AFRICAN UNION SCIENTIFIC AWARDS PROGRAMME

INTRODUCTION

Science and Technology is one of the key focal areas on Africa’s development agenda. The Constitutive Act, establishing the African Union, recognizes the need to advance the development of Africa by promoting research in all fields, and in particular, in science and technology.

In January 2007, the AU Heads of State and Government “declared 2007 as the launching year for building constituencies and champions for science, technology and innovation in Africa”. In response to this political momentum and commitment to: - raise community awareness,- engage African citizens in Africa’s science and technology programmes, promote elements of human intellectual development, encourage technological and scientific leadership and - strengthen Africa’s research capacities, the AU Commission through the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology with the support of its key Development Partners, initiated the prestigious “African Union Scientific Awards Programme” targeting young researchers at Member State level, women at regional level and open to all outstanding scientists at continental level .

The programme is designed to celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of African scientists and to promote all efforts to transform scientific research into entrepreneurship, attract investments to Africa, and create research centers of excellence. It will further encourage the science community, and the public to participate in scientific engagements towards addressing critical problems in Africa. The programme will contribute towards raising the profile of science and technology sector and building a scientific culture amongst African citizens. There is a strong urge for Africa to quickly mobilize its scientific resources, competencies and comparative advantages to champion programmes that promote access to science and technology by all, strengthen research capacities, and increase the use, and generation of scientific knowledge for the development of the continent.

A prize will be awarded to each of the following two scientific sectors:
(a) Life and Earth Sciences: Life and Earth Science embraces all sciences related to the planet earth, covering (but not limited to) the following disciplines, geology, geophysics and geodesy. On the other hand, we regard Life Sciences to encompass all sciences that have to do with 'organisms', like plants, animals and human .This may be Agro-technology, Animal Science, Plant Science, Biotechnology, Biology, Environmental Sciences, Food Sciences, Medicine, and Tissue Engineering to mention a few; and

(b) Basic Science, Technology and Innovation within the categories of the Awards:Basic, Science, Technology and Innovation category will consist of all other sciences, technologies and innovations excluding those covered within Earth and life Sciences category. These may include, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Electronics, civil etc), Artificial Intelligence, Material Sciences, Manufacturing and Production Technologies, Metallurgy, Textiles, Energy and Innovations etc.