International Conference "Voices of the Global South" 27-29 June 2018
Are you interested in the development of innovative technology solutions to advance inclusive social and economic development in the Global South?
The UNESCO Chair in Technologies for Development hosted by the Cooperation & Development Center (CODEV) at EPFL is pleased to announce the 5th International Conference on Technologies for Development (Tech4Dev 2018) taking place from 27-29 June 2018 at the SwissTech Convention Center.
Tech4Dev 2018 offers you the opportunity to:
- Present your research at a unique multidisciplinary conference focused on innovative technology for social impact in the Global South.
- Network across disciplines and fields of technology, to promote the development, deployment, adaptation, and scaling of new solutions for the Global South.
- Identify opportunities for collaboration with diverse stakeholders – academics, students, engineers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, practitioners, and social scientists – interested in technological innovation in the Global South.
- Participate in the conference’s fabulous social event that will take place in the Lavaux Vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Conference in a Nutshell: Voices of the Global South
Tech4Dev 2018 puts the challenges and the potential of the Global South in the center of the discussion. Even though the Sustainable Development Goals apply globally, the needs in terms of access to health and financial services, functioning education systems and sustainable urban and natural ecosystems are undeniably more significant in the Global South. In this perspective, it is crucial to listen to and support stakeholders from the regions who are facing these challenges.
Tech4Dev 2018 is particularly interested in bringing into focus the value of technological innovation, while also acknowledging the limits of technology in generating inclusive social and economic development in the Global South. Tech4Dev 2018 invites researchers, students, practitioners, industry and anyone interested in critical issues in technologies for development to submit their papers (Extended Abstracts) and be part of this unique, high-visibility event.
Core Thematic Areas:
- Technologies for humanitarian action
- Medical technologies
- Science and technology for disaster risk reduction
- Technologies for sustainable access to energy
- ICT for development
- Technologies for sustainable habitat and cities
Crosscutting Themes:
- Innovative business models for sustainable impact
- Design thinking for social impact
- Tech hubs in the Global South: opportunities and challenges
- Why do technologies fail: Learning from failure
- From local success to broader implementation: strategies and methods for successful upscaling
- Social inclusion through technology (e.g. communication, access to health, energy)
- Academic-public-private partnership: a recipe for success?
- How to fund and fundraise creatively?
- Innovation overrated: a buzzword or a way forward?
The Second Call for Papers (Extended Abstracts) opens on November 11, 2017. Papers should be submitted online by using the prescribed template no later than January 5, 2018.
Further information, templates and material can be found on the conference website http://cooperation.epfl.ch/Tech4Dev2018.