The IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) held several events in Eastern Africa as follow-on on past meetings and engagements, and to continue to build awareness and connections with the local technology communities the first week of October, aligning with IEEE Day and World Standards Day activities.
There was an IEEE SA/African Regional Organization for Standardization (ARSO) Summit, where standardization champions from around the continent strategized on the role of standardization in the 4th Industrial Revolution and resolved to work together in a coordination project.
IEEE SA participated in the 3rd African Smart Grid Forum, with two plenary speakers and a booth presence. The forum attracted 350 participants from across the continent. Sri Chandra, IEEE Sr. Director of Standards and Technology, introduced IEEE and its standards activities, and Robby Simpson, IEEE SA Board of Governors Member and vice-chair of IEEE P2030.5™ Working Group shared insights on the landscape in the US smart grid experience.
A stakeholder event on Industry 4.0 was hosted by the Rwanda Standards Board (RSB), with which IEEE SA has a Memorandum of Understanding. The event was part of RSB’s World Standards Day event series and featured speakers from IEEE, and local private sector and Rwandan government representatives, sharing their views on technology trends and needs to grow the field locally.
The second half of the week was in Nairobi, where IEEE SA partnered with the IEEE Kenya Section and held a networking event in Nairobi, in honor of IEEE Day. The presentations focused on IEEE SA’s Internet of Things and Blockchain activities, as well as standards education and other engagements. The event had 40 attendees and lively dialogue.
In addition, meetings with local institutions and industry were held to advance engagement in different IEEE programs. In total, the IEEE team’s presentations reached over 500 people with information raising awareness about IEEE standards.
Learn more about IEEE SA’s Global Engagement program today.