A is for Africa
African Perspectives Preparatory Conference
9-11 November 2017, EiABC, Addis Ababa.
Joint event organised by the Delft University of Technology and the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development
We are now collecting proposals for the African Perspectives Preparatory Conference organised by the Delft University of Technology in partnership with Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development, between 9 and 11 November 2017, in Addis Ababa.
The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment of the TU Delft has a vision for strengthening ties with Africa. This is because we wish to have a positive impact on African’s rapid urbanisation in the next years. In order to accomplish our vision effectively, we believe our priority is to engage with African scholars, who can inform us about the challenges of African urbanisation and can advise us on the path to follow.
We will organise an international conference in autumn 2018, when we expect to discuss the issues and strategies identified during the Preparatory Conference to engage with relevant stakeholders in Africa. In order to prepare that conference, we would like to hear from you during the preparatory event in Addis Ababa.
The main questions we would like to answer during this preparatory event are:
What are challenges in contemporary African urbanisation?
How can TU Delft engage with African institutions in order to produce a positive impact on African urbanisation?
What are on-going educational experiences and research projects from which we could learn together?
While the main responsibility for the destiny of African cities lies with African citizens, governments and institutions, we believe that universities everywhere have a role to play in helping educate the next generation of African architects, planners and urban designers with a global perspective. We wish to reach out to African higher education institutes, governments, businesses and citizens to become partners in promoting sustainable, inclusive and fair urbanisation.
Participants in the Preparatory Conference will be given priority for participation in the 2018 African Perspectives conference in Delft, The Netherlands. We also envision this Preparatory Conference as an opportunity to strengthen networks and initiate international collaborations. To facilitate this, there will be an opportunity to apply for funding to develop ideas that combine expertise between African and Dutch researchers. More information will be available on the website.
This is part of the ‘A is for AFRICA’ initiative at our faculty, in which research, education and cooperation for sustainable African cities come together under one umbrella.
To send proposals for contributions:
Please, write a 500-word abstract, explaining:
- Who you are (name, title, position)
- Your affiliation (institution or company)
- A short summary of your contribution (is it an educational experience? A research project? Are you a representative of a local authority and you have ideas for partnerships?
- A preliminary vision of how you could engage with a higher education institution.
- Please, keep in mind we are looking for contributions related to urbanisation processes in Africa, including new towns and informal settlements
Participation in this preparatory conference is free, but you are expected to find accommodation and transfers in Addis Ababa for the duration of the conference. Please, send the abstract with your personal information to AfricanPerspectives2018-BK@tudelft.nl
