SPEAKERS
Chief of Unit - Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Education, UNESCO HQ - Paris
Chairholder, South Africa/Switzerland Bilateral Research Chair in Blockchain Technology
Professor Nnamdi Nwulu is the Chair Holder South Africa/Switzerland Bilateral Research Chair in Blockchain Technology, Professor of Sustainable Cyber-Physical Engineering Systems and the Director of the Centre for Cyber-Physical Food, Energy & Water Systems (CCP-FEWS) at the University of Johannesburg.
Prof Nwulu’s research focuses on Food, Energy and Water Systems (FEWS) and the inherent nexus between all three. Specifically, his research focuses on applying FEW-N thinking, emerging technologies, mathematical optimisation techniques, and machine learning algorithms in food, energy, and water systems. This research focus has produced several books, inventions and over 200 publications, winning him the 2021 NRF Research Excellence Award for Early Career/Emerging Researchers in Engineering/Technology.
He is a Professional Engineer registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (SMIEEE), a Senior Member of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SMSAIEE) and a Y-rated Researcher by the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
Prof. Nwulu is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Digital Food Energy and Water Systems (JD-FEWS), Associate Editor of the IET Renewable Power Generation (IET-RPG) and the African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development (AJSTID).
Sarah Osei, a founding partner of ESDEV Foundation Africa and the project team lead for ARC-EDS, brings over 15 years of experience in education to the table. She excels in strategic partnerships, program development, and STEM education. As the Regional Lead (West Africa) at Instill Education, Sarah is dedicated to enhancing teacher training and educational outcomes through innovative technology. Her passion for empowering Africa’s youth drives her initiatives across Ghana and the broader West African region, where she has made significant strides in educational reform and development.
Sarah’s achievements include training over 40,000 teachers in Ghana and establishing key educational partnerships across West Africa. With an MA in International Relations & Development, an MBA in Marketing Management, and a B.Ed in Arts, Sarah is well-equipped to lead transformative educational projects. Connect with Sarah to join her journey in transforming education for a sustainable future.
Dr Fengchun Miao is the Chief of the Unit for Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Education at Education Sector, UNESCO Headqarters in Paris, he is also a Professor (on leave) in AI and Education. He is leading programmes of the Education Sector of UNESCO on technology and AI in education including the programmes on guidance for generative AI in education, AI competency frameworks for school students and teachers, the report on AI and the Futures of Learning, as well as supporting policies on digital education, AI and education, and Open Educational Resources. He is managing UNESCO Prize for the Use of ICTs in Education.
Highlights of his achievements include leading the organization of 4 editions of international forums on AI and education (2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022) and the development and adoption of the Beijing Consensus on AI and Education; the launch and continuous organization of Mobile Learning Week of UNESCO for 10 years and the launch of the new UNESCO flagship annual event Digital Learning Week in 2023. He is the leading author of more than 20 important publications of UNESCO in various domains of digital education. Five reports he produced were ranked top 50 from 2022-2-23 among all UNESCO publications. He has coordinated the support for more than 70 countries in the formation of national digital education policies.
Winifred Kotin is a seasoned technology business leader who specializes in technology-driven business growth, innovation, and transformation. Over the past 20+ years, she has deployed her creative problem-solving predisposition through the application of Digital Technologies, including Data And Artificial Intelligence, across the following industry verticals: Banking, Payments, Fintech, Clean Energy, Digital Retail, and Technology businesses.
As a prominent figure in the technology field, Winifred has been a keynote speaker, panelist, and subject matter expert on numerous platforms including media interviews. Additionally, she has received several public recognitions for her contributions to the technology ecosystem in Ghana and Africa.
As a leader, her vision is to accelerate growth and impact through strategic innovations and transformation in line with her creative problem-solving predisposition in the digital economy. Her thought leadership in the field of technology has made her a sought-after speaker across multiple platforms cutting across industry and academia and she has received several public recognition for her works in the technology ecosystem development in Ghana.
Winifred is very passionate about bridging the technology talent gap essential for the digital economy growth and is engendering professional interests and shifts through various knowledge dissemination platforms. She recently authored a book – The Ultimate Beginners Guide to Technology Careers as a solution for individuals looking to gain clarity and confidence for choosing and thriving in technology professions. She is a member of Women Intelligentsia for Service and Excellence (WISE Network) Ghana chapter.
Ms. Kotin is a trained Computer Scientist (B.Sc. in Computer Science) and holds an MBA in Finance and multiple certificates for a myriad of studies.
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Please take a moment to complete the form below with all the relevant details about your exhibit. Whether you represent an institution, non-profit organization, or educational institution, we look forward to learning more about how your exhibit aligns with the themes and objectives of our conference.
