CfPs: International Conference "From Transmissive to Transformative Pedagogies: Digital Technologies for Fostering 21st Century Competencies" TECH2018 | 15-17 Nov, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

From Transmissive to Transformative Pedagogies: Digital Technologies for Fostering 21st Century Competencies (TECH2018)

15-17 November 2018 

Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

TECH 2018, UNESCO MGIEP's international conference, aims to showcase the role of games and digital learning in enabling a shift from "transmissive pedagogies" to "transformative pedagogies" to create peaceful and sustainable societies.

 

 

Concept Note

About the Conference: Building on the success of TECH 2017, UNESCO MGIEP will organise TECH 2018 to delve into the role of digital technologies in enabling a shift from "transmissive pedagogies" to "transformative pedagogies" to create more peaceful and sustainable societies. TECH 2018 aims at drawing a blueprint for harnessing pedagogical possibilities opened up by digital technologies, in order to contribute to enabling a revolutionary shift in education from individual content acquisition to collaborative intelligence.

 

Conference Objectives: TECH 2018 aims to:

1. Provide a platform for dialogue and capacity building across gaming, digital pedagogy and education stakeholders, including students, teachers and young people;
   
2. Showcase and demonstrate pedagogical possibilities opened up by gaming and digital technologies in enabling learners to develop 21st century skills and competencies to shape peaceful and sustainable societies;
   
3. Critically reflect upon and articulate institutional and ethical implications of embracing digital solutions to education.
   

 

Conference Themes

Theme 1: Transformative Gaming and Digital Pedagogies for SEL

The need for individuals, resilient and adaptive to rapidly changing environments, is the order of the day. The need for building not only intellectual intelligence but also emotional intelligence has never been greater. Recent research increasingly demonstrates what supporters of SEL have long advocated that students need to be "socially aware" and "emotionally-connected" for them to learn and for societies to flourish. In recent years, it has been demonstrated that SEL skills such as empathy, mindfulness and compassion can be explicitly taught and learned. Indeed, research suggests that SEL skills impact positively both academic performance and behavioural outcomes. UNESCO MGIEP promotes the idea that building both emotional and intellectual intelligence is key to achieving peaceful and sustainable societies and this can be delivered to all learners through the use of innovative technologies. Participants are invited to: Present the research evidence for SEL delivered directly or indirectly through transformative gaming and digital pedagogies, which have implications for achieving SDG 4.7; Showcase good practices in curricula for building social and emotional skills through gaming and digital learning tools and methodologies; Provide hands-on training to educators and youth to develop and employ innovative gaming and digital technologies to directly or indirectly deliver SEL experiences that promote values of peace, global citizenship and sustainable development.

 

Theme 2: Beyond Four Walls of the Classroom

Rather than embracing everything digital, participants are invited to explore how digital technologies can overcome constraints imposed by highly institutionalised features of modern schooling, including assessment of learning as memory of textbook knowledge. Experts and practitioners of education for sustainable development (ESD), global citizenship education (GCED), global learning, peace education and education in general are invited to examine, together with ed-tech stakeholders, the role of digital technologies in whole-school approaches and other holistic efforts to build a culture of peace and sustainability at the school and community levels.

Participants are invited to: Explore the role of games and digital learning in teaching and assessment of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes associated with SDG 4.7; Highlight the role of digital technologies in problem-based/project-based learning for peace and sustainability; Present good practices on the use of crowdsourcing for promoting education for peace and sustainable development; Present pedagogical possibilities opened up by digital games, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), or Mixed Reality (MR) in formal or non-formal ESD and GCED, or in both.

 

Theme 3: Transformative Gaming and Digital Pedagogiesfor STEM+

Core subjects such as Mathematics, Science, and Languages often occupy a privileged place in the school curriculum in terms of time allocation and mandatory and examinable status. These subjects are usually taken seriously by students, parents, teachers and policymakers alike as they are assumed to enhance economic competitiveness—both at the individual and national levels. In fact, many digital learning management systems focus on delivering content on Mathematics, Science and English. Given the status of these subjects, it is important to understand: What do transformative digital pedagogies for STEM+ subjects look like? How can digital technologies contribute to building problem solving and creative, critical and systemic thinking skills? How can they facilitate issue-based or thematic approaches in the teaching of core subjects? How can they combine learning of the content prescribed by the curriculum with creative expressions? How can new, innovative and fun ways be used through games and digital learning for assessment of knowledge?

