MIT collaborates anew with Angola on shared projects
Angola and MIT Join Forces for Collaborative Education and Innovation
In a groundbreaking move, Sonangol, Angola's national energy company, has become the first corporate member based in sub-Saharan Africa to join MIT's Industrial Liaison Program (ILP). This new collaboration, formalized at a signing ceremony on MIT's campus in June, marks a significant step in fostering collaborative education, innovation, and capacity-building aimed at supporting Angola’s economic transformation.
The focus of the MIT-Africa Program's new pilot initiative with Angola, Sonangol, and ISPTEC (Instituto Superior Politécnico de Tecnologias e Ciências) is to build long-term partnerships, co-create knowledge, and develop human capital through education and training efforts. The vision behind this initiative is to strengthen academic institutions on both sides by fostering mutual learning and innovation.
One of the key activities of this collaboration will be the teaching of the MIT course on geo-spatial technologies for environmental monitoring directly at ISPTEC. This collaborative, in-country learning experience offers Angolan students the opportunity to engage with MIT students through hands-on instruction in Global Teaching Labs.
The new Angola collaboration will launch with two core activities during the upcoming academic year. These activities are centered around knowledge exchange, training, and innovation projects designed to address global challenges with a local impact, particularly involving the energy and technology sectors relevant to Angola's strategic interests.
Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, the Angolan minister of mineral resources, petroleum, and gas, and Sonangol CEO Gaspar Martins, were among the key stakeholders present at the ceremony. Gaspar stated that the agreements advance their mission to be a leading force in the African energy sector. Azevedo emphasized that the partnership is a pivotal step in Angola's commitment to leveraging knowledge as the cornerstone of the country’s economic transformation.
Mai Hassan, faculty director of MIT-Africa, shared that the initiative reflects MIT's deep commitment to fostering meaningful, long-term relationships across the African continent. The collaboration between MIT-Africa, ISPTEC, and Sonangol is designed with a focus on academic rigor, innovation, and shared curiosity, aiming to build genuine partnerships.
As an ILP member, Sonangol seeks to facilitate collaboration in key sectors such as natural resources and mining, energy, construction, and infrastructure. The new initiative aims to spark novel approaches to global challenges and strengthen academic institutions on both sides, with the ultimate goal of co-creating knowledge and building capacity that lasts.
[1] Source: MIT News, 2021.
- The MIT-Africa Program, Sonangol, and ISPTEC will collaborate in a pilot initiative, focusing on long-term partnerships and the development of human capital through education and training.
- This alliance will involve mutual learning and innovation, aiming to strengthen academic institutions and foster academic rigor.
- One of the key activities is the teaching of an MIT course on geo-spatial technologies for environmental monitoring at ISPTEC.
- This collaboration offers Angolan students the chance to engage with MIT students through hands-on instruction in Global Teaching Labs.
- The new initiative will launch with two core activities during the academic year, centered around knowledge exchange, training, and innovation projects relevant to Angola's strategic interests.
- These projects will address global challenges with a local impact, particularly involving the energy and technology sectors.
- Sonangol, as an ILP member, will facilitate collaboration in sectors like natural resources, energy, construction, and infrastructure.
- The goal of this collaboration is to spark new solutions to global issues and build capacity that lasts.
- Angola's ministry of mineral resources, petroleum, and gas, and Sonangol's CEO view these agreements as a significant step towards being a leading force in the African energy sector.
- MIT-Africa's faculty director emphasized the initiative's importance as a reflection of MIT's commitment to forming meaningful, long-term relationships across Africa.
- The partnership between MIT-Africa, ISPTEC, and Sonangol embodies a shared curiosity and aims to build genuine partnerships in the areas of education, engineering, science, innovation, and education-and-self-development.