Exhibit Categories: We welcome exhibits from a diverse range of technical fields, including but not limited to engineering, information technology, applied sciences, and sustainable technologies.
In case of submission challenges, kindly send your concerns to email: admin@arc-eds.com or call +233 24 772 1207 (Dr. Gyimah).
Sara’s research and practice takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of creativity and design thinking in the contexts of innovation, education and entrepreneurship. During the course of her career, she has been a principal or co- investigator on funded research grants and contracts, together worth around £13 million, and has published over 120 peer- reviewed papers in academic conferences and journals. Sara has consulted for a number of major organisations, and supervised 9 PhD students to completion. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from City, University of London.
Dr. John Mugo is the Executive Director of Zizi Afrique Foundation, based in Nairobi, Kenya. His research and programs address key themes connected to Foundational Learning, Whole-youth Development, Parental Engagement and Empowerment, and Assessment of Core Competences and Values. He leads the Action for Life Skills and Values in East Africa (ALiVE)and collaborates with the Ministry of Education in using evidence to support 100% transition to Secondary School.
Previously, John headed the Uwezo learning assessments in East Africa and chaired the Department of Special Needs Education at Kenyatta University. An accomplished and well-published scholar, John holds a Doctorate and master’s degree in special needs education from the University of Hanover (Germany), and a Bachelor of Education (Music) from Kenyatta University. He supports the development of Africa’s and global education in many fronts.
Benno Werlen, born 1952 in Switzerland, holds the UNESCO Chair on Global Understanding for Sustainability (www.unesco.uni-jena.de), the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. He is a fellow of the World Academy of Art & Sciences and the Max Weber Center for Cultural and Social Studies, a member of and Section Chair at the Academia Europaea for ‘Human Mobility, Governance, Environment and Space’, chair of the IGU Commission on Global Understanding, is the Founder and Chair of The Jena Declaration on the Cultural and Regional Dimension of Global Sustainability’, Initiator and Executive Director of the International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) (www.global-understanding.info) including some 40 Regional Actions Centers, approved by the UNESCO General Conference, proclaimed by the three major science councils of the Human (CIPSH), Social (ISSC) and Natural Sciences (ICSU).
The long standing experience with the cooperation between engaged citizens, politicians, social and natural scientists as well as scholars of the humanities in a bottom-up approach is the focal point of his research, institutional and civic engagement as founder and holder of UNESCO Chair on Global Understanding for Sustainability and most recently of The Jena Declaration (www.thejenadeclaration.org), founded in cooperation with the Canadian and German Commissions for UNESCO, The Club of Rome, the World Academy of Art and Science as well as the International Geographical Union, partners form the International Science Council (ISC) and Academia Europaea, endorsed by many international science unions and academic organizations, as well as by more than 1000 signatories from over 100 countries of all Continents, more than 200 institutional supporters and so far about 40 project partners from science, the arts and civil society from all over the world.
In 2016 Werlen was awarded the Lauréat d’honneur of the International Geographical Union, the highest scientific honorary prize by the IGU, for his lifelong contributions to geographical science, as an internationally recognized scholar, and for opening new paths of scientific cooperation at the highest level. Until 2018 he was the Chair for Social Geography at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.
Dr. Werlen holds degrees from the Faculties of the Humanities, and Natural Sciences. He worked at the Universities of Kiel, Fribourg, Zurich, Salzburg, Geneva, Nijmegen, and the ETH Zurich. He has been a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge (King’s College & Sidney Sussex College), the London School of Economics, and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As a ‘key thinker on space and place’ (Sage 2011), he published widely on society-space relations under globalized conditions.
He served as a panel member for the European Research Council for ‘Environment and Society’ for Advanced Grants (2008-15), the French National Research Agency (ANR) in the field of Social and Human Sciences (2008-12), as Chair of the IGU Commission ‘Cultural Approach in Geography’ (2004-16), as a Member of Council of the World Cultural Forum (Taihu, China) (since June 2016), and most recently – invited UNEP in partnership with Joint Research Centre of the European Commission (JRC) and the International Science Council (ISC) – participant of the Europe regional foresight workshop to establish an institutionalized approach to foresight and horizon scanning for future UN sustainability policies. He has published 17 books and more than 200 papers in scientific journals and books and has given more than 400 keynote presentations at universities and conferences across five continents in the fields of geography, sociology, economics, political sciences, philosophy, history, cultural anthropology, environmental sciences, linguistics etc., and organized about 100 scientific conferences and conference sessions on all continents.
Ramesh Balan is a serial entrepreneur, successful business executive, AI-patent holder and technologist who has always believed in thinking differently – using unconventional outside-the-box approaches to solve large-scale complex problems in many industries, including Interactive Media, Telecom, Healthcare, and, most importantly, Education.