Participants are invited to: Present cases of Mathematics, Science or Language Education delivered through transformative digital pedagogies, which has particular implications for building problem solving and critical thinking skills; Showcase good practices in digitally mediated pedagogies for building literacy and numeracy along with curiosity, creativity and critical thinking skills; Provide hands-on training to educators and youth to develop and employ innovative technologies to deliver STEM+ education experiences that promote values of peace, global citizenship and sustainable development; Demonstrate the use of digital games for learning and assessment in the STEM+ field; Showcase digital pedagogical innovations for children with "Difference Learning" (dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia and dysgraphia).

 

Theme 4: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Education

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has caught the imagination of the world and has been gaining popularity in the business sector. To date, the use of AI in education has been limited and at times contested; most arguments against it centre on how it will make teachers redundant and learning more automated than it is currently. Rather than replacing teachers and making learning impersonal, AI could take learning to a completely new level. It could instantly generate an astounding amount of information, curate supplementary learning resources to meet individual student interests and needs, provide teachers with a virtual teaching assistant, and allow students to connect with peer learners as well as a virtual peer or tutor wherever and whenever needed. In the classroom, this could increase valuable time for more teacher-student and student-student interaction and more engaging and immersive learning experiences. The collective wisdom of teachers and students could be garnered to expand the realm of possibilities for education. What are the implications of AI for the future of education? UNESCO MGIEP embraces the need for education to prepare learners for the world profoundly changed by new frontiers in AI.

Participants are invited to: Critically reflect upon the profound impact AI could have on how education and training is organised, including the automation of not only low-skill or routine tasks but also high-skill and cognitive tasks; the redefinition of 21st century skills; and the reinvention of the meaning of human existence and well-being; Share ideas on if and how we can or should embed the principles and values of peace and sustainable development in AI; Present innovative ideas on the use of AI as part of Learning Management Systems(LMS); Present AI options for assessments and analytics to guide learning; Showcase the use of AI in harvesting data from existing data sources such as the UNESCO Institute of Statistics database among others.

 

Theme 5: The Institutional Framework for Application of Digital Technologies in Education: Towards Surveillance or Collaborative Intelligence?

Learning Analytics, enabled by increasingly sophisticated data collection and information retrieval techniques, holds a great promise for optimising learning. At the same time, it raises concerns about privacy and data protection that need to be addressed by normative frameworks and policy guidelines. A major challenge concerns the ethical implications of data surveillance. Digital technologies are making personalised learning more practical and opening up a myriad of pedagogical possibilities. They are, however, also enhancing the capacity of governments, companies and individuals to undertake surveillance, which may violate or abuse human rights, in particular the right to privacy. In addition to privacy, data protection and surveillance issues, the use of digital media to transform information to knowledge and then to intelligence also raises issues related to intellectual property rights and the ownership of intelligence. The question of what constitutes a private good and a public social good is critical in determining how education systems evolve in the future. Participants are invited to: Present efforts to improve national laws and practices with respect to surveillance issues in a digital age, including preventative measures, sanction and remedies; Present ideas to prevent the private sector from committing violations and abuses of the right to privacy; Discuss moral and policy issues surrounding student privacy raised by learning analytics.

 

Still can't find a match for your idea in any of the above topics..….It's not the end…go ahead and share your story and challenge us!

 

Conference Formats: The main formats of the conference are:

• Keynotes (Plenary, by invitation only)
  
• Catalytic Panels and Debates (by invitation only)
  
• Breakout Sessions (Panel Discussion, Workshop or Paper Presentation)
  
• E-Poster Exhibitions
  
• Learning Zone
  
• Maker Space
  
• Mock Classrooms
  

The discussions will be interactive in nature in order to provide participants with an opportunity to dialogue, exchange good practices and establish connections and contacts. A highlight of the conference will be extensive access to academic experts and innovative technologies for transformative pedagogies. Submissions are invited for all sessions listed above.

 

Application Form | Proposal Deadline: 1st August 2018

 

Conference Website: http://mgiep.tech

 

Further Details

 

UNESCO MGIEP Convened Annual Distinguished Lecture on “Learn to Play and Play to Learn: The Role of Gaming in Education”

UNESCO MGIEP Convened Annual Distinguished Lecture on "Learn to Play and Play to Learn: The Role of Gaming in Education"

28th June 2018, New Delhi, India

Can learning be made fun and experiential? In UNESCO MGIEP's Seventh Distinguished Lecture held at the UNESCO New Delhi, India on Thursday, June 28th, 2018, Zigor Hernandorena Juarros, Senior Project Manager - Fun Learning Department, Ubisoft (makers of Assassins Creed Franchise, The Division, For Cry, Watch Dog), discussed how digital pedagogies such as games can be used as an effective tool to impart learning. The lecture was attended by over a hundred participants including teachers, educators, curriculum designers, ed-tech experts, games designers and developers as well as students.

