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eLearning Africa 2009, which took place in Dakar, Senegal from the 27th – 29th May, was “an excellent event,” according to delegates who attended it. The conference, which was opened by the President of Senegal, Maitre Abdoulaye Wade, and attended by Prime Minister Souleymane Ndene Ndiaye and ten other ministers, brought the global e-learning community to west Africa for three days of intensive discussions on technology and learning.
Providers, users, novices and experts from all over Africa rubbed shoulders with their colleagues from around the world at workshops, plenary sessions, social events and a large exhibition. In total, 1350 participants from 83 countries took part in the event and, judging from the ‘feedback,’ they enjoyed both the conference programme and the warmth of Senegalese hospitality. Paul Coyne of the United Kingdom was impressed by “a very well organised event with a diverse and interesting programme.” Philise Rasugu of Kenya praised the “excellent planning and coordinating of the event” and Maria Beatrice Teixeira of Belgium found herself “agreeably surprised by the dynamism, the good humour and the general atmosphere during this conference.”
Conference organiser and founder of eLearning Africa, Rebecca Stromeyer, was delighted by the response of participants to this year’s event. “I’m so pleased that everybody seems to have found it not only interesting and useful but also great fun. I am sure that everybody who came to Dakar will have made new friends and contacts. And the friendships and partnerships that are created at eLearning Africa are helping to bring new solutions and new opportunities. Now we’re all looking forward to next year’s event in Lusaka, Zambia.”
eLearning Africa 2009 featured:
- 1350 participants from 83 countries (from A for Angola to Z for Zimbabwe going through to, for example, China, Switzerland, Urugay and, of course, Senegal)
- 336 speakers and chairpersons from approximately 50 countries
- 4 plenary sessions
- 60 parallel sessions
- 20 best practice demonstrations
- 21 pre-conference events
Scope and Size
eLearning Africa is the most comprehensive conference on ICT for development, education and training on the Continent. Its mission is to bring people together who are actively engaged in education and in the implementation of learning technologies in schools, universities, corporate training as well as in education in the public sector. Participants are high-level decision-makers such as Ministers of Education, representatives from government agencies, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), development agencies and international organisations, senior executives from businesses, as well as practitioners from all fields of education.
Networking Across the Globe
Participant figures for the annual event have grown significantly – from 832 at the debut event in 2006 in Addis Ababa to 1315 delegates at the fourth conference in Dakar, Senegal in May 2009. Attendees come from more than 80 countries in Africa and the wider globe – a geographic and cultural richness that is unrivalled. The strong African involvement – 80 percent of the delegates come from the Continent – makes it a truly pan-African event.
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Networking Across the Globe
eLearning Africa is continuously building a genuine community of practice linked to the event. It actively helps to build both networks and links that contribute to capacity-development for education in Africa. African education professionals and stakeholders can benchmark, learn and share with colleagues from all over the world. By fostering international partnerships, eLearning Africa strengthens the Continent’s numerous educational technology initiatives and projects. For the education industry, it has become the reference event for technology-enhanced learning in Africa.
Real-World Experiences
Moving from one country to another each year, the conference has built up support and interest in different parts of Africa. Allowing for a strong local input, it has provided a window on what is happening on the ground in different regions. This is reflected in a rich and diverse conference agenda that features best practices using all types of technology and different approaches. Contributions come from African governments and major development organisations, from NGOs, universities, schools, as well as from the private sector.
An Open Environment
Participants value the friendly and open atmosphere of eLearning Africa that allows networking across sectors, as well as geographical and cultural borders. The conference brings together various groups such as practitioners, support agencies, suppliers and researchers to a single event. This presents the unique opportunity to create a real picture of what is happening in the field in Africa.
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and Social Events
