DARA Big Data: 2019 Extension
Science and Technology Facilities Council
University of Manchester
DARA Big Data is building research capacity around Big Data and the fourth industrial revolution in Southern Africa through high quality education and research. These high-value technical skills are applicable not only to scientific research but also to the space sector, as well as numerous other industrial and commercial sectors where diversification, technological upgrading and innovation are key drivers of economic growth. Moreover the key research areas of DARA Big Data are well-aligned both with the UN Global Goals and the African Union 2063 vision for advanced technologies, in order to improve welfare at the same time as targeting economic growth.  DARA Big Data provides bursaries for students from the partner countries of the African VLBI Network (AVN) - Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia - to study for MSc(R) and PhD degrees at universities in South Africa and the UK. These degrees are in the three data intensive DARA Big Data focus areas of astrophysics (Astro Big Data), health data (Health Big Data) and sustainable agriculture (Agri Big Data).  In addition to providing studentship bursaries, DARA Big Data also works in partnership with South African SKA project (SKA-SA), now incorporated into the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), on the broader Big Data Africa program. Big Data Africa provides training workshops in machine learning, big data techniques and data intensive methodologies across the three DARA Big Data focus areas. These workshops and training courses take place in South Africa and other AVN countries, and are open to students from across the AVN country network who are currently in the honours year of their undergraduate degree or who are already pursuing a masters or PhD level research degree in those countries.
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