In his lecture, titled 'Learn to play and play to learn, the role of gaming in education', Zigor explained how digital games can be designed to reward players, acknowledge practice and incremental progress, thus making learning more effective through peer-collaboration and a project-based approach. Zigor also underlined the need to develop suitable content for games to make them more relevant to 21st century learners. He expressed "Regular games (not meant for learning) very effectively teach the player everything they need in order to play the game. The same games can serve as effective tools for learning skills for the 21st century if used in the classroom as supplementary material."

Preceding Zigor's lecture, Dr. Anantha Duraiappah, Director, UNESCO MGIEP, highlighted that a key focus area for the Institute is to use digital pedagogies as an immersive, fun, interactive and experiential way of learning. He went on to express "Technology is disrupting our way of life at an unprecedented pace and education systems are no exception. There are bound to be major changes in the way teachers facilitate, deliver and assess learning. There are currently approximately over 2.5 billion people across the world who play digital games today across multiple platforms - and this number is increasing rapidly. The games for learning project at UNESCO MGIEP focuses on building tools and research on using games as a pedagogy to building 21st century skills and socioemotional skills." Further, he invited participants to "make learning addictive."

The lecture was followed by a highly engaging discussion between Zigor and the audience on the potential of games for education and learning and mainstreaming digital technologies in education systems.

The lecture was hosted by UNESCO MGIEP as part of 'The Distinguished Lecture Series', inviting speakers of global eminence to spark transformative ideas for a shared future. Previous lecturers include: Ms. Tawakkol Karman (Nobel Laureate 2011), Dr. Scilla Elworthy, Prof. Sugata Mitra, Prof. Martha Nussbaum, Madame Irina Bokova, Prof. KP Mohanan, and Sir Partha Dasgupta.

About the Speaker: Zigor Hernandorena Juarros is an expert on games for learning and Senior Project Manager of the Fun Learning department at Ubisoft. His role entails developing games that will provide the player with actionable knowledge and expertise. In his previous roles, Zigor has delved into technology, business and creative arts with equal ease. He has spent considerable time working with tech giants such Apple and Handspring and also spent a decade as Art Director at Jeune Afrique, a French publishing group.

About UNESCO MGIEP: The UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) is UNESCO's category 1 Research Institute that focuses on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.7 towards education for building peaceful and sustainable societies across the world. In line with its vision of 'Transforming Education for Humanity', the Institute employs the whole-brain approach to education, with programmes that are designed to mainstream Socio-Emotional Learning in education systems, innovate digital pedagogies and to put youth as global citizens at the centre of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

 

 

Photo Source: Twitter

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CfPs: 13th Annual Conference of Knowledge Forum on "Technology and Employment" | TISS, Mumbai | 16-18 November

13th Annual Conference of Knowledge Forum 

November 16-18, 2018

Organized by Forum for Global Knowledge Sharing (Knowledge Forum) (In partnership with Tata Trusts)

Hosted by: Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai

Conference Theme: Technology and Employment

Concept Note and Call for Papers

Paradigm changes in technology have always triggered debate on employment prospects. As stated by Schumpeter (1942) creation of new products and processes tend to destroy old products resulting in massive unemployment in the sun-set industries. However, they also create huge opportunities in the new industries. Schumpeter termed this phenomenon as 'Creative Destruction'. He gave the examples of the introduction of the Railways resulting in the destruction of the Stage Coaches and the mass production of goods using new machinery harming artisans and craftsmen. However, loss of jobs for artisans and craftsmen did not result in an overall decline of employment. This was mainly because the market for the new goods grew rapidly to offset the unemployment in one or two sectors. However, in the initial years it did create turmoil. To Schumpeter development is 'turmoil' as it created beneficiaries and victims. Technological change cannot be stopped. Nevertheless policies could be formulated to identify the victims and reduce the turmoil.

To cite a more recent example the introduction of Information Technology (IT) in the banking and travel sectors created apprehensions for employment during the third quarter of the 20th century. Introduction of IT did decrease employment per customer or per account in the banking sector but it favourably influenced the overall employment in these sectors. In fact the overall employment in these sectors rapidly increased after the introduction of IT. At the same time the nature of employment and the skill requirements changed rapidly resulting in victims and beneficiaries. One of the objectives of the conference is to analyse the impact of IT in employment.

Similar fears and apprehensions are expressed regarding the on-going technological revolution that is affecting almost all the sectors and activities (Autor 2015, UNCTAD 2016 and Anthes 2017) .We now have about 20 years of experience with the on-going technological revolution and it is time to take stock of the employment consequences as revealed in the data and also to comment on future technological changes and their consequences.

