Science & Tech
THE African Union Scientific and Technical Research Commission (AUSTRC), said it had awarded 40 PhD scholarships to 40 Africans by partnering with Euromed University of Fes, Morocco (UEMF).
The Executive Director, Dr Ahmed Hamdy stated this on Thursday while addressing participants at the 5th Congress of the African Council for Scientific Research and Innovation (ASRIC), in Mombasa, Kenya.
He said the African Scientific, Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC), a special advisory body to the African Union was mandated to implement the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategies in Africa.
Hamdy added that said awarding the scholarships was to promote scientific research and innovation in order to address the challenges of Africa’s socio-economic development.
He said: “In 2019, these two prestigious institutions entered into a strategic partnership for capacity building for Africa’s youths and to enhance research and innovation for Africa’s development.
“The ASRIC and UEMF offer 10 scholarship slots each academic year for African PhD students to carry out their doctoral research work at the Euro-Mediterranean University of Fes (UEMF), Morocco.”
Hamdy stated that the scholarships had so far produced 40 PhD students and the duration of the study and the scholarship was three years.
“The scholarship opportunity that started four years ago had produced 40 PhD students across the African continent.
”It is still producing more who are giving back to their societies in the best ways they can.
“ This initiative will impact lives across the continent, it is sustainable and will outlive me.
“ The scholarship covers tuition fees of $9,000 annually, one return ticket from home country, a contribution of $1,000 during summer vacation and an allowance of $1,000 monthly for 11 months every year,’’ he said.
NAN reports that the annual scholarship is open to African students who want to undertake research in Artificial Intelligence, Additive Manufacturing, Green hydrogen and Power-to-X, Batteries and sensors.
Various students from different countries in Africa have been beneficiaries and they included Mr Musa Mustapha, a Nigerian whose research area is in Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture.
Alsso, Suleiman Garba, from Nigeria whose research area is in Chemistry had benefited from the gesture.
Others included: Amadou Adamou from Niger Republic, researching in Factory Energy Management System, Kandza Claudio from Congo, researching in Conception and Development of Cobots and Seid Ali, an Ethiopian, researching in Smart Factory for power-to-X production. (NAN)
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Tags: African Union Scientific and Technical Research Commission Ahmed Hamdy Amadou Adamou
