eLearning Africa News

eLearning Africa Newsletter – 12th edition – 18/05/2015The 10th edition of eLearning Africa starts on Wednesday, taking place in the city it all began: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Co-organised by the African Union and hosted by the Government of Ethiopia, the event is expected to attract over 1,200 participants from across Africa and the rest of the world for a unique opportunity to discuss and debate Africa’s progress in education, and the role of ICT for development, learning and training. In this edition of the eLearning Africa Newsletter, find out more about the inspiring keynote speakers, specialised sessions and, of course, the latest news and opinions from across the continent.

University degrees or vocational qualifications: Which side are you on?

This year the eLearning Africa plenary debate will tackle an important issue for the whole of Africa, as countries look for ways to alleviate youth unemployment and address critical skills shortages. On Friday evening, May 22, four education experts will debate the motion that: ‘This House believes that Africa needs vocational training more than academic education’. Read more

Keynote speaker Eleni Gabre‐Madhin’s next big ideas

“Innovation is in our DNA,” Ethiopian business woman Eleni Gabre‐Madhin told African Business Magazine when asked about her company eleni LLC’s ambitious plans to create “big, bold, beautiful” markets that will improve the livelihoods of millions of small farmers and traders throughout Africa. Responsible for the development of the Ethiopia Commodity Exchange (ECX), which revolutionised Ethiopia’s commodity market, find out why eLearning Africa 2015 keynote speaker Gabre‐Madhin is a globally recognised thought leader on agricultural commodity markets and African development here.

Harnessing the entrepreneurial creativity of Africa’s youth

What skills do young people need to improve employability? How can we ensure youth are equipped with the right capacities and expertise to drive Africa’s economy in the future? These are just some of the questions that will be discussed in a series of ‘Youth in Action’ sessions at eLearning Africa 2015. Find out more

‘Don’t overthink, just do it!’: Top 10 tips from Africa’s tech entrepreneurs

How can a budding startup culture be nurtured? What are the barriers holding back entrepreneurs? How can edTech, one of Africa’s most innovative and important industries, lead the way? To help answer these questions, eLearning Africa arranged a Twitter Chat with four of the continent’s leading edTech entrepreneurs. Find out their top 10 tips here.

Winners of the Through Your Lens Photo competition announced today

How have ICTs changed the way Africans live, learn and share information? Find out about this year's eLearning Africa Through Your Lens Photo Competition winners here

The organisation spearheading Egypt’s ICT growth

Across Africa, governmental action to spearhead expansion in ICT sectors is becoming increasingly common. Once the domain of entrepreneurs and IT multinationals, governments are increasingly taking a leading role, recognising ICT's huge potential for driving development. Egypt is one of the regional, and indeed continental, leaders in this department. Find out how this has shaped Egypt into being an 'ICT pioneer'. Read more

Strengthening linkages in the ICT ecosystem in Africa

For any society to reach a reasonable level of sustainable development, a carefully planned integration of technologies would be required. To achieve this level of technological advancement, Africa needs to create innovative processes not only in the acquisition or development of new technologies, but also in the diffusion, so that it eventually finds social and economic application throughout the system. Find out more from Foster Ofosu, Capacity Development Specialist at the African Development Bank Group.

Higher Education back on the development agenda

The Spring Meetings of the IMF and World Bank are attracting thousands to Washington, DC, this year, an unusually large number. This year is particularly important for international development because it ushers in the United Nations’ new ‘Sustainable Development Goals (2016-2030)’ as the ‘Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015)’ come to an end. Read more