The conference will concentrate on the following five sub-themes. The sub-themes are illustrative and papers are also welcome on other issues dealing with the main theme – Technology and Employment.

Internationalisation - FDI and trade: Foreign Direct Investments and trade are two important sources of technology transfer to the developing countries. Literature suggests that FDI contributes to growth. Even here several studies show that only FDI in manufacturing contributes to growth and FDI in non-financial services could harm growth and even result in deindustrialisation (Doytch and Uctum (2011). It is not clear whether FDI contributes positively to employment. Evidence in this area is mixed (Karlsson 2009, Liu 2012). There is also a view that FDI outflows to developing and other countries could harm employment in the home countries. However, empirical evidence does not support this view (Navaretti et al 2010, Federico 2008). We welcome papers on these issues.

Digitalisation: Digital technologies include artificial intelligence, robotics, cloud computing. These will transform nearly every sector – agriculture, medicine to manufacturing to sales, finance and transportation (Anthes 2017). As quoted by her in her Nature article: "Millions of jobs will be eliminated, millions of new jobs will be created and needed, and far more jobs will be transformed" – Erik Brynjolfsson. It is argued that professional jobs may not be affected as they involve face to face interaction and collaborations. Likewise, abstract jobs and professional services will also not be affected. In these cases digitalisation will not act as a substitute. Autor (2015) has shown that for almost all European countries the on-going technological revolution has resulted in a growth of both high paid and low paid jobs. But the middle level jobs have been badly affected and have been experiencing a negative growth. We welcome studies on other countries, in particular, India and other Asian countries analysing the characteristics of those whose employment increased and those whose job prospects decreased. We also welcome studies by scientists and technologists analysing the impact of future technologies like quantum computers, solar energy and quantum dots on employment prospects. In this context some of the papers presented in our earlier conferences show that when quantum computers come, most of the current hardware and software would become unusable (Baskaran 2008, Lal and Paul, 2017). This would give enormous opportunities for software professionals and hardware manufactures to step-in and create products and services. 

Robots: Robots could be considered as part of digitalisation. However, since there are several studies on its impact, it is listed as a separate sub-theme. The deployment of Robots could spread to several sectors including traditional ones like garments and textiles (UNCTAD 2016). It is already playing a significant role in automobiles, micro-electronics and consumer electronics. Some 

countries have already started combined robots with three dimensional printing. This could benefit the small and medium firms. It is also likely to play a role in surgery and other medical fields. To take advantage of this countries like China are already in the forefront in the production of Robots. Currently they are far ahead of other countries with more than 600 thousand stocks of Robots. UNCTAD (2016) recommends that developing countries should embrace digital revolution and redesign the education system. However, currently there is no study on the impact of robots on overall employment. 

Social and other dimensions including inequality: Several studies including the ones presented in our earlier conferences (Bhat and Siddharthan 2013) showed the skill bias of the current technological revolution. In the case of India the states that spent more on education and health attracted higher investments in manufacturing and financial services. It is worth analysing the relative importance of primary, secondary and higher education in attracting investment. There is already a significant inequality between states and between citizens with regard to access to health and education. UNCTAD study is in favour of redesigning the educational system. We need informed discussion on these issues. 

Technology, supply chain and production: The internet and the LAN system have enabled small and medium firms to participate in the global supply chain and globalise their operations. To fully participate in the system the country should invest in logistics and telecommunications infrastructure. Studies on these issues are also welcome.

Conference Format

• The conference will have an introductory session followed by Competitive Sessions.
  
• In the competitive sessions all the papers will be refereed before accepted for presentations.
  
• Last date for submission of title of papers and abstracts: June 30, 2018
  
• Last date for full paper submission: July 28, 2018
  
• Send the abstracts and paper to: fgksindia@gmail.com
  

Further Details

New White Paper "India as an Innovation Economy: Role of IP and ICT" | by EBTC & ICRIER

India as an Innovation Economy: Role of IP and ICT

by Arpita Mukherjee, Alka Chawla, Avantika Kapoor, Judith Weinberger-Singh, and Vernika Garg; European Business and Technology Centre (EBTC) and Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), New Delhi, 2018.

About the White Paper

India has several advantages including one of the fastest growing markets, third largest group of scientists and technicians in the world, one of the lowest costs of telephone calls and Internet, and supporting government policies, that can facilitate its journey towards an Innovation Economy. The country's ranking in the Global Innovation Index of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) among 130 countries improved from 81 in 2015 to 60 in 2017. There has been an increase in patent filings in the last three years. The country has signed over 100 Memoranda of Understanding with a number of countries including many European Union (EU) Member States to strengthen research and development (R&D), innovation and startup ecosystems. All these factors will contribute in the journey towards an Innovation Economy.

