Angola and South Africa plan closer scientific cooperation

Measures to promote the mobility of researchers, academics and students between Angola and South Africa were approved at a workshop on scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries.

The workshop was the third to be held on implementing the commitments of an action plan for scientific and technological cooperation signed in October 2011 between Angola's Ministry of Higher Education and Science and Technology and the Department of Science and Technology of South Africa.

It was organised by the two governments with Mandume Ya Ndemufayo University in Lubango, the capital of Huila province in Angola.

Angolan and South African researchers attending the workshop agreed that partnerships between scientific research institutions and investment in language as a medium of communication between the two scientific communities should be strengthened, reported Agencia Angola Press.

The workshop focused on presentations of previous research and reports on biological and environmental sciences, climate change, agriculture, mathematics and medicinal plants, said Agencia Angola Press.

Participants also approved projects to be funded in sectors including ICTs, materials sciences, traditional knowledge and social and human sciences, and identified new projects that could develop the objectives of the action programme.

They recognised the progress made in implementing projects financed in such fields as human resources, purchase of facilities and materials, seminars and study visits, scientific publishing and impact on their communities.

* This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.