The Square Kilometre Array Organisation (SKAO) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) and the African Astronomical Society (AfAS). The collaboration focuses on initiatives focused on human capital development. The agreement is meant to establish cooperation for the next five years and was signed during the International Astronomical Union General Assembly (IAU-GA), held recently in Capetown. The agreement was signed between the Managing Director of SARAO, Pontsho Maruping, and the SKAO Director-General, Prof. Philip Diamond. Additionally, Prof. Thebe Rodney Medupe, President of AfAS, signed the agreement.
Under the agreement between SKAO and SARAO, both organisations will collaborate to create opportunities for African students to study and train at leading universities in SKAO member countries. Additionally, they will offer skills development programmes and interventions to support African students in building their expertise. “These agreements with our partners AfAS and SARAO are an important step towards delivering opportunities for the next generation of African students and scientists. Our member countries globally will also benefit from the exchanges of ideas and knowledge that such programmes bring,” said SKAO Director-General Prof. Philip Diamond.
SKAO has been a long-standing partner with South Africa in constructing the SKA-Mid telescope in the Northern Cape province. SARAO has also been a collaborative partner in this endeavour. Additionally, SARAO has been offering bursary programmes for students from the 8 SKA partner countries to study in South Africa. In addition, SARAO has sponsored several students to study astronomy, engineering, computer science, and other related fields. Hence, this initiative aims to build on SARAO’s continuous capacity-building efforts.
The MoU between the SKAO and AfAS reflects a joint commitment to promoting radio astronomy, multi-wavelength, multi-messenger astronomy, and related sciences across Africa. These initiatives will serve as tools to drive social and economic development on the continent. Additionally, this builds on a recent agreement for the SKAO to provide a standing sponsorship for the AfAS annual meeting. “We host excellent astronomical facilities in African countries, but we need human capital development to ensure that these instruments produce data and science. Our cooperation with the SKAO will help Africa to become a knowledge-producing continent,” said AfAS President Prof. Thebe Rodney Medupe during the signing.
The SKAO is an international governmental organisation that brings together over ten nations to build and operate cutting-edge radio telescopes. These telescopes will help us better understand our universe and benefit society through global collaboration and innovation.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2024/09/06/skao-partners-with-sarao-and-afas-to-promote-human-capacity-development-in-african-astronomy/