Given this background, the White Paper focuses on the role of two key pillars of an Innovation Economy - information and communications technology (ICT) and intellectual property (IP), and discusses how they can help to enhance India's positioning as a global hub for innovation and technology development, bring in investment, and create high quality jobs. It compares India vis-à-vis other developed and developing countries in some key innovation indices, identifies the gaps, and suggests how the EU, its Member States and European institutions can contribute through mutually beneficial partnerships in India's journey towards becoming an Innovation Economy. The paper makes several recommendations to the Indian government which, if implemented, will help to fast track the journey towards an Innovation Economy. 

Table of Contents 

1. Introduction

2. Definition of Innovation Economy and the Role of IP and ICT

3. India's Global Position as an Innovation Economy

4. ICT as a Driver for Innovation

5. Role of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in an Innovation Economy

6. Challenges Leading to Scope for India-Europe Collaborations

7. Way Forward

Download Full-text White Paper

New Book | Regulation of Cross-Border Transfers of Personal Data in Asia | by

Regulation of Cross-Border Transfers of Personal Data in Asia
edited by Clarisse Girot, Asian Business Law Institute, Singapore, ISBN: 9789811173110. 

About the Compendium 

This compendium contains 14 country reports written by renowned practitioners and legal academics in the respective jurisdictions on the regulation of cross-border data transfers and data localisation in Asia. It covers Australia, China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Macau SAR, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. This is from the first part of the ABLI's Data Privacy Project to promote the convergence of rules on cross-border transfers of personal data in Asia as rule-making on data transfers will continue to intensify in the region. It offers comprehensive coverage of legal and regulatory frameworks on data transfers, including scope, key notions, data transfer instruments, data Localisation rules, data-related clauses in free trade agreements. This becomes a useful compendium for governments, regulators and companies facing the contrasted and constantly shifting legal landscape in data privacy, with a significant impact on cross-border data flows in the wider Asia region. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to laying the fundamentals for a shared legal ecosystem for cross-border data transfers in the wider Asian region.

 

Download Full-text PDF (Open Access)

NITI Aayog releases "Composite Water Management Index: A Tool for Water Management"

Composite Water Management Index: A Tool for Water Management
by NITI Aayog, New Delhi, India, June 2018.

About the Report: The Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) is a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive scorecard for identifying, targeting, and solving problems in the water sector across the country. Its ranking and scoring system across states, as well as the collaborative process of Index design and updates, will ensure that the principle of 'competitive and cooperative federalism' is actualized in the country's water management system. As the Index goes through multiple iterations, its ability to capture the fundamental drivers of water in India will increase, and it is likely to emerge as the definitive dataset for understanding India's water sector.

Table of Contents

1. Background

2. Objectives and scope

3. Methodology

4. Results and commentary

Overall analysis

Thematic analysis

Indicator-wise analysis

Case studies on best practices adopted by states

5. Conclusion

6. Annexures

Download Full-text PDF (Open Access)

A Policy Statement on "Dissemination and Evaluation of Research Output in India" by the Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi)

A Policy Statement on "Dissemination and Evaluation of Research Output in India" by the Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi)

by Praveen Chaddah, Subhash C Lakhotia, Proceedings of the  Indian National Science Academy, June 2018, 84(2), 319-329.

Abstract: Considering the necessity of common and objective parameters of assessment of research outputs, the Indian National Science Academy (New Delhi) has, after extensive deliberations involving its entire fellowship, issued this policy statement on Dissemination and Evaluation of Research Output in India. It is expected that this will be adopted and implemented by different agencies/regulatory bodies in India.

Download Full-text PDF (Open Access)

RS PSC Invites Suggestions on the Subject Issues Relating to Functioning of University Grants Commission (UGC)

Parliament of India | Rajya Sabha Secretariat

Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development Invites Suggestions on the Subject Issues Relating to Functioning of University Grants Commission (UGC)

1. The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resource Development headed by Dr. Satyanarayan Jatiya, M.P., Rajya Sabha has taken up the subject "Issues relating to Functioning of University Grants Commission (UGC)" for examination.

2. The University Grants Commission, a statutory body of Government of India is an apex regulator of Higher education in the country. The mandate of the UGC includes promoting and coordinating University education, determining and maintaining standards of teaching, examination and Research in Universities, framing regulations on norms and standards of education, disbursing grants to the Universities and colleges, serving as a vital link between the Union and the State Governments and institutions of higher learning and advising the Central and State Governments on the measures necessary for improvement of higher education.

