Full presentations are available on the Programme page.
The UbuntuNet-Connect Annual Conference is a major calendar event, starting from humble beginnings four years ago, and growing each year to what became a world class event in Johannesburg last year: UbuntuNet-Connect 2010 brought together key stakeholders from around the continent and the world and provided a rich environment for learning and networking. The conference was closed by Mrs Vera Brenda Ngosi, Director, Directorate of Human Resources Science and Technology, African Union Commission. In her closing remarks, Mrs Ngosi commended the positive energy, interaction, and lessons shared during the conference, and challenged the participants to redouble their efforts to ensure access for success. Access for Success: This was taken up by the Alliance as a battle cry, and has been adopted as the theme for UbuntuNet-Connect 2011.
Access alone does not create success: it is the collaboration so enabled and the full exploitation of advanced e-infrastructures that will lead to success. While maintaining our traditional major areas of coverage, UbuntuNet-Connect 2011 will dwell also on emerging networks and collaboration in Africa in order to spotlight the early adopters in exploiting the growing e-infrastructure and cheaper regional and global connectivity.
UbuntuNet-Connect 2011 was held from the 23rd to the 25th of November 2011 at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, the hub of East Africa’s tourism Mecca. The event was hosted by the Kenya Education Network (KENET).
Sub-themes
UbuntuNet-Connect 2011 addressed the broad topic of research and education networking in Africa, under (but not limited to) the following sub-themes:
- Content networks and Applications
- Regional and international collaboration
- Innovation
- Rolling out the REN Infrastructure
- Marketing, communication and dissemination
The UbuntuNet-Connect events provide major commercial and publicity opportunity for services and technology companies.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
| Wednesday, 23rd November 2011 Pre-Conference Workshop on Research Applications and e-Infrastructures Sponsored by EU FP7 CHAIN Project |
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| TIME | ACTIVITY/PRESENTATION | PRESENTER |
| 12:30 | Lunch sponsored by Gold Sponsor Sight and Sound Ltd and Lantech | Speaker: Sight and Sound |
| 14:15 | Workshop on Research Applications and e-Infrastructures Session Chair: Margaret Ngwira, CHAIN Project and UbuntuNet Alliance Rapporteur: Professor Ludek Matyska, CHAIN Project |
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| Welcome remarks | Prof. Meoli Kashorda, CEO KENET, Eng. Victor Kyalo, Kenya ICT Board |
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| Keynote address | Prof. Federico Ruggieri, CHAIN Coordinator, INFN | |
| 14:45 | Setting up National Grid Initiatives, based on SEE-GRID model (CHAIN) 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Dr Ognjen Prnjat |
| 15:10 | CHAIN: The NGI value proposition in South Africa (National Grid Initiative) | Dr Bruce Becker, SAGrid |
| 15:35 | Health break | |
| 15:50 | Latin American CLARA experience, CHAIN advances and their implementation in Africa | Prof. Luis Nunez |
| 16:15 | eb@leGrid and the introduction of Desktop Grid in the DRC | Prof. Dibungi Kalenda, University of Kinshasa |
| 16:35 | e-Applications Tutorial and Roundup | Prof. Roberto Barbera |
| 17:40 | Vote of thanks | Dr F F Tusubira, CEO, UbuntuNet Alliance |
| 17:45-18:45 | Ice breaker cocktail sponsored by the EU FP7 CHAIN Project | |
| 19:00 | Dinner sponsored by Gold Sponosr – Frontier Optical Networks (FON) and Soliton | Dinner Speaker |
| Thursday, 24th November 2011 – Day 1 UbuntuNet-Connect 2011 – Access for Success |
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| 07:00-08:15 | Breakfast sponsored by Silver Sponsor, WIOCC | |
| 07:30-08:30 | Registration – continued | Bernadette Mwandau and Ernest Kingi (receiving payment) |
| Opening Session Session Chair: Dr Elijah Omwenga, KENET Management Board Rapporteur: Dr Jimmy Macharia, USIU |
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| 08:30- 09:00 | Introductions (by country) | Dr F F Tusubira, CEO, UbuntuNet Alliance |
| 09:00-09:05 | Welcome remarks from the Chair of the UbuntuNet Alliance | Prof. Zimani Kadzamira |
| 09:05-09:10 | Welcome remarks from KENET | Prof. Meoli Kashorda, CEO, KENET |
| 09:10-09:30 | Opening Remarks by Ministry of Information and Communications | Dr. Bitange Ndemo |
| 09:30-09:55 | Keynote address and opening by Guest of Honour | Prof. Margaret Kamar, Minister of Higher Education, Science & Technology |
| 09:55-10:00 | Vote of Thanks | Prof. Abraham Idowu, KENET Management Board |
| 10:00- 10:45 | Group Photograph and Health Break and Exhibition Visit | Organizing Committee |
