ICT for Development

EU-India Cooperation on ICT-related Sandardisation, Policy & Legislation

Deadline: 13 May 2016

The European Union (EU) is currently accepting applications for a programme entitled “EU-India cooperation on ICT-related standardisation, policy and legislation” with an aim to support intensified cooperation between the EU and India on ICT-related standardisation, policy and legislation issues as well as on exchange of statistical data and metadata.

The specific purpose of this contract is to support efforts for early alignment of ICT standardisation in the areas and facilitate co-operation and exchange of best practices between relevant actors in the EU and India.

Activities

For the ICT component
For the component on statistics

Funding Information

The funds are available up to the estimated amount of approximately EUR 2,400,000.

Location

All actions must take place in India.

Eligibility Criteria

Participation is open to all natural persons who are nationals of and legal persons (participating either individually or in a grouping – consortium – of tenderers) which are effectively established in a Member State of the European Union or in a eligible country or territory establishing common rules and procedures for the implementation of the Union’s instruments for external action (CIR) for the applicable Instrument under which the contract is financed. Participation is also open to international organisations.

Selection Criteria

Economic and financial capacity of candidate
Professional capacity of candidate
Technical capacity of candidate

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted in English exclusively to the Contracting Authority in a sealed envelope by post via given website.
All written communications for this tender procedure and contract must be in English.

For more information, please visit Europeaid and download the guidelines.

Southern Africa Prosperity Fund 2016/17 to Promote Economic Reform & Development

Deadline: 15 February 2016

The British High Commission Pretoria has announced a Prosperity Fund over the next 5 years to promote the economic reform and development needed for growth in partner countries. The Funding priorities will include improving the business climate, competitiveness and operation of markets, energy and financial sector reform, and increasing the ability of partner countries to tackle corruption.

The Fund will primarily be focused on ODA eligible middle income countries, contributing to poverty reduction and complementing DFID’s work in poorer countries.

Funding Objectives

Power: Proposals to facilitate increased electricity generation and improved distribution are welcomed.
Infrastructure: Proposals to unlock trade and growth potential currently constrained by poor transport and ICT infrastructure are welcomed.
Cities: Proposals to support sustainable and efficient urban planning are welcomed.
Skills: Project proposals should support the development of local skills and capacity in the areas of power, infrastructure and cities.
Transparency: Proposals promoting transparency among business and the public sector are also invited.

Eligible Countries

Angola, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia.

Funding available

Successful project bids will deliver high-impact, value-for-money activities for around £100k or more.

Eligibility Criteria

The Prosperity Fund accepts project proposals from civil society, governments, think-tanks, commercial organizations and other UK government departments.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply by downloading the Concept Bid Form given on the website.

For more information, please visit Southern Africa Fund.

Apply for 2016/2017 Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellowship Program!

Deadline: 12 February 2016

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and OCLC has jointly announced applications for Jay Jordan IFLA/OCLC Early Career Development Fellowship Program. The program gives Fellows opportunities to meet with leading information practitioners and explore topics including information technologies, library operations and management, and global cooperative librarianship.

Eligible Countries

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Democratic People’s Public of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Republic of Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Federated States of Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé & Príncipe, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syrian Arab Republic, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Benefits

The award provides the following for each Fellow:

Airfare, coach class, from the recipient’s home country to the United States and return trip to the recipient’s home country (transportation to and from the airport in the recipient’s home country is the responsibility of the award recipient).
Transportation related to library visits (arranged by OCLC).
Lodging (arranged by OCLC).
Subsistence, including meals.
Medical insurance (arranged by OCLC).

Eligibility Criteria

Promising library and information science professionals who are in early stages of career development and who meet all of the qualifications are encouraged to apply. Applicants must:

Be a legal national from a eligible country (mentioned above) and be working as a librarian or information science professional in that country.
Be employed in a library or information center.
Have a qualifying degree in library or information science. The qualifying degree may vary depending upon country of origin, but should be the general library or information science degree recognized in the country. Normally a PhD is not considered a qualifying degree, because the
Fellowship program is targeted for early career librarians.
Have obtained the qualifying degree between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2015.
Have at least three years, but no more than eight years, of library or information science experience. For the 2017 program, applicants must have library or information science experience that begins no earlier than January 1, 2008 and no later than January 1, 2013.
Read and speak English proficiently.
Be prepared to work as a team member with other Fellows and to participate as required in this fast-paced program.
Have a valid passport.
Be able to obtain documentation permitting legal entry into the United States or any other country required for program participation.

How to Apply

Applicants must download the application form via given website.

For more information, please visit IFLA and OCLC Program.

