Co-founded and directed by Professors Jeremy de Beer and Chidi Oguamanam, Open AIR has revolutionized our understanding of Africa’s role in the global knowledge economy. Through its commitment to learning from Africa rather than teaching to Africa, Open AIR is changing the environment for innovation and facilitating solutions to some of society’s most important challenges. Some examples include pioneering models for open access to educational materials, reimaging collaborative ways to transfer technology to fight climate change, and laying the groundwork for equitable access to life-saving medicines. Open AIR has achieved significant success creating models to better measure and value diverse forms of innovation, while improving corresponding laws and policy frameworks for sustainable and inclusive development, both within Africa and beyond.
Professors de Beer and Oguamanam havee gathered a core team of world-class leaders from across disciplines and regions to conceptualize and implement a vision for the partnership. Professor de Beer and Professor Chidi Oguamanam are also Faculty members of the Centre for Law, Technology and Society that host the Canadian hub of the Network.
Open AIR’s leadership also includes the heads of two of Africa’s leading centres of excellence in information technology and intellectual property, Dr. Melissa Omino in Nairobi, Kenya and Dr. Tobias Schonwetter in Cape Town, South Africa. Dr. Caroline Ncube and Dr. Erika Kraemer-Mbula, both holders of prestigious South African Research Chairs, at the Universities of Cape Town and Johannesburg respectively, are the other two co-leaders who stand as part of the team shortlisted for the Partnership Award. In addition, Dr. Nagla Rizk bridges Open AIR’s North and sub-Saharan African presence from the School of Business at American University in Cairo.
The annual SSHRC Impact Awards recognize the highest achievements from outstanding researchers and students in social sciences and humanities research, research training, knowledge mobilization and outreach activities funded partially or fully by SSHRC. The finalists are selected by a jury composed of renowned experts from academia, as well as the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.
Winners will be announced on November 23, 2023.
Congratulations to Open AIR !