AAUN Forum 2016-Combined Speakers' Bios & Abstracts(27...

AAUN Annual Forum 2016 -‐ Speaker Biographies Opening Plenary Session 1: Australia Africa: Knowledge Partnerships Professor John HEARN Co-‐Chair of the Australia Africa Universities Network (AAUN) Board Executive Director of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) Professor John Hearn is Board Executive Director of the Worldwide Universities Network (www.wun.ac.uk); Chairman of the Australia Africa Universities Network (www.aaun.edu.au); and Professor of Physiology (Medical School) at the University of Sydney. Awarded his PhD from the Australian National University (ANU) he served for 6-‐7 years each in leading research, teaching and administrative positions at the Universities of Edinburgh, London UCL, Wisconsin, ANU and Sydney. Most recently he was Vice President (Research) at ANU 2000-‐4, and Vice President (Academic and International) at Sydney 2004-‐13. He teaches first year and advanced students in science and medicine. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has published 210 research papers and edited six books in reproduction and fertility, stem cell biology and biotechnology. A committed international citizen, he has worked globally in research capacity development, especially in China, India, Thailand, Kenya and Brazil. He lived and worked in Kenya and Uganda for ten years. He is an adviser to the Australian Government, British Council, Swedish STINT, World Health Organisation and OECD in Higher Education and Research. He was (to 2013) a Board member of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, and Chairman of the Sydney Confucius Institute. Professor Cheryl M. de la Rey Vice-‐Chancellor and Principal, University of Pretoria Prof Cheryl de la Rey has been the Vice-‐Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria since November 2009. She is the current Vice-‐Chairperson of the Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). Professor De la Rey is a fellow of the Psychological Association of South Africa, a fellow of the Royal Society of South Africa and of the Academy of Science of South Africa. She serves on several national and international boards: Chairperson of the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI), Vice-‐Chairperson of the Talloires Network, the African co-‐Chairperson of the Australia-‐Africa Universities Network (AAUN) and Executive Board Member of the International Council for Science (ICSU). She has published widely in her discipline Psychology and on higher education policy matters. Mr Matthew Neuhaus Assistant Secretary, Africa Branch in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Mr Matthew Neuhaus commenced as Assistant Secretary, Africa Branch in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on 27 July 2015. Prior to this, he was the Australian Ambassador to Zimbabwe from January 2011 to March 2015 (accredited also to DRC, Malawi and Zambia). Mr Neuhaus has served in several senior positions in DFAT in Canberra, including as the Head of the Pacific Engagement Taskforce and Head of the Commonwealth

Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Policy Task Force in 2010. He was the Director of the Political Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London 2002-‐2008. His previous postings with DFAT include Kenya (1983-‐1985), Papua New Guinea (1988-‐1989), New York (1991-‐94) and Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria – accredited also to Ghana, Sierra Leone, Senegal and The Gambia (1997-‐2000). He was seconded to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (Senior Adviser, International Division) from 2001-‐2002. Mr Neuhaus has a B.A. (Hons) LLB from the University of Sydney and a Master of Philosophy (International Relations) from the University of Cambridge. He also attended the Harvard University Kennedy School Leaders in Development Program in June 2006, and was a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University in 2015. H.E. Mr Adam McCarthy Australia’s High Commissioner to South Africa Adam McCarthy is Australia’s High Commissioner to South Africa with non-‐resident accreditation to Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Until March 2015, he was Assistant Secretary, Africa Branch and was earlier head of the International Legal Branch. Prior to that Mr McCarthy served as Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Deputy Australian Governor to the Commonwealth from April 2009 until December 2012. During that time he served as the Australian Team Attaché at the London 2012 Paralympics. A senior career DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) officer, Mr McCarthy has previously served overseas as First Secretary (Political) at the Australian High Commission in Wellington (1996-‐99) and Counsellor (Trade Policy) at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC (2002-‐2006). In Canberra, Mr McCarthy has worked in a range of positions primarily in the multilateral, trade, legal and arms control fields, including from 2006-‐2009 as Assistant Secretary, International Legal Branch. After graduating from the University of Sydney with honours degrees in economics and law Mr McCarthy practiced as a solicitor before joining DFAT in 1993. He also holds Graduate Diplomas in Legal Practice (UT) and Foreign Affairs and Trade (Monash) and is admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. Mr McCarthy is married to Nicky with two children, Ella and Benjamin. Professor Paul Johnson Vice-‐Chancellor, The University of Western Australia Prior to his appointment as Vice-‐Chancellor of The University of Western Australia in 2012, Professor Paul Johnson served as Vice-‐Chancellor of La Trobe University in Victoria for four years. Before moving to Australia, Professor Johnson served three years as Deputy Director of the London School of Economics. Professor Johnson received his doctorate from Oxford University in 1982. Professor Johnson has been an expert adviser on pension reform and the economics of demographic change to the World Bank, the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, the British Government and the House of Lords.

He has served on a number of professional councils, learned societies and professional bodies in the UK including the Economic and Social Research Council's Research Grants Board, the Council of the Economic History Society and the Governing Board of the Pensions Policy Institute. Professor Johnson is a director of Venues West, the Western Australian Sports Centre Trust, established by the State government to manage Western Australia’s major state-‐owned sporting facilities. He is also a member of the Council for the Christ Church Grammar School College; and a member of the Advisory Council of the Australian Research Council. He was elected to a Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 1987 and to the Academy of Social Sciences in 2001. H.E. Mrs. Mercy Debrah-‐Karikari Ghana’s High Commissioner To Australia Mrs. Mercy Debrah-‐Karikari presented her credentials to Governor-‐ General Sir Peter Cosgrove AK MC (Retd) in August 2014. A career diplomat, Mrs. Debrah-‐Karikari joined the Ghana Foreign Ministry in 1987, and has served in various capacities in the Africa, Administration, Policy Planning and International Organizations and Conferences Bureaux of the Ministry, as well as Director of the Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for the administration and management of the offices of the Minister and Deputy Minister. She worked at the Ghana Permanent Mission to the United Nations Offices in Geneva as Minister and Deputy Permanent Representative from 2007 to 2011, as Minister-‐Counsellor at the Ghana Embassy in Bonn and Berlin from 2000 to 2004, as Counsellor and Ghana’s delegate on the Second Committee of the United Nations in New York from 1995 to 1998 and as Counsellor and Head of Chancery at the Ghana Embassy in Luanda, Angola from 1994 to 1995. Mrs. Debrah-‐Karikari is also concurrently accredited as High Commissioner to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tonga and Vanuatu. H.E. Mr Andrew Barnes Australia’s High Commissioner to Ghana Mr Barnes is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and is currently High Commissioner for Australia to Ghana and eight other countries in West Africa. He was acting Chargé d’Affaires, Accra (October to December 2015); and previously served overseas as Exchange Officer, Canadian Foreign Ministry (2007-‐2009); and as First Secretary, Stockholm (2000-‐2003). Other positions Mr Barnes has held in DFAT have included Director, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Section (2013-‐2015); Director, Counter Terrorism Activities Section (2010-‐2012); Manager, EU Trade Unit (2005-‐2007); Environment Strategies Section (2003-‐2005); 6 month Short Term Mission as Deputy Director, WA Stat office (2003); North, Central and East Europe Section (1997-‐1999); Trade Finance Section (1992-‐1994); and Advisor, Office of the Minister for Trade and Overseas Development (1990-‐1992). Mr Barnes also took leave without pay from DFAT and served as a World Food Program Field Officer in South Sudan, and Program Manager, Catholic Relief Services, Sudan Program (1995-‐1996).

