A secure and resilient digital transformation
Led by Carnegie Mellon University Africa, the Upanzi Network leverages the strengths of the African Engineering and Technology (Afretec) network. Launched in September 2022, it is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Upanzi is an Africa-based network of engineering research labs that is working towards a secure and resilient digital transformation on the continent. The network focuses on creating, testing, innovating, and assisting in implementing digital technologies at scale. For example, the network specifically focuses on identity, payments, cybersecurity, cloud computing, data governance, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and influencing technology policy recommendations to support low- and middle-income countries.
Goals
- Build, experiment with, and contribute back to existing open-source digital technologies for the public good, and demonstrate technological solutions that can provide beneficial, cost-effective and interoperable digital services for Africans
- Implement secure, privacy-protecting, fair, resilient and trustworthy digital technologies
- Enable a more inclusive digital technology environment through the development of digital services that are well-suitable to resource-constrained individuals and environments
- Empower users of digital technologies by building and promoting the development of human-centered digital solutions
- Build a network of existing African academic institutions that will act as trusted players where decision makers get trustworthy guidance about different technological solutions
Thrust areas
- Cybersecurity
- Digital public goods/digital public infrastructure governance and deployment
- Public health and agriculture
- Data
- Connectivity
- Technology and society
- Capacity building
Learn more about research projects in the Upanzi Network
The Upanzi Network Lab at Carnegie Mellon University Africa is the first laboratory in the network. This lab focuses on tackling the network's goals in the East African region.