International Course on “Education for Sustainable Development” in Kenya and African Countries (March 20– April 8, 2016)

MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation with The A. Ofri International Training Center invites professionals to participate in the International Course on “Education for Sustainable Development in Kenya and African Countries” to be conducted from March 20th– April 8th, 2016.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) aims to preserve environmental integrity, economic viability, and a just society for present and future generations. ESD addresses these objectives through the establishment of broad teaching and learning processes that emphasize an interdisciplinary and holistic approach, which promotes critical and creative thinking in education. The course aims at Implementation of Education towards Sustainable Development in Schools.

The course will be held at the A. Ofri International Training Center, situated in the Ramat Rachel Hotel on the outskirts of Jerusalem.

This course aims at

Development of self-identity and values reflecting the worldview of the teacher as an educator for sustainability
Imparting of knowledge and information on current environmental, social and economic issues and the relationship between them
Development of creative and flexible methods of thinking that will enable the identification of environmental and social problems and their solutions
Introducing, understanding and practicing of integrative approaches to educational planning, through the creation of curricula combinations around a common principle – sustainability and sustainable development
Development of professional and pedagogical skills
Development of entrepreneurship and good citizenship, social and environmental leadership
Those who complete the program will be able to:
- Initiate, develop and lead educational and/or community projects dealing with complex socioenvironmental-social issues
- Analyze projects in a reflective way so as to assess them with appropriate methodologies

Course Structure

The Ofri International Training Center has developed a unique, holistic approach that takes into consideration the emotional and creative aspects of the pedagogical process. Its working methods enable program participants to make practical use of theoretical knowledge.

Lectures and discussions led by experts
Workshops
Analysis of educational planning through written material and professional visits
Meetings with institutional administrators and acquaintance with projects at the national and regional levels
Simulations, panel discussions, and group work
Preparation of final projects by individuals or groups
Study tours at schools, educational centers, universities, teacher training institutions and pedagogical resource centers

Who can Apply

For this course, applicants can be:

Kenya according to the MOU Curricula Developers from Teacher’s Colleges, Kenya’s Ministry of Education and KICD Officials.
KEPSHA and KESSHA Management staff, Head Teachers and School Principals.
Other African countries: Directors of Departments in MOE’s, Principals, Head teachers, Supervisors, Curricula Developers.

How to Apply

Application forms and other information can be obtained at the nearest Israeli mission or at MASHAV’s website. Completed application forms, including the medical form, should be sent to the relevant Israeli mission in the respective country.

Scholarships available

MASHAV awards a limited number of scholarships. The scholarship covers the cost of the training program including lectures and field visits, full board accommodation in double rooms (two participants per room), health insurance and transfers to and from the airport. Medical insurance covers medical services and hospitalization in case of emergency.

For more information about this course, please download this PDF.

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A Short Course on “Education for Science and Technology and ICT in Education” (May 22nd– June 10th, 2016)

MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation & The Aharon Ofri MASHAV International Educational Training Center (METC) invites professionals to participate in the International Course on “Education for Science and Technology and ICT in Education” to be conducted between May 22nd– June 10th, 2016.

Instant access to knowledge has opened new windows of opportunity for students, teachers, and the general public alike. Communication has become much faster in the global world, and this demands that society keeps pace with advances and progress. Under these circumstances, the educational system must reassess its methodologies, theories, and paradigms in order to be able to meet the needs of the modern world.

This brief review indicates that two issues are fundamental to ICT and Education for Science and Technology:

What contribution can Education for Science and Technology make with respect to preparing students for their personal and working lives?
What strategies can we employ in order to enhance the development and adaptation of ICT with regard to education in general, the propagation of ICT, and the use of science and technology within the educational system?

The Israeli Ministry of Education has concluded with respect to these two questions that:

ICT is set to become the medium of education for the foreseeable future and will change many aspects of the educational system during the 21st century.
The goals outlined above should be introduced into the educational system as part of a national plan based on a holistic and systematic understanding of the role of science, technology, and ICT in education.

The Course aims

To analyze the place and role of education for science and technology within national development
To acquaint the participants with new concepts, methods, and tools regarding education for science and technology
To present various educational projects and curriculum models used in Israel (including policy-making, didactic and administrative aspects and teacher training courses.)
To share and exchange experiences and knowledge gained in the participants’ countries of origin
To adapt the teaching environment to new approaches of science and technology
To elaborate on the concept of ICT in education
To acquaint participants with a variety of learning methods and applications
To enable the participants to maximize the benefits of using ICT in teaching and learning

Fields of Study

Policies in Science and Technology Teaching: How to adapt science teaching planning to the socio-economic realities of the country
Study and discussion about different areas and curriculum models in science and technology teaching
The use of teaching aids from simple and low cost materials to modern and sophisticated instruments
Teachers’ training – needs, policy and realities
Computers in Education

Who can Apply

High-level educational staff, regional or national, lecturers at teacher training institutions, school principals, counselors, or supervisors, and researchers in relevant fields.