| 10:45-12:00 | Sub-theme 1: Access for Success Session Chair: Dr Iman Abuel Maaly Abdelrahman, CEO, SUIN Rapporteur: Dr Jimmy Macharia, USIU |
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| 10:45-11:10 | ICT Indicators in Higher Education: towards an e-readiness assessment model 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Prof. Meoli Kashorda and Prof. Timothy Waema |
| 11:10-11:35 | Impact of connectivity on Researcher Behaviour: Baseline 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Dr F.F. Tusubira and Dr Ali Ndiwalana |
| 11:35-12:00 | Access to Global Research Information: Collaborating for Research – the Arcadia study 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Agatha N Kabugu, University of Nairobi Library |
| 12:00-12:40 | AfricaConnect | |
| 12:00-12:15 | The EU-ACP contribution to AfricaConnect 15 Minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Marco Sioli, Programme Manager, EU DEVCO |
| 12:15-12:40 | AfricaConnect Status Update 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Cathrin Stover, Head, International Relarions, DANTE |
| 12:40-14:00 | Lunch sponsored by Silver Sponsor, CISCO | Speaker: CISCO Representative |
| 14:00-16:00 | Sub-theme 2: Rolling out and operating REN infrastructure Session Chair: Rapporteur: Dr. Gerald Chege, KENET Management Board |
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| 14:00-14:15 | Theme Keynote Address | Francis Wangusi, Ag DG, CCK |
| 14:15-14:40 | Fostering a Secure Framework for National Research and Educational Network 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Dr. Ajayi, Olutayo B. |
| 14:40-15:05 | SUVL, SUIN and SudREN; the history of the Sudanese Education Network 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Prof. Abdelrahim Osman Mohamed |
| 15:05-15:30 | Expanding e-learning initiatives in Malawi: the case of KCN 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Charlie Maere, University of Malawi |
| 15:30-16:00 | Health Break | |
| 16:00-16:30 | The GEANT vision | Cathrin Stover, Head, IR, DANTE |
| 17:30- 17:35 | Panel Discussion on African NRENs – the next 10 years (looking at the future direction of NRENs in Africa) Session Chair: Dr F F Tusubira, CEO, UbuntNet Alliance Rapporteur: Dr Patrick Mangheni, CEO, RENU6 panelists, each to use 6 minutes, followed by audience input and questions |
Panelists: Eng. Victor Kyalo, Kenya ICT Board Dr Duncan Martin, CEO, TENET Ann Doyle, Internet2 Cathrin Stover, DANTE/GEANT Prof Meoli Kashorda, KENET Louis Fox. Pacific Northwest Gigapop |
| 18:00- 20:00 | Gala Dinner sponsored by Silver+ Sponsor, Safaricom Ltd | Speaker: Safaricom Ltd Representative |
| Friday, 25th November 2011 – Day 2 UbuntuNet-Connect 2011 – Access for Success |
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| 08:30-10:20 | Sub-theme 3: e-Applications and Collaboration Session Chair: tba Rapporteur: RENU |
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| 08:30-08:55 | Synergizing E-infrastructures Initiatives to Foster E-science in Higher Education Institutions in Africa 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Simon Karume |
| 08:55-09:20 | Model for cooperation between European and non-European e-Infrastructures (CHAIN) 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Prof. Ludek Matyska |
| 09:20-09:45 | Widening the number of e-Infrastructure users with Science Gateways and Identity Federations 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Prof. Roberto Barbera |
| 09:45-10:05 | Health break | |
| 10:05-11:00 | Panel Discussion on Building e-infrastructures for African NRENs, Universities and Research Institutes Session Chair: Dr Duncan Martin, CEO, TENET Rapporteur: MAREN6 panelists, 6 minutes each and panel discussion |
Panelists: Joshua Chepkwony James Wasike, WIOCC Eng Abdulrahman Sheik, Soliton Telemec Dr Tom Schmid, DFN Andy Vallely, CISCO Dr Muliaro Wafula, JKUAT, Kenya |
| Sub-theme 3: e-Applications and Collaboration – continued Session Chair: Dr Patrick Mangheni, CEO, RENU Rapporteur: ZAMREN |
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| 11:00- 11:25 | Innovative photonic devices for emerging NRENs 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Pavel Škoda, Jan Radil, Lada Altmannová, Miloslav Hůla, Stanislav Šíma, Josef Vojtěch |
| General Papers | ||
| 11:25- 11:50 | Dynamics and behavior of factors influencing Internet pricing 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
John Walubengo |
| 11:50- 12:15 | Visibility: towards a Communication Strategy for UbuntuNet Alliance 15 minutes presentation + 10 minutes Discussion |
Rose Chisowa and Tiwonge Msulira Banda, UbuntuNet Alliance |
| 12:15-12:30 | Evaluation | |
| 12:30-12:50 | Closing Ceremony Keynote Address | Prof. Crispus Kiamba, PS Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology |
| 13:00 | Lunch sponsored by SilverSponsor JTL | Speaker: Joshua Chepkwony, JTL |