Mr Barnes holds a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University and has a Graduate Diploma from Stockholm University. H.E. Mr Raoul Patrick Lewis Cavalot Mauritius’ High Commissioner to Australia and New Zealand H.E. Mr Raoul Patrick Lewis Cavalot is the High Commissioner of Mauritius to Australia and New Zealand since December 2014. He was born in Mauritius and studied at College Du St Esprit. His earlier career was in private sector marketing and sales, especially in water engineering and technologies applied to water treatment, pumps and pools. He holds qualifications in engineering, management and marketing. He has engaged for many years in social and political reform to promote equity and justice. He served as a municipal counselor and deputy mayor, as well as being a member of the sports council. He was Chair of Health, Works and Sports committees. He is married and a proud father of a son and a grandfather of two grandchildren. H.E. Ms Susan Coles Australia’s High Commissioner to Mauritius High Commissioner Coles is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and has previously served overseas as Special Advisor at the APEC Secretariat in Singapore, and as First Secretary at the Australian Embassy and Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Vienna. Before commencing as High Commissioner to Mauritius two years ago, High Commissioner Coles was Director of the Department's WTO and Regional Trade Policy Section. High Commissioner Coles holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Adelaide, and, as a Rhodes Scholar, completed a post-‐graduate Bachelor of Civil Laws specialising in International Law at the University of Oxford. She speaks French. Since arriving in Mauritius High Commissioner Coles has focused on strengthening partnerships between Mauritius and Australia in Education; the blue economy; advancing the Indian Ocean Rim Association agenda and gender empowerment and in particular relaunching the Mauritius Australian Alumni Association. H.E. Mr Sibusiso Ndebele The Republic of South Africa’s High Commissioner to Australia His Excellency Mr Sibusiso Ndebele was accredited to Australia as High Commissioner for the Republic of South Africa on 13 May 2015. Born 17 October 1948 in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, Mr Ndebele has an Honours Degree in Development Administration and Politics from the University of South Africa – degree obtained with distinction (1985) -‐ and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Politics and African Politics from the University of South Africa (1983). He holds an Honorary Doctorate in Administration from the University of Zululand and is currently Chancellor of that University. Prior to taking up his present position, he was the Premier of KwaZulu-‐Natal Province (2004-‐2009); Minister of Transport in the National Government (2009-‐2012) and Minister of Correctional Services in the National Government (2012-‐2014).

Mr Ndebele was imprisoned for 10 years (1977-‐1987) on Robben Island for his role in the struggle against Apartheid in South Africa. He is married to Zama Ndebele. They have 3 children. Plenary Session 2 The UN Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education and Research: practical implementation in Africa and Australia Dr John Kirkland Deputy Secretary General, Association of Commonwealth Universities Dr John Kirkland is Deputy Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. He also serves as Executive Secretary of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK, the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission, and the Chevening Secretariat – the UK government’s three main international scholarship schemes. John has 25 years’ experience of higher education management at a senior level, in both developed and developing country contexts. His particular interests include universities and international development, the management of university research, capacity building, and staff and student mobility. He has undertaken consultancy and project work for organisations including the UK Department for International Development (DFID), AUSAID, European Commission, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Commonwealth Secretariat, World Bank, and MasterCard Foundation. Prior to joining the ACU, John was Secretary of the UK National Institute for Economic and Social Research from 1994-‐1999, and Director of the Research Services Bureau at Brunel University from 1988-‐1994. He also obtained his doctorate from Brunel in 1989. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to international scholarships and Commonwealth universities. Professor Peter M. F. Mbithi Vice Chancellor, University of Nairobi Prof. Peter Mulwa Felix Mbithi is the Vice-‐Chancellor, at the University of Nairobi and Professor of Veterinary Surgery, University Of Nairobi (UoN). Born in 1956, Prof. Mbithi graduated from the University of Nairobi (UoN) with a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) in 1983 and MSc. in Clinical Studies in 1985. In 1995, Prof. Mbithi completed his PhD at UoN. Between 1995 and 2003 he was Chairman, Department of Clinical Studies; in 2003 he was elected as the Dean, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine until he was appointed as the Principal, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences in 2004. In 2005 he was competitively appointed as Deputy Vice-‐Chancellor, Administration and Finance, a position he held until 2015. He was competitively appointed as the Vice Chancellor University of Nairobi on January 6, 2015. Professor Romeela Mohee, CSK Vice – Chancellor, University of Mauritius Professor Romeela Mohee is currently the Vice-‐Chancellor of the University of Mauritius. Professor Mohee holds an Engineering Degree in Energy and Environment

from the Grande Ecole d’Ingénieurs, the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon, France, (under a French Scholarship). She was awarded her PhD from the University of Mauritius in collaboration with Clemson University, USA, under a Fulbright Scholarship in 1996. She holds a personal Chair in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. Professor Mohee has spent 22 years as academic at the University of Mauritius. She has held the post of National Research Chair in Solid Waste Management at the Tertiary Education Commission and Mauritius Research Council. She has occupied senior positions of Head of Department, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Pro-‐Vice-‐Chancellor (Academia) and Vice-‐Chancellor at the University of Mauritius as from 13 December 2013 to date. Professor Mohee has further been appointed Member of the Council of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU). Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka holds a BSc Geology from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, MSc Geophysics from Imperial College, London and PhD in Applied Geophysics from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He is a Professor of Applied Geophysics. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science and Fellow Geological Society of London. He served as the Founding President of the West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA). He is currently the Vice-‐Chancellor of the University of Ibadan. Associate Professor Dr Emmanuel Larea Monash University Dr Emmanuel Laryea is an Associate Professor in the Law Faculty, Monash University. He is member of the Monash Centre for Commercial Law and Regulatory studies. Dr Laryea’s teaching and research interest is in International Economic Law and African Development. He is a Supervising Professor on UNCTAD’s IIAs Mapping Project; and member of UNCITRAL’s Panel of Experts on E-‐Commerce Law. He is the author of several publications, including: ‘Implications of the Rise of the BRIC Countries for Africa’, in Vai Io Lo and Mary Hiscock (eds), The Rise of the BRICs in the Global Political Economy: Changing Paradigms?’ (2014) Edward Elgar, 123-‐141; ‘Facilitating Expansion of African International Trade Through Information and Communication Technologies’ (2012) 5(3) African Journal of Legal Studies 219-‐242; “Contractual Arrangements for Resource Investments” in Francis N. Botchway (ed), Natural Resource Investment and Africa’s Development, Edward Elgar, 107-‐133; “Evolution of International Investment Law and Implications for Africa” in Francis N. Botchway (ed), Natural Resource Investment and Africa’s Development, Edward Elgar, 293-‐327He is co-‐editor of International Economic Law: Voices of Africa (2012) and International Economic Law and African Development (2014) both published by Siber Ink, Cape Town, South Africa.