William Nguru, CEO and Founder of Kurasa Africa, champions the integration of competency-based education through innovative technology to improve learning outcomes across Africa. A graduate of Strathmore University with a BSc in Telecommunications, William has over a decade of expertise in the tech and educational sectors. His leadership at Kurasa has been instrumental in developing solutions that support CBE, which is crucial for equipping Africa’s youth with the skills necessary for today’s dynamic workforce. Under his direction, Kurasa has become a critical tool in transforming traditional education models, enhancing both teaching and learning experiences. William is dedicated to leveraging CBE to foster economic growth and reduce unemployment among young Africans.
Dr. Elikem Chosniel Ocloo is a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Marketing Department at Accra Technical University. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration (Marketing option) from the University of Leicester, UK, and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Management Science and Engineering from Jiangsu University, China. He is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing Ghana (CIMG). His research interests include E-Business, Social Marketing, Social Enterprise, SME Development, and Marketing Management. Dr. Ocloo has peer-reviewed articles published in top-ranking journals such as Taylor & Francis, Springer, Sage, and Oxford University Press and has presented papers at local and international conferences. He has acquired experience in both academia and industry and is an ardent seeker of innovation and creative ways to solve societal and business marketing problems.
Engr. Prof. Humphrey Danso is a highly motivated individual with Sustainable Construction, Competency-Based Training (CBT), and TVET Education background. He is a Professor, a Consultant and a Researcher in Sustainable Construction Materials, Construction Management, and TVE Education. He is currently the Dean of School of Graduate Studies of the Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development, Kumasi-Ghana. He was the former Dean of the Faculty of Technology Education, and Head of Department of the Construction and Wood Technology Education. He has twenty-seven (27) years of working experience in both pre-tertiary and tertiary education in Ghana, Russia, the United Kingdom and Australia.
He is a holder of PhD (Civil Engineering) from the University of Portsmouth, UK, MPhil (Civil Engineering) from the Voronezh University of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Russia; MTech (Competency-Based Training) from the University of Education, Ghana; and B.Ed. (Construction Technology) from the University of Education, Ghana. He is also a holder of MSc. in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Ghana.
Engr. Prof. Danso possesses excellent communication and writing skills, interpretation and analytic skills, and fluent in written and oral English. This is evident in his over Ninety (90) international journal articles publication and international conference presentations.
He has consulted widely for the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, NUFFIC, National Teaching Councils (NTC), and the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET). Engr. Prof. Danso is a member of Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana; African Foundation for Quality e-Learning in TVET; International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures; Ghana Institute of Construction; International Building Performance Simulation Association; UK Higher Education Academy for Teaching and Learning; and International Association of Engineers.
Prof. Piero Dominici (PhD), Associate Professor, sociologist, philosopher, Educator and Systems Thinker, is Scientific Director of CHAOS (2011) – International Research and Education Programme on “Complex Human Adaptive Organizations and Systems” -, UNESCO IPL Expert and official delegate to UNESCO. Fellow of the World Academy of Art & Science (WAAS) and of the International Engineering and Technology Institute (IETI), UN Expert and invited speaker, he is Director (Scientific Listening) at the Global Listening Center.
Vice President of the World Complexity Science Academy (WCSA) and of WCSA LatAm, Expert of JRC Group – European Commission – and Member of the International Political Science Association (IPSA), he teaches Public Communication, Education towards Complexity and Unpredictability, Sociology of Social Complexity, Global Networks and Security and Intelligence. Complex Systems and Networks, at the University of Perugia and he is a referee for prestigious scientific journals worldwide. As scientific researcher, educator, author and international speaker for almost thirty years, his main areas of expertise and interest encompass (hyper) complexity, complex systems, transdisciplinarity and knowledge sharing in the fields of education, higher education, systems theory, technology, intelligence, security, citizenship and communication.
Member of the MIUR Register of Revisers (Italian Ministry of Higher Education and Research) and Fellow of the New England Complex Systems Institute and of European Complex Systems Society, he is also standing member of several of the most prestigious national and international scientific committees. Author of numerous essays, scientific articles and books.
Jamie P. Halsall is a Reader in Social Sciences in the School of Human and Health Sciences and is currently the Director of Graduate Education at the University of Huddersfield. His research interests include communities, globalisation, higher education, public, and social policy. Jamie’s research has been published in high impact social science and pedagogy journals (e.g. Entrepreneurship Education, Housing Studies, International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, International Journal of Sustainable Society, Labour & Development, Local Economy, Social Responsibility). He has published a number of books with other academics, the most recent of which is Contestations in Global Civil Society (2022) (with Roopinder Oberoi and Micheal Snowden). Jamie has also published numerous book chapters on ageing, entrepreneurship and innovation, and public policy, as well as reports commissioned by external organisations.
