Open A.I.R. Photo Albums


Interim Workshop, March 2012, Nairobi	The Open A.I.R. Interim Workshop, from 26 to 29 March 2012 at the Fairview Hotel in Nairobi, brought together researchers working on each of the 19 research case studies, as well as project management and funding partners. Delegates to the Interim Workshop engaged with the initial findings from the case studies, conducted foresight research exercises, and planned the project's training and outreach activities for 2012 and 2013.
Launching Workshop, May 2011, Cape Town	The Open A.I.R. Network network was launched in May 2011 during a four-day workshop at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Breakwater Lodge conference centre. This Cape Town launch was attended by more than than 35 delegates from 17 countries (Egypt, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa, India, Brazil, Switzerland, Germany, the UK, the US and Canada).
Methodology Workshop, June 2012	Ten Open A.I.R. case study researchers attended the project's Methodology Workshop on 4-5 June 2012 at the University of Cape Town (UCT). Facilitated by Open A.I.R. Methodology Consultant Dr. Donna Podems of OtherWISE, the workshop focussed on best practices when conducting case studies.
Nairobi Public Seminar, March 2012	The Open A.I.R. Project convened a seminar – entitled “How Can Intellectual Property (IP) Be Harnessed for Open Development in Africa?” – on the afternoon of Thursday 29 March 2012 at the Fairview Hotel, Nairobi. Seminar moderators were Open A.I.R. Steering Committee (SC) member Sisule Musungu of IQsensato and Open A.I.R. Research Fellow Milton Lore of Bridgeworks Africa Ltd. The panellists were Dr. Henry Mutai, who is Managing Director of the Kenyan Industrial Property Institute (KIPI), along with Alex Gakuru of the ICT Consumers Association of Kenya (ICAK), John Kieti of Nairobi's m:lab East Africa innovation incubator, and Open A.I.R. network member Dr. Marisella Ouma, who is the Executive Director of the Kenya Copyright Board.
Research Fellows' Activities	Open A.I.R. Research Fellows are based for three months at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Faculty of Law's IP Law & Policy Research Unit.
Traditional Knowledge (TK) Commons Forum, February 2012	One of the six Open A.I.R. Thematic Working Groups, the group focussing on the concept of the traditional knowledge (TK) commons, met at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in February 2012 for a forum entitled "Non-Traditional Users of Traditional Knowledge (TK): Opportunities and Challenges around Compliance". The meeting, convened by the non-profit group Natural Justice: Lawyers for Communities and the Environment, brought together lawyers and legal researchers working in Ghana, Kenya and South Africa with traditional healers from South Africa. The meeting addressed a range of issues, including: (1) how to define the concept of a TK commons; (2) modes for pooling and sharing of TK; (3) the perspectives of traditional healers in relation to notions of TK-sharing; and (4) possible policy frameworks in suppor of TK commons arrangements.