UbuntuNet-Connect 2021

Africa/Lusaka
Description



Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Research and Education Success Stories During Covid-19 

Virtual/Livingstone, Zambia, 10-12 November 2021

The advent of the Covid-19 pandemic in early2020 brought a disruptive wave to the Research and Education community across the globe. As the virus spread and wreaked havoc the world over, governments ordered various levels of national lockdowns to curb the virus that has affected millions of people from all walks of life. 

As the virus raged on, Universities and colleges suspended physical learning forcing learning institutions into a frantic search of solutions and remedies to sustain teaching and learning. While other institutions struggled to achieve this, several institutions of higher learning across the world quickly repositioned themselves and were able to deploy various interventions that enabled the continuity of the delivery of research and education. 

Building on the theme for UbuntuNet-Connect 2020, “Repositioning Research and Education During Crises,” UbuntuNet-Connect 2021 will take stock of the milestones and success stories the Research and Education community has so far achieved in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Conference will be held as a hybrid event (online and physically in Livingstone, Zambia) from 10-12 November 2021.  UbuntuNet-Connect 2021 will thus be held under the theme "Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Research and Education Success Stories During Covid-19".

    • 10:00 12:45
      Opening Session
      • 10:00
        Introduction and Welcome Remarks: ZAMREN CEO 10m
        Speaker: Stein Mkandawire (ZAMREN)
      • 10:10
        Welcome Remarks: ZAMREN Board Chairperson 10m
        Speaker: Prof. Luke Mumba
      • 10:20
        Welcome Remarks by UbuntuNet Alliance CEO 10m
        Speaker: Dr Matthews Mtumbuka
      • 10:30
        Welcome Remarks by UbuntuNet Alliance Chairperson 10m
        Speaker: Prof. Stephen Simukanga
      • 10:40
        Remarks from Leader of the EU Delegation in Zambia 10m
        Speaker: H.E. Mr Jacek JANKOWSKI
      • 10:50
        Goodwill Messages 10m
      • 11:00
        Remarks by the Guest of Honor 10m
        Speaker: Mr Felix Mutati (Zambia Minister of Technology and Science)
      • 11:10
        Group Photo, Health Break 20m
      • 11:30
        Keynote Speech: Turning Challenges into Opportunities 30m
        Speaker: Prof. Madara Ogot (University of Nairobi)
      • 12:00
        Panel Discussion: Turning Challenges into opportunities, success stories of Covid-19 45m
        Speakers: Mr Ben Ruhindah, Dr Dorothy Okello (Research and Education Network of Uganda), Stein Mkandawire (ZAMREN)
    • 12:45 14:00
      Luch 1h 15m
    • 14:00 16:00
      Session 1: Success stories in the classroom
    • 18:00 20:00
      Conference Dinner 2h
    • 10:00 13:00
      Success stories on infrastructure and services
      • 10:00
        From lockdown to blended learning: Opening opportunities for remote students. A case of the Institute of Accountancy Arusha 20m
        Speaker: Pamela Chogo (Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology)
      • 10:20
        Accessibility to Moodle E- Learning Platform by Students with Visual Impairments at Malcolm Moffat College of Education 20m
        Speaker: Sarah Ndume (Malcolm Moffat college of education)
      • 10:40
        Migrating an Identity Provider from one federation to another: the NIH-Uganda collaboration moving from InCommon to RIF 20m
        Speakers: Mr Lloyd Ssentongo (1Research Data and Communication Technologies), Ivan Nsimbi Frank
      • 11:00
        Impact of COVID-19 in Higher Education Institutions Mukuba University Experience. 20m
        Speaker: Bonny Khunga (ZAMREN)
      • 11:20
        Women Session 40m
        Speakers: Aramide Abe, Serah Beza Mbewe
      • 12:00
        Closing Remarks by UbuntuNet Alliance CEO 10m
      • 12:10
        Closing Remarks by UbuntuNet Alliance Chairperson 10m
    • 13:00 14:00
      Lunch 1h
    • 18:00 20:00
      Meet and Greet Cocktail 2h