Kampala 14th October 2020 The 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) will be virtually hosted by RUFORUM Secretariat in Partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, in Morocco (UM6P). The various activities of the AGM will be held starting October through to November 2020. It will be the first AGM to be hosted in North Africa with an intention of introducing RUFORUM to North Africa as well as UM6P to other universities in Africa.
The 16th AGM will run under the theme: “Higher Education- Private Sector Partnership: Harnessing Opportunities for Agricultural Transformation in Africa” As a continuously growing network of 129 Universities in 38 countries in Africa, RUFORUM activities are held in different countries and regions in the continent as a way of enabling different stakeholders to come together and promote a greater appreciation of the different countries and regions.
Last year, the 15th Annual General meeting was held at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana and provided an opportunity for mobilizing wider participation of West African Universities in RUFORUM activities. RUFORUM recognises the fact that Science, Technology, Innovation (ST&I) and research play a critical role in food and nutrition security, economic development at national and continental level as well as poverty reduction. The AGM will therefore bring together several actors from academia, Government, Private Sector, media, research institutions, farmers and students to not only dialogue on topical issues but to also share experiences and lessons
The Annual General meeting allows for RUFORUM to conduct its Governance business but at the same time bringing together several actors to dialogue on needed action to strengthen agricultural and education, science, technology and innovation development in the continent – Prof. Adipala Ekwamu, Executive Secretary, RUFORUM
Given the virtual nature of this year’s Annual General Meeting, the schedule will be stretched over a month to accommodate the various stakeholders and reduce on overcrowding and stretching of the programme. All RUFORUM stakeholders including the Governance Organs are therefore invited to take note of this schedule and plan accordingly. The details of the individual programme activities will be shared in due course through the RUFORUM AGM website and other communication channels. We continue to count on your support and look forward to your active participation in your respective capacity.
See below the proposed schedule for the Virtual RUFORUM 2020 Annual General Meeting.
SCHEDULE OF THE RUFORUM GOVERNANCE MEETINGS AND THE 16th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
| No. | Meeting | Proposed Date | Proposed Time (EAT) | Zoom Meeting Link |
| Governance Meetings | ||||
| 1 | Joint meeting of the Technical Committee and TAGDev Steering Committee | 2nd Oct 2020 | 14:00 – 16:30 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 853 1943 0320 Passcode: 394553 |
| 2 | Principals and Deans Sub-Committee | 19th Oct 2020 | 14:00 – 16:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 850 4310 8616 Passcode: 017288 |
| 3 | International Advisory Panel | 23rd Oct 2020 | 16:00 – 18:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 852 4721 7593 Passcode: 438504 |
| 4 | Technical Committee | 26th Oct 2020 | 14:00 – 16:30 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 823 6168 4624 Passcode: 558788 |
| 5 | Finance and Administration Sub-committee | 28th Oct 2020 | 14:00 – 16:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 853 3591 1253 Passcode: 281841 |
| 6 | Audit Committee | 30th Oct 2020 | 14:00 – 16:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 850 9446 8575 Passcode: 267622 |
| 7 | Principals and Deans Committee | 2nd Nov 2020 | 14:00 – 17:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 897 7516 2857 Passcode: 534816 |
| 8 | Board Executive Committee | 6th Nov 2020 | 16:00 – 18:30 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 892 9740 8106 Passcode: 508731 |
| 9 | Board Meeting | 11th Nov 2020 | 16:00 – 18:30 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 822 2542 5709 Passcode: 032751 |
| 16th RUFORUM Annual General Meeting | ||||
| 10 | Capacity Building on Online Contents Development | 16th and 17th Nov 2020 | 11:00 – 18:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 817 7098 5752 Passcode: 800728 |
| 11 | Side Events for interested groups | 18th Nov 2020 | 12:00-19:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 856 9217 6139 Passcode: 681322 |
| 12 | Introducing UM6P and Official Opening of the AGM | 19th Nov 2020 | 15:00-18:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 882 8455 4298 Passcode: 989470 |
| 13 | The RUFORUM AGM Business Meeting | 20th Nov 2020 | 15:00-18:00 | Meeting link: Click here Zoom ID: 826 4406 1825 Passcode: 820638 |
Note to Editors
About RUFORUM:
The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), is a consortium of 129 African universities operating in 38 countries on the continent with a mission to ‘strengthen the capacities of Universities to foster innovations responsive to demands of smallholder farmers through the training of high quality researchers, the output of impact oriented research and the maintenance of collaborative working relations among researchers, farmers, national agricultural research institutions’. RUFORUM was established by Vice Chancellors in 2004 with a Secretariat hosted at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. In 2014 RUFORUM signed a MoU with the African Union Commission to support implementation of the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA 2024) Priority One on reducing poverty and ensuring food and nutrition security. RUFORUM has supported the training of 1958 MSc and 536 PhD graduates, of whom 98% work in their countries or region, the generation of over 300 agricultural technologies and mobilized over US$214.9 million for strengthening postgraduate education in Africa. Please visit www.ruforum.org for more information.
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Morocco
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is an institution oriented towards applied research and innovation with a focus on Africa. The University is engaged in economic and human development and puts research and innovation at the forefront of African development. A mechanism that enables it to consolidate Morocco’s frontline position in these fields, in a unique partnership-based approach and boosting skills training relevant for the future of Africa. Located in Benguerir, near Marrakech, in the heart of the Mohammed VI Green City, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University intends to shine on a national, continental and international scale. More than just a traditional academic institution, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is a platform for experimentation, a breeding ground for opportunities, which students refer to as a “School of Life”
For additional information, photos and interviews, contact the following persons
Contacts:
| RUFORUM Secretariat Dr. Francis Otto Maureen Agena | Manger- Knowledge Hub Corporate Communications, & Advocacy Specialist | f.otto@ruforum.org m.agena@ruforum.org |
| UM6P Morocco Abla EL HOSNI Zineb AGUISOUL | UM6P UM6P | Abla.ELHOSNI@um6p.ma Zineb.AGUISOUL@um6p.ma |