Plenary Session 3 Australia Africa: Priorities in research and innovation for sustainable development Mr David Doepel Chair, Africa Research Group, Murdoch University Chair, Africa Australia Research Forum David has held a number of positions in research management positions at Murdoch University including Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research and Development, Interim CEO of the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, and Director, Research Institute for Resource Technology. Prior to that he served in a variety of roles in the Western Australian Government, including Principal Policy Advisor (Science and the Arts) to the then Premier Alan Carpenter and inaugural Regional Director for the Americas for the Western Australian Trade and Investment Office in Los Angeles. His current research interests include policy settings for structural transformation in an African context, the nexus between the extractive industries and the agricultural sector and farming system innovations. David holds degrees from Murdoch University, the Melbourne College of Divinity and Boston University. Mr Grame Barty Executive Director, International Operations Group, Austrade Grame Barty is the Executive Director, International Operations. As a senior executive with over 30 years of international business and government experience in innovation commercialisation, marketing, trade and investment incorporating with multinationals, foreign companies and government agencies, Grame Barty has a proven ability to translate vision and objectives into innovative strategic plans and lead change across multiple organisations. He has been a successful information technology entrepreneur developing a software product that was sold globally to 15 countries. He started, and grew the company HarvestRoad Limited securing funding through venture capital and an IPO on the Australian Stock Exchange. As a senior executive in Austrade he has influenced and implemented government policy in international trade, developed and marketed new products, negotiated international multiparty agreements, and secured numerous foreign direct investment and collaborative research opportunities, particularly in the information technology, bio-‐fuels, water sustainability and management sectors. He has lived and worked in Germany and the UK and served as Regional Director, Americas based in Los Angeles 2008 to 2011 is currently the Executive Director International responsible for 700 staff across Austrades 80 international posts, its onshore trade teams and Austrades marketing and communications. Professor Kadambot Siddique The University of Western Australia Professor Dr Kadambot Siddique, AM FTSE, CitWA, FNAAS, FAAI, FISPP is the Hackett Professor and Director of The University of Western Australia’s Institute of Agriculture. He has 30 years’ experience in agricultural research, teaching and

management in both Australia and overseas. Professor Siddique has developed a national and international reputation in agricultural science especially in the fields of crop physiology, production agronomy, farming systems, genetic resources, breeding research in cereal, grain and pasture legumes and oilseed crops. Professor Siddique’s publications (more than 350) are considered as key papers in the above fields and are widely cited. Professor Siddique has conducted research on adaptation of crops to water deficits and the phenological, morphological, physiological, biochemical and genetic traits that enable crops to cope with various abiotic stresses. As a result of Professor Siddique’s personal research and with others with whom he collaborates, Australia has become one of the major grain legume exporting nations in the world. His pioneering research on chickpea has contributed enormously to the Australian chickpea industry which is currently valued at more than $500 million per annum. Some key awards: • On April 18, 2016 Professor Kadambot Siddique was designated by FAO as Special

Ambassador for the International Year of Pulses. • In 2015 Professor Siddique was named among the The Knowledge Nation 100 -‐ a

group of Australians named in The Australian newspaper’s The Deal Magazine as the “stars of the Australia innovation constellation”’.

• In 2015 Professor Siddique was elected as the International Fellow of the Indian Society of Plant Physiology (FISPP) and the Foreign Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (FNAAS).

• Professor Siddique was the Western Australian Year of the Award 2014 (Professions Category).

• In 2013 Professor Siddique was honoured with a prestigious Dunhunag Award by China's Gansu Provincial Government. In 2013 Professor Siddique was also elected as a Fellow of the Australian Agricultural Institute (FAAI).

• In 2011 Professor Siddique was made Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

• In 2009 he received a gold medal and citation from the former President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, for his international contribution to agricultural science and education.

• In 2005 he was elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE).

• In 2001, Professor Siddique received the prestigious “Urrbrae Memorial Award” for his contribution to Australian agricultural science and the industry.

Dr Peter Johnston Climate Impacts Researcher, University of Cape Town, South Africa Peter Johnston is a climate scientist at the University of Cape Town. His research focuses on the applications and impacts of climate variability and change on various user sectors. He specialises in agriculture and water related activities with special emphasis on vulnerability and adaptation options. His interests and involvements have taken him to many African countries to learn from and contribute to other water and agricultural adaptive practices to climate change and variability. Current research includes the application of models to determine the financial impacts and sustainable adaptation options for agricultural under climate change scenarios for

commercial and small scale farmers. His latest work is focused on the climate risks and decision-‐making time frames associated with agriculture and food security for Western Cape Department of Agriculture. He is PI of a current AAUN Proposal entitled “Agro-‐diverse farming systems in Africa: potential for improving Food (and Nutritional) Security in the context of climate variability and change” involving parallel case studies in South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Nigeria and Western Australia. He has numerous publications and co-‐authored the South African chapter of Southern African Agriculture and Climate Change, IFPRI, 2013. Professor Petra Tschakert The University of Western Australia Petra Tschakert, Centenary Professor in Rural Development in the School of Earth and Environment and the School of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Western Australia Professor Tschakert is trained as a human-‐environment geographers and conducts research at the intersection of political ecology, climate change adaptation, social-‐ecological resilience, environmental justice, livelihood security, and participatory action research and learning within a development context. Her work explores structural drivers of vulnerability and marginalization, anticipatory learning and flexible planning under climate change, and processes of subject making in resource extraction, mainly in West Africa. She was Coordinating Lead Author on Chapter 13, Livelihoods and Poverty, of the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Working Group II on Impacts, Vulnerability, and Adaptation, and core writing team member for the Summary for Policy Makers, WGII, and the Synthesis Report (2014). She has conducted research on informal mining in Ghana, examining mechanisms of exclusion and recognition of artisanal and unregistered miners as well as mining as a form of land disturbance that contributes to the spread of environmentally-‐induced diseases such as Buruli ulcer, a neglected tropical skin disease of which the mode of transmission remains unknown. Tschakert’s work on informal mining is published in leading academic journals such as Antipode, World Development, Geoforum, Social Science & Medicine, and Resources Policy. Dr Eric Huttner Research Program Manager for Crop Improvement and Management Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) Dr Eric Huttner is Research Program Manager for Crop Improvement and Management at the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. The program aims to increase productivity, sustainability and utilisation of major crops and cropping systems of importance to Australia and developing countries. Dr Huttner graduated from France’s leading agricultural engineering school, Institut National Agronomique and started his career in plant molecular genetics at French public research institute INRA. In 1987, he was one of the first foreign post-‐doctoral fellows hosted by the Chinese Academy of Science at the Institute of Biochemistry in Shanghai, working on rice molecular biology.