3. The Committee while examining the subject will like to consider the role of UGC in promoting quality and excellence in higher education, giving affiliation to Universities and colleges and promotion of research, innovation and skill development.

4. The Committee, accordingly, invites memoranda, containing views/suggestions from individuals/organizations interested in the subject. Those desirous of submitting memoranda to the Committee may send their written memoranda, either in English or Hindi to Shri Vinay Shankar Singh, Additional Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, Room No. 141, 1st Floor, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi- 110001 (Telephone No. 23035446 and Fax- 21410346) email rsc_hrd@sansad.nic.in or committeehrd@gmail.com within fifteen days from the date of publication of this advertisement (i.e., on or before 25th June 2018). Those who are willing to appear before the Committee for oral evidence besides submitting the memoranda may indicate so. However, the Committee's decision in this regard shall be final.

5. The memoranda submitted to the Committee would form part of the records of the Committee and would be treated as confidential and would enjoy privileges of the Committee.

Source: davp 31202/11/0001/1819

Enrollment of Indian and Global Desalination Solution Providers for the National Mission on Desalination

Government of India

Ministry of Science & Technology

Department of Science & Technology

Enrolment  of Indian and Global Desalination Solution Providers for the National Mission on Desalination

The National Mission on Desalination (NMD), conceptualised in 2017 by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), Govt. of India in partnership with concerned ministries and departments at the behest of NITI Aayog, aims  to ensure water security of the country and provide clean and safe drinking water to water-scarce areas of the country. NMD envisages making use of desalinated water as a sustainable solution for water supply in the coastal states across India. It is proposed to enlist all technologies (developed and commercialized, developed and awaiting commercialization, and likely to be developed in next 5 years) and enroll all Indian and Global desalination technology Solution Providers in this Mission. As an initial step in this direction, it is planned to identify technology solution providers offering diverse technology options both from India and abroad for conversion of seawater/ brackish water into water for different end use (domestic/agriculture/ industrial) under the National Mission on Desalination (NMD).

Department of Science & Technology (DST) seeks to enroll the solution providers on the choice of technologies/ solutions. Based on the information, a Compendium of Technological Solutions will be prepared for use by state governments, urban local bodies and other organizations regarding selection and use of appropriate technologies for processing of seawater/ saline/ brackish water to be made safe for human, agricultural and industrial consumption. The information bank on desalination technologies, and operational desalination units will be used by the central, state and local governments to take an informed decision on appropriate technology choices suited in specific socio-economic context and would provide an opportunity to enrolled solution providers to be a part of activities of National Mission on Desalination.

Technology solution providers are requested to submit information online in the questionnaire at the following link: https://goo.gl/E6iLRq latest by 31^st July 2018.

For any queries, you may write to: desalinationmission[@]gmail.com.

Softcopies along with supporting documents and photos of technology components and operational systems may be submitted to desalinationmission[@]gmail.com.  These documents and photos can also be sent by post to Dr. Neelima Alam, Scientist E, Technology Mission Division, Department of Science & Technology (DST), Technology Bhavan, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi-110016.

Further Details

New Book | Global Open Data for Agriculture & Nutrition: Success Stories, Issue 2

Global Open Data for Agriculture & Nutrition: Success Stories, Issue 2
by Global Open Data for Agriculture & Nutrition (GODAN), May 2017; written by: Sam Compton, edited by: Paul Nagle.

Table of Contents

1. CTA, Africa, Caribbean & Pacific: Delivering Practical Data for Farmers, Decision-Makers
   
2. Foodie, Global: Open Geospatial Data, Arable Farming
3. AUSGOAL, Australia: Public Service Sharing Open Data
4. Boer & Bunder, the Netherlands: Open Data for Farmers and Plot Development
5. Digital Green, Asia and Africa: Community Video Production, Improving Agricultural Techniques
6. Accessible Data on Irrigation, Yemen: Irrigation, Decision-Makers Data
7. LANSA, Asia: Open Data Helps Research into Nutrition
8. Sustainable World, Global: Training and Advice for Accessing Open Data for Development
9. AGRIS, Global: Domain, Community and Database on Agricultural Open Data
10. Global Yield Gap Atlas, Global: Crop Yield Research
11. Open Data Institute, Global: Supporting Open Data in Agriculture and Nutrition, with Focus on New Businesses

Foreword: The Data Revolution

This second issue of open data success stories demonstrates the importance and the key role that open data plays in supporting innovation in agriculture and nutrition across the globe. As food insecurity continues to threaten many lives, the increased awareness of open data has catalysed a multitude of initiatives designed to improve agricultural productivity at a pace that will allow everyone enough nutritious food for an improved quality of life. 