How to Apply

Scholarships available

For more information about this course, please download this PDF.

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“Clean Technologies – Environmental technology, innovation and management systems”- A Short course for Various Professionals around the World

MASHAV – Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation with The Weitz Center for Sustainable Development invites professionals to participate in the International Course on “Clean Technologies – Environmental technology, innovation and management systems as a means for regional and local economic development” to be conducted between May 30^th – June 23rd, 2016.

The course will be held at The Weitz Center for Sustainable Development, situated within the campus of the Faculty of Agriculture, Rehovot, Israel.

The course aims to:

Provide participants with knowledge, tools and strategies related to clean technologies
Inspire and energize participants to be agents for positive change in their countries
Expose participants to new approaches and opportunities in the field of clean technology
Present Israel as a case study from which to draw valuable lessons about clean technology
Enrich participants with professional skills with which to develop their careers and best benefit their communities and countries
Connect participants with an international network of professionals in their field

Fields of Study

The program will provide participants with knowledge and tools in the following subjects:

Policies and national programs for cleantech development
Law and regulation implementation for renewable energy , energy efficiency and water conservation
Advocacy for and promotion of cleantech
Platforms, networks and cooperation for new technology implementation at the regional level
Innovation support systems, SME and entrepreneurship support for cleantech development
The Israeli experience and Israeli cleantech startups and companies in water technologies, energy technologies, waste management, recycling and waste to energy programs .

Who may apply?

The training targets highly motivated decision makers, policy makers and professionals from the fields of energy, water, waste, agriculture, climate change, infrastructure and economic development, those working in government ministries (such as local government, planning, development, energy and others), in local authorities, NGO’s and CBO’s active in the field of entrepreneurship and startup, venture capital funds, business organizations, and academic institutions engaged with cleantech and entrepreneurship programs.

Application Process

Candidates must complete the appropriate application forms (including health certificate, declaration etc.) available at the Israeli diplomatic mission in their country, or through the Internet. The completed forms should be submitted in WORD documents to the Israeli mission in your area and sent via email no later than the morning of April 1 st, 2016. Candidates must also hand in a passport photo by electronic file.

Scholarships available

For more information about this course, please download this PDF.

For more information about MASHAV’s 2016 short courses, please visit the official website of MASHAV.

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GIST Tech-I Competition in Sectors of Agriculture, ICT, Health & Energy for Individuals in Developing Countries

Deadline: 15 January 2016

Are you a scientist? An entrepreneur? A researcher? An innovator? A student? Or are you just someone who has a great idea or startup company and are looking to change the world? If yes, GIST Tech-I Competition is for you!

Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) is currently inviting applications for its GIST Tech-I Competition. It is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide. The GIST Tech-I Competition is designed to encourage and support technology and science entrepreneurs to launch and/or grow a company through:

Training and mentorship with successful entrepreneurs, scientists, angel investors, and venture capitalists
Networking opportunities
Access to capital through networking opportunities
Prizes to support your entrepreneurship goals
National and international visibility for your idea or enterprise

Program Sectors

Agriculture, ICT, health, energy, or even aerospace!

Eligible Countries

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Colombia, Comoros Islands, Congo (Republic of), Congo, Costa Rica, Cote D’ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar (Burma), Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Eligibility Criteria

The applicant must be a citizen of at least one of the GIST countries (mentioned above) or emerging economies.
The applicant cannot hold dual citizenship or permanent residency in a non-GIST country or emerging economy.
All applications must focus on science or technology solutions with market potential in a GIST eligible country or emerging economy, or broader.
The applicant must be at least 18 years old and can be through 40 years old on January 15, 2016.

How to Apply

Applicants must apply online through the website.

For more information, please visit Tech-l Competition.

Newton-Bhabha Fund: India-UK Research and Innovation Bridges Competition

Deadline: 20 January 2016

Innovate UK, the Research Councils UK (RCUK) and the Government of India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) together, are inviting the researchers from India and UK for the India-UK Research and Innovation Bridges Competition, a collaborative industrial research and development projects that propose new commercial solutions to critical challenges impacting the socio-economic growth and development of India in relation to its clean-tech, healthcare and ICT sectors.

Funding under this competition will be made available for collaborative research and development projects (what we are calling “Research and Innovation Bridges”), that propose solutions to key challenges India is facing in its agri-food value chain, at the ‘post-harvest’ stage.