Dr Huttner has worked in a range of private companies throughout his career, including founding a start-‐up genetic analysis service company in Canberra where he was producing high-‐density and low-‐cost genetic data for plant breeders and plant scientists worldwide. He has managed public-‐private research initiatives in both Australia and France. He opened and ran a research laboratory at the Australian National University for Groupe Limagrain, a France-‐based multinational seed company. He was a director of Gene Shears, a biotechnology company established by Limagrain and the CSIRO. In France, he was a key member of the team running Genoplante, a plant genomics research initiative supported by the French government and most French seed companies. Mr Richard Slattery MEfDA, The University of Western Australia Richard is an experienced development professional with extensive experience in program management at country and regional levels. He joined UWA as International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC) Deputy Director – Operations and Business Development in 2012, with responsibility for the operational management of the program financial, human and infrastructure resources. He oversaw the development and application of the strategic framework, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of program activities. On conclusion of the IM4DC program, Richard has assumed the lead role for UWA coordination of MEfDA activities. Prior to joining UWA, Richard was based in Papua New Guinea as a Development Specialist for AusAID’s Sub National Program where his work was focused on Papua New Guinea’s decentralised system of government, administration and service provision. Other roles with AusAID have included working as a Provincial Program Specialist where he was responsible for establishing the AusAID office in Provincial Papua New Guinea. He has also worked with a number of units within AusAID including the Strategic Policy and Coordination Unit and the Civil Society Unit. In these roles, Richard was closely involved with liaising with local stakeholders and developing, managing and monitoring development assistance activities. Afternoon Session: Research and Higher Education Priorities Workshop Dr David Mickler The University of Western Australia Dr David Mickler is a Lecturer in Foreign Policy and International Relations at the University of Western Australia (UWA). At UWA he holds the positions of Chair, Political Science and International Relations discipline, and Coordinator, UWA Africa Research Cluster. He teaches classes on international security; peace and security in Africa; and the international politics of Africa. David is also Co-‐Chair of the WUN Global Africa Group, Co-‐Editor of the Australasian Review of African Studies, and Convenor of the 39th annual conference of the African Studies Association of Australasia and the Pacific (UWA, 5-‐7 Dec 2016). Dr Mickler was previously a Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Melbourne and a Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. His research examines both the African Union as a regional governance

organisation and contemporary Australia-‐Africa relations. Dr Mickler’s publications include New Engagement: Contemporary Australian Foreign Policy Towards Africa (co-‐edited with T. Lyons, Melbourne University Press 2013) and The African Union: Addressing the Challenges of Peace, Security and Governance (co-‐authored with S. Makinda and F. W. Okumu, 2nd ed, Routledge 2015). His current research project examines the relationships between stakeholder engagement and legitimacy in the African Union. Professor Fhumulani Mavis Mulaudzi University of Pretoria Fhumulani Mavis Mulaudzi is the head of the Department of Nursing science at the University of Pretoria. She completed her doctoral studies at the University of South Africa in 2004 and has held teaching positions at the University of South Africa, University of North West and University of Pretoria. Based on her contribution in nursing scholarship, she is also one of the founder members of the fellows of Academy of nursing In South Africa (ANSA). Prof Mulaudzi is a preeminent international scholar in the field of Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS) and Healing as it is applied to nursing science. She has chosen IKS as her research focus and has contributed significantly to the advancement of IKS in health care. She is known among her peers as an advocate and a pioneer of Indigenous knowledge, She is currently advocating for mainstreaming of the healing traditions in the nursing curriculum. In a relatively short time, she has contributed a much needed perspective on the integration of Ubuntu philosophy and indigenous healing from which many nurses around the globe have benefitted through her keynotes addresses in esteemed international nursing conferences. She has also been instrumental in assisting in the development of the international Bamboo Bridge community, an international community of nurses dedicated to the development of integrative nursing practice, scholarship, and community programs based on a philosophical foundation of cultural diplomacy. Her International work on healing traditions was also acknowledged by the World Health Organization in 2009. She received an award as a runner-‐up for the distinguished women in Science (Indigenous Knowledge System 2011) for her outstanding contribution to building South Africa’s scientific and research knowledge base. She is the Chairperson of the Forum for University Nursing Departments in South Africa (FUNDISA) She is a member of the CSIR ethics committee. She served as a board member of the Indigenous knowledge system of South Africa trust (IKSSA) from 2005. Professor Maano Ramutsindela The University of Cape Town Maano Ramutsindela is Professor in the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at the University of Cape Town, and is the current Co-‐Chair of WUN Global Africa Group. A geographer by training, Ramutsindela held the Distinguished Hubert H Humphrey Chair of International Studies at Macalester College (St Paul, Minnesota) and the Mandela Mellon Fellow of W.E.B. Institute, Harvard University. He has researched and published widely on the evolution, implementation and consequences of peace parks. He used the empirics of peace

parks to test theories of borders and scale, to understand the trajectory of regional integration in Africa, and to contribute to international literature on micro-‐regions and the society-‐nature relations. His current research is on transfrontier regionalism and the political ecology of land. His most recent books are Land Reform in South Africa: An Uneven Transformation (Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) (with Brent McCusker and Bill Moseley), and The Politics of Nature and Science in Southern Africa (Basel: Basler Afrika Bibliographien, 2016) (edited with Giorgio Miescher and Melanie Boehi). Discussants: Mr Jemal Beker Abdula Minister Counsellor for Economic Diplomacy Ethiopian Embassy, Canberra, Australia Mr Jemal Beker is the Minister Counsellor for Economic Diplomacy at the Ethiopian Embassy in Canberra, Australia since July 2014. He began his diplomatic career in 2009 working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. Previously he has held the roles of International Organization Officer (2009-‐2010), Consular Service Officer (2011-‐2012), Public Diplomacy Communication Officer (2012-‐2013) and Director of Middle East (2013-‐2014) in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia. Prior to his diplomatic career, he worked as Conflict Resolution and Community Participation Officer of Somali & Oromia Regional State (2006-‐2008), Technical Vocational and Training Chief Consultant of Somali Regional State Technical and Vocational Institute (2005-‐2006) and Programme Coordinator for Somali Regional State Women Affairs (2004-‐2005). Mr Beker holds a Bachelor’s Degree of Education in English from Alemaya University of Ethiopia and a Master’s Degree of Arts with Merit in Transformational Leadership and Change from University of Greenwich, United Kingdom. Professor Samuel Kwame Offei Pro Vice-‐Chancellor, University of Ghana Prof S. Kwame Offei was appointed the Pro Vice-‐Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs in August 2014 in the University of Ghana -‐Legon. He is a Professor of Molecular Plant Virology and holds a BSc in Agriculture from the University of Ghana, MPhil in Plant Virology and a PhD in Molecular Virology from the Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, University of London. His research areas have focused on analysis of plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses, development of molecular diagnostic probes for plant microbes, and integration of biological and social science in the implementation of research. He has demonstrated a sustained high level of professional excellence and contribution to knowledge in his field of expertise through innovative research. In his work history at the University of Ghana, Prof Offei has held key administrative positions in the University of Ghana. These include, Head of the Biotechnology Centre, Associate Director for the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, Dean of School of Agriculture, and Provost for the College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences. He served as the foundation Provost for College of Basic and Applied Sciences in 2013 to oversee the establishment of the new College under the University of Ghana Collegiate system. On international platforms, he has engaged