Since our first book of success stories, GODAN has expanded from 250 partners to over 500. We have seen our partner's research data provide new tools for making geospatial data more accessible to all and encourage the flow of best practices from one continent to another. Our partners have stressed the importance of access to reliable nutrition data, which is now seen as an integral part of the global food security agenda. 

Open data presents us with huge opportunities. But how do we deliver a responsible data revolution that leaves no one behind? As science-led thinking evolves and more data becomes available, we learn also more about obstacles that make increased agricultural productivity even more challenging than we initially thought.

Success in open data initiatives looks different depending on one's perspective. For some, simply kicking off an open data initiative is a huge success while for others, success is a clear policy outcome or an improvement in human nutrition. Additionally, we also need to be able to articulate where we fail as well as succeed, and most importantly learn and do better next time. Our next compilation will also tell stories of failure. Are you brave enough to share them with us? 

The next digital revolution has truly begun. We aim to make it for the benefit of all.

 

André Laperriere, GODAN Executive Director

Download Full-text PDF (Open Access)

See Also:

Global Open Data for Agriculture & Nutrition: Success Stories, Issue 1. by Global Open Data for Agriculture & Nutrition (GODAN), August 2016; written by: Sam Compton, edited by: Diana Szpotowicz and Paul Day.

NITI Aayog releases a Discussion Paper on "National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence"

Discussion Paper on National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence
by NITI Aayog, New Delhi, India, June 2018.

Table of Contents

• Introduction - #AIforAll: Technology Leadership for Inclusive Growth
  
• Executive Summary
• What is Artificial Intelligence?
• Global Developments in Artificial Intelligence 
• Artificial Intelligence and India 
• Focus Areas for AI Intervention 
• Healthcare 
• Agriculture 
• Education 
• Smart Cities and Infrastructure 
• Smart Mobility and Transportation 
• Key Challenges to Adoption of AI in India 
• Way Forward To Harness the Power of AI 
• Research 
• Skilling for the AI Age 
• Accelerating Adoption 
• Ethics, Privacy, Security and Artificial Intelligence 
• Actions for the Government 
• Appendix I: Artificial Intelligence Explained 
• Appendix II: Global Country Strategy Review 
• Appendix III: Data Ecosystem 

Introduction [Excerpt]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to disrupt our world. With intelligent machines enabling high-level cognitive processes like thinking, perceiving, learning, problem solving and decision making, coupled with advances in data collection and aggregation, analytics and computer processing power, AI presents opportunities to complement and supplement human intelligence and enrich the way people live and work. 

India, being the fastest growing economy with the second largest population in the world, has a significant stake in the AI revolution. Recognising AI's potential to transform economies and the need for India to strategise its approach, Hon'ble Finance Minister, in his last budget speech, mandated NITI Aayog to establish the National Program on AI with a view to guiding the research and development in new and emerging technologies. In pursuance of the above, NITI Aayog has adopted a three-pronged approach – undertaking exploratory proof-of-concept AI projects in various areas, crafting a national strategy for building a vibrant AI ecosystem in India and collaborating with various experts and stakeholders. Since the start of this year, NITI Aayog has partnered with several leading AI technology players to implement AI projects in critical areas such as agriculture and health. Learnings from these projects, under various stages of implementation, as well as our engagement with some of the leading institutions and experts have given a better perspective to our task of crafting the national strategy for AI which is the focus of this discussion paper.

This strategy document is premised on the proposition that India, given its strengths and characteristics, has the potential to position itself among leaders on the global AI map – with an unique brand of #AIforAll. The approach in this paper focuses on how India can leverage the transformative technologies to ensure social and inclusive growth in line with the development philosophy of the government. In addition, India would strive to replicate these solutions in other similarly placed developing countries.

#AIforAll will aim at enhancing and empowering human capabilities to address the challenges of access, affordability, shortage and inconsistency of skilled expertise; effective implementation of AI initiatives to evolve scalable solutions for emerging economies, and endeavors to tackle some of the global challenges from AI's perspective, be it application, research, development, technology, or responsible AI; will focus on harnessing collaborations and partnerships, and aspires to ensure prosperity for all. Thus, #AIforAll means technology leadership in AI for achieving the greater good. 

