MIT collaborates anew with Angola, marking a fresh partnership
The MIT-Africa Program, in collaboration with Sonangol, Angola's national energy company, and ISPTEC (Instituto Superior Politécnico de Tecnologias e Ciências), has embarked on a new initiative aimed at supporting Angola's economic transformation. This collaboration, rooted in education, innovation, and capacity building, seeks to prepare future generations for leading roles in a technological, sustainable, and globally competitive Angola.
The objectives of this pilot initiative are multifaceted. They include connecting Angola's oil and gas sector with advanced science and innovation, enhancing the country's technological and operational capabilities, fostering sustainable development, and establishing a long-term collaboration that benefits both Angola and MIT through co-creation of knowledge. The partnership also aims to strengthen academic institutions and advance global learning approaches for students on both sides.
The collaboration involves collaborative education and innovation efforts, creating opportunities for mutual learning. Although the Global Classroom and Global Teaching Labs initiatives are not explicitly mentioned, these programs seem to be in line with the collaborative nature of the partnership, as MIT shares its teaching and curriculum expertise globally while engaging local institutions in Angola in interactive and practical learning solutions.
One of the core activities launching this academic year will see MIT students travelling to ISPTEC to teach science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics subjects on renewable energy technologies. Another activity will be the MIT course on geo-spatial technologies for environmental monitoring, which will be taught directly at the ISPTEC campus.
The partnership is a pivotal step in Angola's commitment to leveraging knowledge as the cornerstone of the country's economic transformation, as stated by Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, the Angolan minister of mineral resources, petroleum, and gas. Sonangol, as an ILP member, seeks to facilitate collaboration in key sectors such as natural resources and mining, energy, construction, and infrastructure.
The collaboration was formalized at a signing ceremony on MIT's campus in June, with key stakeholders from all three institutions present, including Sonangol CEO Gaspar Martins. Ari Jacobovits, managing director of MIT-Africa, emphasized that the collaboration is about building genuine partnerships rooted in academic rigor, innovation, and shared curiosity.
This initiative marks an important first step in establishing a long-term collaboration with Angola, reflecting MIT's commitment to fostering meaningful, long-term relationships across the African continent, as shared by the MIT-Africa Program's faculty director, Mai Hassan. The new initiative aims to spark novel approaches to global challenges and strengthen academic institutions on both MIT and ISPTEC sides, ultimately advancing Angola's mission to be a leading force in the African energy sector.
[1] Source: MIT News (https://news.mit.edu/2021/mit-africa-sonangol-isptec-collaboration-0624) [4] Source: Angop (https://www.angop.ao/en/noticias/economia/20210628-mit-angola-anunciam-participacao-de-sonangol-no-programa-de-pesquisa-do-mit)
- This collaboration between MIT-Africa, Sonangol, and ISPTEC is grounded in education, innovation, and capacity building, aiming to ready future generations for leading technological roles in a sustainable and globally competitive Angola.
- The partnership seeks to connect Angola's oil and gas sector with advanced science and innovation, enhance technological and operational capacities, and foster sustainable development.
- The joint initiative aims to establish a long-term collaboration that benefits both Angola and MIT through the co-creation of knowledge and the strengthening of academic institutions.
- The initiative will see MIT students travel to ISPTEC to teach subjects on renewable energy technologies, and an MIT course on geo-spatial technologies for environmental monitoring will be taught directly at the ISPTEC campus.
- The partnership reflects MIT's commitment to fostering meaningful, long-term relationships across the African continent and advancing personal growth, learning, and education-and-self-development for students on both sides.
- The collaboration is rooted in academic rigor, innovation, and shared curiosity, with the goal of sparking novel approaches to global challenges.
- Sonangol, as an ILP member, is facilitating collaboration in key sectors such as natural resources and mining, energy, construction, and infrastructure.
- The partnership was formalized at a signing ceremony on MIT's campus in June, with key stakeholders from all three institutions present.
- This initiative is a pivotal step in Angola's commitment to leveraging knowledge as the cornerstone of the country's economic transformation, as stated by Diamantino Pedro Azevedo, the Angolan minister of mineral resources, petroleum, and gas.