with many international organisations as a resource person in the development and dissemination of biological technologies. He has consulted extensively for a number of international organizations including; the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), United States Aid for International Development (USAID), Department for International Development (DFID), the United Nations University, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-‐EU (CTA), and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD), among others. Prof Offei is committed to supporting the consolidation of structures and programs which will position the University of Ghana as a world class research university. A university devoted to excellence in scholarship, creativity among its students and the promotion of a strong intellectual and collegial community where staff and students can realize their aspirations and take advantage of the opportunities afforded by a world class university. Professor Deborah Sweeney Pro Vice-‐Chancellor, Western Sydney University Professor Deborah Sweeney is the Pro Vice-‐Chancellor Research and Innovation at Western Sydney University. She provides leadership and guidance to achieve the University’s strategic priorities for research and innovation and focusses on quality assurance and enhancement. In addition, she is responsible for supporting the research portfolios within the Schools and Institutes. Deborah joined Western Sydney in 2009 as the Director of Research for the College of Health and Science and has more than 20 years’ experience in research and research management. She received her Bachelor of Optometry from UNSW in 1980, subsequently joining the Cornea & Contact Lens Research Unit within the School of Optometry, UNSW. Since completing her PhD in 1992, she has held various executive roles within the Cornea and Contact Lens Research Unit and Vision CRC and its predecessor the CRC for Eye Research and Technology, including five years as Chief Executive Officer of Vision CRC. Deborah is a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry. Her major research area has been corneal physiology, and her work has been instrumental in developing an understanding of the physiology of the human cornea and the effects of contact lens wear and refractive surgery on corneal function characteristics and the development of alternative forms of vision correction. Deborah has published over 100 refereed articles and several book chapters, and is a co-‐inventor on two patents. In 2015 Deborah was awarded the Ruben Medal by the International Society for Contact Lens Research, for to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the field of contact lens-‐related research. Professor Prem Ramburuth President of the Academic Board, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Prem Ramburuth is President of the Academic Board at UNSW Australia and Professor in International Business. Her previous positions include Associate Dean Education, Associate Dean Undergraduate Programs, Head of School of Management and Foundation Director of the Business School’s Education Development Centre. Prem researches and teaches in Cross-‐Cultural and Diversity Management in Business

and Higher Education, and is the recipient of four national and international teaching excellence awards. She has published extensively in International Business and Higher Education journals and is on the editorial board of the Academy of Management Learning and Education, Journal of Multicultural Education, International Journal of Emerging Economies and Chinese Management Studies. She has engaged in capacity building and training in Africa (South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda) and Asia (India, Vietnam, Malaysia), and has been an organizer of the biennial Leadership and Management Studies in Sub Sahara Africa Conference. She is committed to addressing issues of equity, diversity and inclusivity, and is a member of the Asia Pacific Women in Leadership Group, UNSW Academic Women in Leadership Program and Women on Boards. She has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Durban-‐Westville and University of Cape Town (South Africa), VNU Hanoi Business School, VNU International University, University of Colorado (Denver), University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Malaysia, and has engaged in projects and forums with the South African High Commission in Canberra. Dr Muza Gondwe MEfDA, The University of Western Australia Dr Muza Gondwe is the Alumni Co-‐ordinator at the Minerals and Energy for Development Alliance (MEfDA). MEfDA (formerly International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC) is a partnership of The University of Western Australia and The University of Queensland, MEfDA facilitates an integrated program of capacity building on resource governance for emerging economies. Muza is responsible for coordinating activities of the Mining and Energy for Development global community, maintaining ongoing alumni engagement through [m4dlink.org] M4DLink, the online community of practice; following up alumni return to work plans and providing alumni with further opportunities for training and capacity building. Previously she has worked as a Research Associate and Lecturer in the Science Communication Program at The University of Western Australia where she also received her PhD in Science Communication. Muza has also worked as a Lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Malawi; the Managing Editor for World Health Organization’s TropIKA.net and for HIV/AIDS community based organisations in Malawi and the Caribbean. Ian Satchwell Senior Fellow, Perth USAsia Centre Between 2011 and 2015, Ian Satchwell was Director of the International Mining for Development Centre (IM4DC), a joint venture between The University of Western Australia and The University of Queensland, supported by the Australian Government. The Centre provided practical research, advisory, education and training services to resource-‐rich developing nations to support development of strong mining governance regimes. African nations and their institutions made up a major group of partners of IM4DC. Ian has 30 years of experience in mineral and energy economics, policy and strategy, advising industry and government on resources policy and development, infrastructure planning, regional development, education and research interactions, and trade and investment opportunities. He has a strong track record in devising

policies, strategies and programs to achieve shared objectives in Australia and other nations. Ian is also an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow in the Energy and Minerals Institute, based at UWA, and an Adjunct Professor in the Sustainable Minerals Institute at UQ. He is a member of the Advisory Council to the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute, and an Associate Member of the Business Advisory Council to the UN Economic & Social Commission for Asia & the Pacific. Associate Professor Grace Liu PhD Regional Development Manager, AAUN/WUN Associate Professor Grace Liu is the Regional Development Manager of the WUN (Worldwide Universities Network) and AAUN (Australia and Africa Universities Network). She manages the strategic development and operations of the WUN Global China Group, assists in the research development of the Africa Groups, including research programs and partnerships, conferences and workshops, team building and resources. She assists the Executive Director in developing high-‐level relationships with key stakeholders from universities, government, business and agencies, to identify and implement opportunities for collaboration. Grace was awarded her PhD in Chinese Ancient Literature and Bibliography from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Beijing (CASS). She worked in Chinese Universities teaching undergraduate and masters students in Chinese traditional literature and bibliography, and carried out research in Chinese ancient literature, culture and language before she moved to Australia. Amongst her publications, several articles on literature and history are in eminent Chinese academic journals. She received academic awards from the Shandong government and Education Department for her research achievements. Grace is currently preparing to publish her book on the influence of leading aristocratic families on the style of Chinese Medieval Literature.

AAUN Annual Forum 2016 -‐ Speakers’ Abstracts of Speech Opening Plenary Session 1: Australia Africa: Knowledge Partnerships Opening address: Professor Cheryl de la Rey, Vice Chancellor, University of Pretoria Plenary Session 2 The UN Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education and Research: practical implementation in Africa and Australia Dr John Kirkland (Keynote speaker) Deputy Secretary-‐General, Association of Commonwealth Universities The exclusion of any reference to higher education in the Millennium Development Goals proved damaging to universities both the developing and countries. Not only was direct investment in universities held back, but international collaborative schemes for research collaboration, student mobility and scholarships were much reduced. By the time that new Sustainable Development Goals were announced to supersede the MDG’s, in September 2015, many individual governments had recognised the flaws in this approach. However, formal SDG recognition of the role that higher education plays remains critical setting future agendas. The Association of Commonwealth Universities was one of several organisations to campaign actively on this issue, presenting the results of its high profile ‘2015 campaign’ directly to Commonwealth Education Ministers at their 2015 conference. The SDG’s announced in September 2015 go some way to meeting our concerns. The 17 defined goals and 169 accompanying targets do not give higher education and universities the profile that they deserve – however Target 4 (dealing with education) talks about education at all levels, and clearly relates to higher as well as other sectors of education in areas such as generating employment, developing a future supply of teachers, gender equality and provision of scholarships. Although not specifically mentioned in this context, universities also have a key role to play in meeting several of the wider SDG targets. In short, the SDG’s provide both an opportunity to higher education to demonstrate its value, but a threat that our contribution will continue to go unrecognised if we do not do this effectively. How can universities respond to this challenge? This presentation will suggest a three pronged approach, under the following headings: • Meeting the Targets – providing evidence that targets are being met in those

areas where higher education is specifically challenged to do so, and developing strategic partnerships with governments in making national submissions

• Providing the Infrastructure – targets are only attributed to higher education on a small number of areas. However the importance of our work is much wider than this – in meeting targets across a wide range of policy areas. Building the evidence base for this is critical to ensuring stronger recognition in future SDG exercises and revision.