Amitabh Kant | CEO, NITI Aayog

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Call for Papers 2nd International Triple Helix Summit 2018 | Dubai, UAE | 10-13 November

The role of Government /Academia / Industry in building Innovation-based Cities and Nations The II International Triple Helix Summit 2018, Dubai, UAE, 10-13 November 2018     The British University in Dubai (BUiD) has been successful in attracting region's first International Triple Helix Summit on "The Role of Government / Academia / Industry in building Innovation-based Cities and Nations"   BUiD, Triple Helix Association, University of Dubai, Al Maktoum College of Higher Education, Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government and American University of Ras Al Khaimah are jointly organizing the event. The event will be held from 10th – 13th November 2018 in Dubai.   The call for abstract is open for submission with seven themes on various Triple Helix topics and bring together researchers and practitioners from different fields.   The Summit will have plenary sessions, presentations of successful case studies, poster sessions, panel discussions and workshops to touch base upon on challenges and solutions of Triple Helix.   Renowned Speakers including Professor Henry Etzkowitz, who is one of the founder of the Model, and other experienced scholars and practictioners would be addressing on the Government-Academia-Industry Role in the Triple Helix Model.   The Theme for the Summit is "The Role of Government / Academia / Industry in building Innovation-based Cities and Nations" and it focuses on the following areas in the Summit:  The Role of Triple Helix in Transforming Nations into Knowledge-Based Economies The Role of Triple Helix in Building a Sustainable Economy The Role of Government and Public Policy in Developing Triple Helix Systems Entrepreneurial University and its Engagement in the Triple Helix System Smart Cities and Overcoming Security Challenges Towards a More Effective Triple Helix Management and Partnership Challenges for Effective Partnership and Interactions Among Triple Helix Actors   We invite you to an enriching and thought-provoking International Summit on Triple Helix in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This is a new area for exploration within the Gulf Region and welcome the participants to hear about the best practices and researches on this field.  The deadline for Submission is 15th June 2018. Hurry up and submit your abstract now!!     Why the TH Summit 2018 in Dubai?   UAE's founding father Late HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was a great visionary whose wisdom and struggle in uniting the seven Emirates as one nation served as a strong Foundation and Inspiration for the next line of Leaders. UAE has been rated first globally in 50 development indices according to the Global Competitiveness Reports 2017-2018, which is a mammoth step towards development for only a 46 years old country. The UAE connects the West to East due to its strategic geographical location; the rapid development that took place in the last 15 years has established UAE as one of the most Innovative Nations in the Arab world. In addition, to lead as one of the Innovative Nations of the world UAE launched the National Innovation Strategy in 2014.The Strategy targets seven crucial sectors such as renewable energy, transport, education, health, technology, water and space. In addition, other strategies that have been set in place to drive innovation across other sectors are UAE Vision 2021, Centennial Strategy 2070, UAE Clean Energy 2050 Strategy, UAE Future Accelerators programme, UAE Mission to Mars 2021 etc.   Dubai city on its own under the leadership of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai has also been at the forefront leading on the new technological advancements and have announced a number of initiatives such as Dubai Future Strategy, Dubai Artificial Intelligence Strategy, Dubai Smart City initiative, Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 and 10X. Thus, it is very evident that the Governments across the world are working towards adapting the Digital Transformation initiatives and rapid advancements are taking place in the field of Mobility, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, 3D printing, Big Data etc. and the Global Economies are moving towards platform economies.   The Triple Helix Summit comes at a very crucial time where the Business dynamics globally and within the country are changing so fast and that there is an urgent need for all stakeholders to work hand in hand to create sustainable economies and leave a legacy for generations to come. The themes for the conference have been carefully designed to create an opportunity for the Government and Industry to network with Academics, Scientist, students and wider academia community from across the globe to understand and comprehend how knowledge partnerships are taking place worldwide to design Innovative solutions to form Happier and Prosperous communities. In addition, it will provide an opportunity for the Academia to identify  key areas of research that are most crucial to the Government bodies and how jointly they can set up incubators to create homegrown future scientists but also help it meet the goals and KPI's of the UAE Innovation strategy.     The British University in Dubai formed a Consortium with a shared understanding on the importance of the Triple Helix Model for Sustainable Innovation in the UAE. The members are linked with common goal of supporting the UAE's National Innovation Strategy leading to societal benefits and driving the development of the knowledge-based economy. The consortium aims to attain the aim of the three components of the Triple Helix Model working towards sustained growth and development.  Students receive great discount on the registration fees. Papers presented at the II International Triple Helix Summit in Dubai, UAE would be considered for publication in one of the upcoming Topical Collections of the Triple Helix Journal (THJ) and other scientific Journals. If you have any inquiry about the Summit, please contact us  Submit now your abstract in order to join us in Dubai! We look forward to meet you! British University in Dubai & Triple Helix Association Facebook | LinkedIn Copyright © 2018 Triple Helix Association, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Triple Helix Association, Via della Lungara 10, 00165 Rome, Italy | website http://www.triplehelixassociation.org/