronomy cooperation • Leverage EU-Africa collaboration in radio astronomy as a platform to support broader global partnerships

6. Snapshot of available instruments • European Development Fund (11th EDF next cycle 2014-2020) • EU Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI) • Research funding (Horizon 2020 to be launched soon) • Researcher mobility, staff exchange and education programmes • Africa-EU Infrastructure Trust Fund • EIB, AfDB, etc • Philatronphic (e,g Ethiopia), Foundations, Venture capital, etc

7. The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform • Activities thus far in Brussels: • AERAP Helpdesk: supported FP7, ACP funding applications

8. The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform • Activities thus far in Africa : • AERAP Helpdesk: supported FP7, ACP funding applications

9. The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform • Participants • ASTRON (Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy) • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France • CICGE-University of Porto , Portugal • Coriant (formerly Nokia Siemens Networks), Germany • European Industrial Engineering SRL, Italy • Gestamp Solar Steel, Spain • Ghana Space Science and Technology Centre • Ghent University, Belgium • GoonhillyEarth Station Ltd., United Kingdom • IBM, Netherlands • INAF Institute for Radio Astronomy, Italy • Institute for Astrophysics Andalucia, Spain • Institute for Telecommunications, Portugal • International Programme in the Physical Sciences, Sweden • JIVE - Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe • Omnisys Instruments, Sweden • Onsala Space Observatory, Sweden • Leiden Observatory, Netherlands • Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, Germany

10. The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform • Participants • NWO(Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research) • RadioNet • Rhodes University, South Africa • Science & Technology Facilities Council, United Kingdom • SKA South Africa • SKA Organisation, United Kingdom • University of Cambridge, United Kingdom • University of Groningen, Netherlands • University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom • University of Leeds, United Kingdom • University of Manchester, United Kingdom • University of Nairobi, Kenya • University of Oxford, United Kingdom • University of Zambia • VIA-SKA, Spain

11. AERAP Framework Programme for CooperationPurpose and Evolution

12. AERAP Framework Programme for Cooperation • Thematic priorities: Background – Objectives – Key Actions

13. AERAP Framework Programme for Cooperation • Key actions (selection): • Develop content delivery networks for global distribution system of science data and better data streaming • Pilot training programme for engineers and technicians to maintain and operate the Africa VLBI network • Development of cloud based techniques as applied to radio astronomy problems such as the search for pulsars and transients • Form an international centre for radio astronomy education and training • Develop innovative ways of teaching astronomy by means of e-Science technologies

14. Achievements: AERAP • Allowed us to provide input to the review of current instruments and strategies in the two continents • Profiled and elevated radio astronomy cooperation between the two continents at highest to lowest levels • Brought closer together key stakeholders in radio astronomy and assisted in building new partnerships especially for the AVN • Facilitated proposal submissions to FP7 and ACP calls (shortlisted on ACP)

15. The African-European Radio Astronomy Platform • Next Steps • Following completion of stakeholder consultation, Framework Programme presented and accepted by AERAP Group in the European Parliament • AERAP Framework Programme presented to Joint Expert Group (JEG-8) of the Africa-EU Science, Information Society and Space Partnership • AERAP Framework Programme become instrument for operationalizing radio astronomy as priority focus area for Africa-EU cooperation in 2014-2020

16. Thank you for your attention! Further information on AERAP: www.aerap.org Contact: aerap@aerap.org