• Developing Strong Relationships – the strong international bonds that already exist throughout higher education make universities well placed to deliver the effective collaboration sought by the SDG’s. However the nature of those relationships should not be taken for granted. The presentation will briefly consider what could be done to ensure that the vast number of relationships that exist are durable and effective, and what steps policy makers at both university and government level can take to support this process.

********* Practical implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Higher Education and Research in Africa Professor Peter Mbithi Vice Chancellor, University of Nairobi Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advance the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which made a transition in September 2015. The SDGs capture all critical aspects of human development and related environment with each goal requiring knowledge generation through research and engagement of stakeholders. This calls for knowledge societies with higher learning institutions acting as a source of knowledge and link to industry through innovation. Consequently, the paper will focus on five critical interventions which higher education and research institutions in Africa need to focus on in order to effectively contribute to the implementation of the SDGs. The paper further provides reflections on what is required to achieve the proposed interventions before making conclusions. Generation of new knowledge and innovations is not new to higher learning and research institutions in Africa. Sustainable development which is global framework for sustaining the earth and its living content, including human beings has been a concern of education and research for many years, with the year 2005 – 2014 dedicated by the United Nations to education for sustainable development. However, the deficit in this focus lies in limited generation of relevant education and research outputs and ensuring the uptake of the same in industry, and communities, and hence the focus of this paper on implementation of SDGs. Practical implementation of the SDGs in higher education and research in Africa require five critical interventions: (1) continual examination of higher learning curriculums to ensure that knowledge being generated and imparted to higher learning graduates respond to SDGs and related targets; (2) re-‐orienting research programs to focus on SDGs; (3) Enhanced partnership and collaboration with industry and policy makers in setting research agenda for effective implementation of SDGs; (4) Supporting industry and governments in designing monitoring and evaluation programs for implementation of SDGs; and (5) embedding student

internship programs in industry and communities for synergy in knowledge generation, sharing of innovations and learning for sustainable development. The proposed interventions require radical changes in higher learning and research institutions which have been known to be islands of knowledge with minimal link to industry and communities. In Africa, the situation is intensified by limited resources which affect transformation of ideas into practical interventions for human development and preservation of the environment. This has seen Africa churning out graduates with degrees but with limited abilities of providing practical solutions to development challenges. Sustainable development requires a shift in how education is structured and imparted, and calls for innovations in development processes, practices and products, a task which can best to championed by higher learning and research institutions. Meeting the targets of the 17 SDGs requires knowledge, innovation, and learning which are best offered through higher education and research. Therefore, the African continent needs to dedicate resources not only to education and research, but also to incubation of ideas, innovation and research uptake. ********* The Role of Higher Education in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: A Case Study at the University of Mauritius Professor Dr Romeela Mohee, CSK Vice Chancellor, University of Mauritius Higher Education Institutions can act as powerful agents of change to develop new pathways towards more sustainable practices and lead to achieve the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals. Since Higher Education (HE) are platforms where independent and free thinking research and exchange of ideas are provided, they have the potential to address the sustainability challenges, through their curriculum to reach students, through research to adopt tools to assess environmental impacts and conduct modelling, simulation and forecasting studies and above all to engage with all stakeholders (including policy makers and the community) to create awareness and move towards a new society embracing fully the concept of sustainability. The present study focuses on the potential of the University of Mauritius to contribute substantially and actively to the achievement of the SDGs. HEI have not been insensible to change, and the University of Mauritius has transformed itself to embrace new technologies and strives today to ensuring that its agenda, the UoM Strategic Plan 2015-‐2020, incorporates the very spirit behind that of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. UoM engages itself fully to promote knowledge creation and dissemination through research and innovative teaching while responding to the developmental needs of the country and the global community. Several initiatives such as deployment of 66 Wifi access points and the use of photovoltaic plates on the campus are already in place. The University of Mauritius has recently set up of the Knowledge Transfer Office, which is a vehicle to ensure that knowledge gained translates into positive impacts on the Mauritian society. Sustainable community engagement is also one of the main strategic

directions of the University. With over 66 Wi-‐Fi access points already deployed through the campus, academics, non-‐academics and students alike benefit from state of the art communication infrastructure, all connected by fibre optic cable. In an era of global challenges such as Climate Change and Economic Uncertainties, the University of Mauritius has redoubled its efforts to achieving economic prosperity in a green and sustainable environment. In 2014, the Faculty of Ocean Studies was set up, in line with the Government’s goal to developing the ocean economy and at the same time protecting our oceans and taking the sustainable use of our marine resources to the next level. The reach of HEI and their contribution in achieving Sustainable Goals is manifold, and the University of Mauritius has strengthened its partnerships over the years with local, regional (especially in the African context) and international organisations, whether private sector firms, parastatal bodies and other HEI. Amongst the future projects of the University, the setting up of a Faculty of Digital Technology and ICT Engineering is in the pipeline to facilitate capacity building in the fields related to achieving the digital related targets of the SDG. This paper explores opportunities and identifies means of interaction for the University of Mauritius to act as an agent for change in the quest of meeting the SDGs by 2030, which will be very relevant from an African perspective. ********* Repositioning Public Universities in Sub-‐Saharan Africa Professor Abel Idowu Olayinka Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria The need for developmental and entrepreneurial universities in many parts of Sub-‐Saharan Africa cannot be over-‐emphasized. On the other hand, the region makes only very negligible contribution to global knowledge production. Some of the contemporary issues that affect teaching and research on a sustainable basis include access; cost; equity and quality. Some of the challenges include poor funding and lack of financial autonomy. There is generally an overdependence on government for funding. There are often difficulties in securing new sources of internally generated revenue. Rapid developments in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have implications for course delivery, research, administration, knowledge management and information dissemination. Ranking of universities is being increasingly used by Universities to define their performance, global reputation and status, whilst students use them to choose their future place of study and research. Internationalisation of teaching (including curriculum) and research and cross-‐border mobility of students and faculty are very crucial. Some of the causes of the poor status of the universities in Sub-‐Saharan Africa include: Weak financial budgeting and management. The academic and research programmes have limited connect with the government and industry and other stakeholders; Poor staff mix compounded by ageing academic staff and difficulty in attracting, supporting, developing and retaining fresh talents; Ageing problem which translates to continual exit of experienced staff; Inability to attract foreign staff and students; Unstable academic calendar; Relatively weak capacity for innovation in