Priority Areas

The following priorities under the broad theme have been identified:

Affordable food packaging and improved food packaging systems
Post-harvest handling and processing, including ‘minimal processing’ and processes to control ripening and post-harvest spoilage and damage
Process technologies to enable new products from food supply chain waste
Green technologies for food distribution

Funding

DBT, Innovate UK and RCUK will implement an integrated, merit-based project evaluation and selection process using their existing assessment processes. DBT, Innovate UK and RCUK will then together identify the final list of successful applicants. A positive funding decision for R&D projects that request funds from all organisations will trigger:
- Innovate UK and RCUK to allocate funds to UK industry, UK research and other UK participants; and
- DBT to allocate funds to Indian participants.
Funds will be provided in accordance with the applicable laws, rules, regulations and procedures established by each organisation, and/or in each jurisdiction/country.
Although the individual type and value of individual contributions allocated to a India-UK R&D project may vary, each bilateral project must demonstrate equivalent total effort from each participating country.

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Vodafone Americas Foundation: Funding the best Innovations using Wireless Technology to Address Critical Social Issues around the World

Deadline: 22 February 2016

The Vodafone Americas Foundation is currently inviting applications for its competition- ‘designing the Wireless Innovation Project’ to promote innovation and increase implementation of wireless related technology for a better world. Total awards up to $600,000 will be available to support projects .

The Vodafone Wireless Innovation Project (the “competition”) seeks to identify and fund the best innovations using wireless related technology to address critical social issues around the world. Project proposals must demonstrate significant advancement in the field of wireless-related technology applied to social benefit use. The competition is open to projects from universities and nonprofit organizations based in the United States. Although organizations must be based in the United States, projects may operate and help people outside of the United States.

Social & Technical Issue Areas

Applicants must demonstrate a multi-disciplinary approach that uses an innovation in wireless-related technology to address a critical global issue in one or more of the following areas:

Access to communication
Education
Economic development
Environment
Health
Connectivity
Energy
Language or Literacy hurdles

Awards

Winners will be selected for awards of $100,000, $200,000, and $300,000 which will be paid in equal installments over three years.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants should be either (a) U.S. nonprofit corporation or trust that is tax-exempt under IRS Section 501(c)(3) and that is a public charity (not a private foundation) or
a U.S. University, including a university department, university-based research center, university-based entrepreneurship or technology innovation center that is legally part of the university.
Project team participants may not be an employee of the Vodafone Americas Foundation, Vodafone Group Plc or any entity in which Vodafone Group Plc holds, directly or indirectly, a shareholding or interest of 20% or more or has the right to exercise, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of the voting rights (collectively, the “Vodafone Entities”).
The applicant should propose an innovation in wireless-related technology to address a critical global issue in one or more of the following issue areas: education, health, access to communication, the environment or economic development.
The project should demonstrate a significant advancement in wireless-related technology. (We define innovation as something that hasn’t been done before, building upon existing technology, or a unique combination of technologies.)
The project should be at a stage of research where an advanced prototype or field/market test can occur during the award period.
Early-stage research, or ready to launch products, will not be considered.
Projects should involve an established multi-disciplinary team that demonstrates the expertise needed for a comprehensive solution to the targeted problem. For example, a team may consist of members from two or more of the following disciplines: engineering, design, business, international development, or other relevant disciplines. A team may also consist of university-based researchers and non-profit organizations working such areas as international development, health or environment.
Projects should demonstrate potential for replication and large scale impact.
Proposals should include a business plan or demonstration of financial sustainability.

How to Submit a Proposal

To submit a proposal, Applicants must first successfully complete the Eligibility Questionnaire. Eligible Applicants will then receive the URL for the online application via e-mail and be asked to create a username and password which will enable them to work on their proposal online. The application consists of multiple narrative questions and a project budget spreadsheet that Applicants must complete and submit. All information must be submitted through the on-line application. Finalists will be notified on or about March 25, 2016. The winners will be publicly announced and recognized at a public forum in June, 2016.

For more information, please visit Vodafone Call.

Submit Entries for New Technological Art Award 2016

Deadline: 31 March 2016

The Liedts-Meesen is currently inviting applications for its biennial update_6/New Technological Art Award 2016. The aim of the competition is to present works in accordance with Update’s mission. The submitted work may have been exhibited previously, but the jury reserves the right to exclude creations that turn out to be not realizable within the limits of the practical possibilities of the Liedts-Meesen Foundation, keeping in mind that the works will be displayed during the exhibition. The basic equipment is available and at the disposal of the selected artists; specific and special equipment must be provided for and lent by the artists for the duration of the exhibition.

Focus areas

The scope of contemporary artistic creations and traditional media with works using contemporary and new technologies in an original and intelligent way: treatment of sounds and light, use of new media, application of innovative evolutions in communications, telecommunications and broadcasting, centered on the world of information, communication, and computers and interaction.

Prizes

A cash award of 5,000 euro will be allocated to a work and to its creator. There will also be a prize of the European Commission. The winners will be announced at the final day of the exhibition.

Eligibility Criteria

International competition is open to all age groups and to all nationalities.
English must be the working language.

How to Apply

Applicants can apply online through the website.

For more information, please visit biennial events.