This year’s conference is themed Research, Innovation & Technology for African Development.
The U6 consortium is a collaboration of six universities: CPUT; Jaramogi Oginga University of Science and Technology (formerly Bondo University College), Kenya; Kwara State University, Nigeria; The University of The Gambia; University of Cape Coast, Ghana; and University of Ilorin, Nigeria.
The consortium was launched in 2012 at the University of Ilorin in Ilorin, Nigeria and was established to foster academic linkages and educational collaboration among the six universities.
Dean of Applied Sciences Prof Olalekan Fatoki says the consortium has actually grown to encompass eight institutions since it was launched, but the name has stayed U6 to reflect the founding universities.
The two new universities to join the consortium are University of Calabar, Nigeria and University of Eldoret, Kenya.
“There have always been bilateral relationships between the universities, like Nigeria with Ghana, or South Africa with Nigeria. We realised that in many instances they had the same collaborations and conferences and that there was more strength in a collaboration between all the universities than just two at a time,” Fatoki explained.
He is the chairman of the international organising committee of the U6 Conference and his faculty will be instrumental in organising the conference, which will be held on the District Six Campus from September 4 to 6.
The local organising committee of the U6 Conference has put out a call for the submission of abstracts in any of the following thematic areas:
Climate Change/ Environmental Issues (Oceans Economy/ Blue Economy, Water & Sanitation, Energy Efficiency & Sustainability)
- Global Health and Wellness
- Agriculture & Food Security
- ICT, Tourism, Business & Governance
- Gender, Social Issues and Education for Sustainable Development
Fatoki said they hope scientists who specialise in ICT, social science or the humanities, engineers and health practitioners all consider submitting an abstract for consideration.
“Anyone with an interest in those fields should consider applying. This will be a multidisciplinary conference,” he explained.
Abstract submission deadline is June 15. Check the conference website for the abstract submission page.