fund raising; Inadequate teaching and research facilities for staff and students; A conservative, slow decision-‐making system and outdated bureaucracy; Poor communication mechanism with both internal and external stakeholders; Inadequate provision of municipal services, especially electricity and water supply; Limited ICT infrastructure and deployment to support academic and administrative functions. Government subvention may be reduced, or static at best. Government policies and priorities may change and these may affect institutional autonomy and academic freedom; Licensing of new private Universities may lead to exodus of academic staff who are made tempting offers. There has to be a huge commitment to interdisciplinary research and capacity building. There is an urgent need for a balanced mixture of revenue streams, a tradition of entrepreneurship, and responsible stewardship of its resources. The global network of highly accomplished and loyal and supportive alumni/alumnae has to be cultivated deliberately. Leveraging on ICT, open distance learning should be deepened that offers access to many undergraduate and postgraduate students. ********* Australia-‐Africa-‐China Synergies Associate Professor Emmanuel Laryea Monash University Blessed with immense natural resources and population, Africa has for some time been seen as source of resources and potential for markets. With its population projected to reach two billion by 2050, and relatively high economic growth in some of its economies, the continent is of increasing importance in global geo-‐political and economic importance. Currently, however, Africa remains largely impoverished, deprived, and underdeveloped as Africa despite its rich endowment of resources. Africa needs investment in almost all sectors—from infrastructure to technology, technical capacity building, and improved governance and systems. While these needs have been there for long time, the current situation on the continent and the global geo-‐political and economic climate presents unique opportunities to Africa and its development partners for mutual benefits. Both China and Australia are not only positioned to partner with Africa, they are engaging with economies on the continent variously. China has significantly increased its engagement with Africa, becoming Africa’s largest trading partner since 2009. China initiated a new Sino-‐African relationship that has resulted in exponential growth in its trade and investment flows with the continent: trade between Sub-‐Saharan Africa and China rose from just $10 billion in 2001 to $35 billion in 2005, 106.8 billion in 2009, $160 billion in 2011 and $3.1 billion in 2013. China’s engagement with the continent has had different foci over time, from the Maoist era’s revolutionary relations and ‘friendship’ projects, to the current phase of investment and infrastructure development. The massive ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative includes Africa. While oil and other extractive industries remain the

sectors of great interest to Chinese investors, there is increased interest in financial services, construction and manufacturing, and technical and higher education. Australia is an influential, established and widely respected middle power in the international community. Besides Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser emphasizing Africa in foreign policy and foreign aid in the late 1970s, Australia only had limited political, diplomatic, economic and military relations with Africa. Australia’s renewed interest in Africa started with the Rudd government in the late 2000s. Its interest in the African resources sector has increased rapidly since then. Australian mining firms have invested over $65 billion in Africa over the past seven years. Australia’s mining companies have more projects on the African continent than any continent, other than Australia, in the world. After years of focussing its aid on the Pacific and Southeast Asia, the Australian government has sought to spend a lot more on Africa in various areas. These has included the African Awards Scholarship (AAS) and Australian Development Research Awards Scheme (ADRAS) was extended to Africa. Both Australia and China are, largely, welcome actors on the African continent. Australia represents Western values without the burden of being viewed as a competitive force against China. China is a non-‐Western rising power, while Australia is seen as a Western middle power. While the modes of engagement of China and Australia with Africa may differ, as are their focus and particular areas of interests, there are synergies and complementarities. There synergies and complementarities is the focus of this presentation. ********* Plenary Session 3 Australia Africa: Priorities in research and innovation for sustainable development Australia and Africa – Competitive Advantages Grame Barty (Keynote speaker) Executive Director, International Operations Group, Austrade Australia’s commercial opportunity view of Africa is mostly limited to the energy and resources sector with some small growth recently in education services delivery. There are many well understood factors that impact on operating in Africa and in general there are no obvious compelling reasons for the wider Australian business community to engage in Africa in the same way they have more recently and substantially moved into Asia, the Middle East or the Americas. The two new rising stars in the global economy are Iran and Argentina – why is this and why not a country in Africa? An opportunity exists for Africa with Australia as a partner – and differentiated from other countries currently operating in Africa -‐ to participate in the rapidly emerging digital economy with the skilling of ‘learners’ as one of the key enablers and Barty

explains how the region can identify its unique characteristics for economic development and growth. ********* Pulses: solutions to human health and cropping systems sustainability Hackett Professor Dr Kadambot Siddique The University of Western Australia, Australia and UN FAO Special Ambassador for the International Year of the Pulses 2016 Introduction Pulses or grain legumes (edible seeds of leguminous plants) include dry beans, field pea, chickpea, lentil, mung bean, pigeonpea, urd bean and several other minor ones. As per the FAO definition, the term ‘pulses’ excludes grain legumes used for oil extraction (soybean and peanut). Current global pulse production is about 76 million tonnes. Pulses are rich in nutrients important for a healthy diet and relevant to several chronic non-‐communicable diseases. Pulses are currently underused in comparison to cereals (rice, wheat and maize) despite the known benefits to agricultural productivity, sustainability and human health. Unlike cereal and oil seed crops, pulses can symbiotically fix nitrogen, leading to significant advantages for agricultural sustainability, both in developing and developed countries. The United Nations declared 2016 as the International Year of Pulses under the banner ‘nutritious seeds for a sustainable future’. Yet, pulses are a minor component of most human diets at present. Food security and soil fertility could significantly improve with greater pulse usage and crop improvement in a range of pulses. Food security and nutrition are a key international development objective under the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG2) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As 2016 is the first year of implementation of the Agenda, the International Year of Pulses will also link the contribution of pulses to critical targets under SDG2, particularly those on food access, malnutrition, smallholder incomes, and sustainable and resilient agriculture. Pulse crops will only achieve a competitive advantage if their profitability to the farmer is similar to or exceeds that of the dominant cereal crops. To date, pulses have received limited attention from policymakers and governments despite their multiple benefits. The current level of research and development funding for pulses is low and unstable. A recent global survey shows an investment of US$175 million per annum for the 13 pulse crops, a trifling amount compared to the billions of dollars invested in the three major cereal crops each year (Murrell, 2016). Many underused pulse crops are already an essential source of vitamins, micronutrients and protein for vast areas of the developing world and, thus, a valuable component for nutritional security. More enduring partnerships need to be established between national and international research bodies, non-‐government organisations, community-‐based organisations and commercial entities interacting with farmers. Only then can we expect that smallholder farmers will practically implement the extensive knowledge we have so far to increase the production of

and consumption of pulses. Let us produce and consume more pulses in our diet in the International Year of Pulses 2016. ********* Agriculture and Food and Nutrition Security: Climate Risk and challenges Dr Peter Johnston Climate Impacts Researcher, University of Cape Town, South Africa Many studies indicate that a warming climate has a negative effect on crop production and generally reduces yields of staple cereals such as wheat, rice, and maize. Climate-‐related disasters (including droughts, floods and storms) are among the main drivers of food insecurity, as the destruction of crops, arable soil and infrastructure has long lasting implications, especially in less resilient communities. Other links in the food chain from production to consumption are sensitive to climate but such impacts are much less well known. In the short to medium term agriculture faces highly variable climates. The 2015/16 growing season in Southern African was devastated by an El Nino induced drought. Forewarned is forearmed, and several warnings were issued about the high probability of drought. Nevertheless, the impacts of grain and pasture shortages are still being felt with increased food shortages and corresponding high commodity prices. To minimise these secondary impacts, a holistic approach is required, that includes the entire value chains. The dissemination and uptake of useful climate information (from short to long term) is a priority in SSA where agricultural dependence is very high. The skill of seasonal forecasts is limited by the stochastic nature of the atmosphere, but despite this there are certain advantages to be gained from drought warnings whether or not the impacts are over (or under) estimated. A concerted effort is required to advance the 3 aspects involved:

