Dr. Ing. Richard Arthur, a Ghanaian and a Senior Lecturer (Energy Systems Engineering) at Koforidua Technical University, has been awarded the German-African Innovation Incentive Award (GAIIA) as one of 6 outstanding scientists working in cooperation projects with Germany.
In this case Koforidua Technical University worked out the Localisation, Quantification, and Utilisation of Water Hyacinth in the Volta River Based on Satellite Remote Sensing Data together with Prof. Dr. Dieter Bryniok of the German University of Hamm-Lippstadt. The ‘German-African Innovation Award’ is a new instrument of the BMBF to strengthen innovative research in Africa and to translate research results into practical solutions that benefit African societies. The aim is to improve the living conditions of people in Africa. German-African partnerships are an important success factor.
The award honours outstanding achievements already made by African researchers and at the same time enables a German-African follow-up project with which the research results can be further developed in the direction of future exploitation. In this way, the award supports German research and innovation players in expanding their cooperation with African partners.
The prize is endowed with 150,000 € and is awarded in the form of a grant. This will go to the German partner institution with which the African scientist is carrying out the joint two-year research and innovation project. At least half of the grant is for use by the African partner.
On the basis of a utilisation or exploitation concept, the German-African project aims to transfer research results with technical or social-innovative potential into practical solutions that meet the needs of African societies. If possible, the funded project should go beyond the pure project results and form the basis for the establishment of a sustainable innovation structure (e.g. research-based small enterprise). In May 2018, Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek awarded the prize for the first time to four African scientists and their German cooperation partners (see list of awarded projects below).
On 27 September 2018, the second announcement ‘German-African Innovation Award’ was published. The submission of applications is no longer possible.
Projekt PVT-RESyst
