Deadline: 25-Jun-21
The International Development Research Center is seeking applications for its managing organization (hub) for responsible artificial intelligence for education innovation research network in Africa.
The Hub will design, develop, and manage the gender and inclusion innovation research network as key part of the Artificial intelligence for Development in Africa program (AI4D Africa).
Scope
- The goal of this call is to recruit a managing organization (hub) that will lead African-based research network on responsible AI innovations in advancing education that strengthens teaching, learning, and school administrative functions. The hub will design, develop, and manage the innovation research network. The selected organization will also be responsible for supporting the competitive selection of high-quality research projects from African innovators and researchers at the intersection of AI and education systems as well as providing conceptual and technical support and guidance to the research network members.
- The selected organization will also be responsible for the following non-exhaustive set of activities:
- Supporting the competitive selection of high-quality research projects from African innovators and researchers at the intersection of artificial intelligence and education;
- Providing conceptual and technical support and guidance to the research network members;
- Conducting research reviews and syntheses on AI innovations in education in LMICs in Africa;
- Building synergies and collaborate where appropriate with other innovation networks, such as around issues of scaling, or human rights impact assessments, and
- Contributing to the strategic guidance of the AI4D Africa program.
Objectives
Specific objectives are to:
- Deepen understanding of how to develop and scale responsible AI oriented innovations for education in sub-Saharan Africa;
- Better their understanding of contextually appropriate AI teaching and learning applications, their impacts on learning and in the society;
- Build the capacity of African innovators and researchers to develop, deploy, scale, and research responsible AI applications in education; and
- Facilitate the contribution of African research to international AI policy and practice conversations.
Funding Information
- Amount: CAD $1.2 million
- Duration: Up to 30 months
Eligibility Criteria
- This call for expressions of interest is open to individual organizations or groups of organizations that:
- Have their headquarters based in lower and lower-middle income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with preference given for organizations in low- and medium-income countries.
- Have a proven record of working in Africa and supporting the design, development, and scaling of education and AI innovations in these contexts.
- Internal expertise in AI and education technologies.
- Ability to work in both English and French at a minimum. Other languages a plus.
- Transdisciplinary consortia are encouraged to apply. Consortia may consist of up to three (3) organizations. In case of a consortium, the expression of interest needs to provide a rationale explaining why the consortium has come together to implement this innovation research network and describe the role and added value provided by each member organization. Consortia must describe the governance and coordination arrangements they will use to produce high quality work and support fair and equitable partnerships.
- NB: This call for expressions of interest is not open to individuals or government ministries and agencies, but it is open to public research institutes and public university centers, labs and departments. It is also open to private sector actors.
For more information, visit https://www.idrc.ca/en/funding/call-expressions-interest-managing-organization-hub-responsible-artificial-intelligence-2