• Production of skilful forecasts • Dissemination of the products • Training in interpretation and application

When farmers, and other value chain actors, are empowered to make better informed decisions, they are in a much better position to build resilience to climate risk. It must be understood, though, that there are many other risk factors at play. The impact of climate risk, variability and change on Food and Nutritional security cannot be viewed in isolation and must be seen in the context of all the appropriate other risks (as reflected in the SDGs). ********* Dr Eric Huttner Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) is the agricultural research arm of the Australian government official development assistance program. It promotes Australia’s national interest by contributing to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction in developing countries of the

Indo Pacific region and Eastern Africa, through research projects developing agricultural innovations and local research skills. The Centre supports research partnerships between developing country scientists and Australian scientists or research teams from international research centres in the four areas of crops, livestock and fisheries, natural resources and forestry, and socioeconomics and policy. ACIAR’s research agenda underpins the Australian government development policy by promoting the role of the private sector and the empowerment of women. The Crop Improvement and Management Program of ACIAR supports targeted agronomic and varietal innovations for wheat, sorghum, pulses and mungbean. I will present examples of relevant activities and opportunities in East Africa and South Asia. I will explore how the international response to the African epidemic of wheat stem rust strain Ug99 can provides guidance to address the newly emerged wheat blast disease in Bangladesh, a potential threat to the wheat crop of the Eastern Gangetic Plains. Opportunities for crop improvement offered by recent developments in genetics will also be discussed, and the need to facilitate and protect the flow of genetic resources between researchers of collaborating countries will be outlined. ********* Australia Africa: Competitive Advantages in research and innovation Richard Slattery MEfDA, The University of Western Australia The Minerals and Energy for Development Alliance, MEfDA, (www.mefda.org.au) is a partnership of The University of Western Australian and The University of Queensland. MEfDA builds on the work of its predecessor the International Mining for Development Centre. It works to engage, develop and empower individuals, coalitions and institutions so that communities and emerging economies benefit through minerals and energy stewardship. We are primarily a capacity development alliance enabling the sharing of tailored knowledge, skills, analysis and networks. We see research as a core part of our program. Australia, and particularly in Western Australia, we have an economy built on the resource sector. Beyond our economy, the resource sector has also shaped parts of the fabric that create our society. Many parts of Africa share this heritage of the resource sector as a building block of economies and shaper of social fabric. As Africa grows to be a dominate player in our region in the next generations, resources will continue to drive economies and in turn influence social fabric. These shared economic drivers and social influences form the premise for the Australia Africa competitive advantages in research and innovation. We see this illustrated when we look at MEfDA’s core capabilities against the result areas for the African Mineral Development Centre’s (AMDC) focus to support the African Mining Vision (AMV) – the AMV is the African Union’s vision to create a “Transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-‐based sustainable growth and socio-‐economic development”. MEfDA identifies core capabilities offered as: environment and sustainability; regional development;

communities and social impact; governance, economics and law; leadership and management; occupational health and safety; and, geoscience and exploration. AMDC’s key result areas are: policy and licensing; geological and mining information systems; governance and participation; artisanal and small-‐scale mining (ASM); linkages, investment and diversification; building human and institutional capacities; and, communication and advocacy. Our learning from our experience is that Australia can offer to share knowledge, research and experience in a positive and beneficial way for Africa. It is also true that there is demand in Africa for these contributions and that Australia has credibility to provide it. However the real benefits are those generated in the process of partnerships that build on the sharing of knowledge, skills and networks. It is in this process of partnership where collaborations are formed enabling the tailoring and localisation of knowledge, skills and networks; frontiers for new knowledge are opened up and accessed; and, learning occurs about what contributes to change, good practice and new innovation. It is partnerships that leverage integrated empowerment process. MEfDA has identified examples of this through our experience including through delivering Emerging Leaders in African Mining (ELAM) short courses; and, facilitating the African Resource Negotiation Network (ARNN). MEfDA, as a global program, sees this comparative advantage more than just Australia and Africa. These Australia and Africa partnerships have a valuable contribution to make globally, and new learning to gain through this process. ********* UNSW Africa Engagement Professor Prem Ramburuth University of New South Wales (UNSW) The UNSW 2025 Strategy has identified three pillars to deliver its strategic priorities: Academic Excellence, Social Engagement and Global Impact. It will deliver its engagement in Africa under ‘Global Impact’ and accompanying Institute for Global Development. The Institute will coordinate global partnership and development initiatives in Uganda, Myanmar and the South Pacific (Fiji) in its first phase. This abstract outlines the current initiatives explored specifically in at Makerere University in Kampala and Gulu University in the far north of Uganda (established in 2003). UNSW has had a relationship with the broader community in Uganda via the President and Vice Chancellor’s establishment of a Women’s Health Initiative (cervical cancer screening) since 2005. It now seeks to broaden the engagement through knowledge exchange, joint research, education, program development in strategic areas, training and capacity building, scholarships, staff and student exchange, community initiatives and resources.

At Makerere University: UNSW Optometry will expand its links with the Brian Holden Vision Institute and deliver Uganda’s first undergraduate degree optometry program at Makerere University’s Optometry Clinic, including optometry teaching placements, engagement with the laboratories and quality assurance of the new program. At Gulu University: UNSW will collaborate to deliver a range of research, education/teaching and community outreach initiatives in areas including but not limited to: • A Transformative Research Training Program for Academic Staff, encompassing

initiatives in collaborative research projects across the disciplines, pathways for PhD completion, visiting research fellowships, research mentoring, research writing and skills development, conference organisation and establishment of research centre and journal (in collaboration with Makerere University and UNSW School of Management)

• A Transformative Teaching Program for Academic Staff including access to UNSW’s Foundation of University Learning and Teaching (FULT) Program to be completed in online modules (leading to formal credentials and qualifications), teaching exchange programs, curriculum development in existing and emerging areas, e-‐teaching and e-‐learning and establishing teaching quality measures.

• Joint Community Transformation (Health) Program including initiatives in community outreach such as research in the general areas of communicable and non-‐communicable diseases and specific areas to be identified, medical education, research clusters (in Gulu, in Uganda, at UNSW), and community based projects such as mobile clinics (screening in remote areas).

• Joint Community Transformation (Non-‐Health) Program working with and adding to a research agenda commenced at Gulu University’s Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies (IPSS) that could include the areas of transitional justice, gender-‐based violence, post-‐conflict trauma, and peace and conflict studies, implemented in collaboration with the Faculties of Arts & Social Science, Law and Medicine at UNSW.

• Student Mobility and Learning A UNSW/Gulu Summer School to provide comprehensive, immersive experiences for undergraduate students that could include scholarships, formal courses, practicum experiences, internships, placements in the IPSS and Medical Outreach programs at Gulu, local business organisations or the Legal Centre and Business School at UNSW. These are current initiatives explored in recent workshops at Gulu University and Makerere University. UNSW aims to expand the areas of research and engagement, drawing on its strengths, for example, in areas of climate science, energy, water, sustainability, engineering etc. to contribute to development in Africa and collaboratively creating a better world for all!

AAUN Forum 2016-Combined Speakers' Bios & Abstracts(27...

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