ERLN Spotlight: DTI Chief Director: Regional Industrial Clusters

In the welcome to the Economies of Regions Conference, Deputy Minister of Finance, Mcebisi Jonas, emphasized the importance of industrial clusters and industrial cluster formation as being especially critical to regional economic development initiatives. Stieneke Samuels is Chief Director: Regional Industrial Clusters at the Department of Trade and Industry. Stieneke is also an Advisory Group member of the ERLN and is very active in utilising the ERLN platform to engage about cluster development. ERLN Convenor, Kirsten Pearson, puts Stieneke Samuels in the spotlight to discover more about how the dti is working to support cluster development.

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National Open Data Quest

The National Open Data Quest will take place on the 24th of October 2015 from 9am-4pm. The interactive session will involve working in groups to produce stories with social relevance, with at least one high-impact data visualisation, using one or more open datasets.

The stories will be judged based on whether the piece is relevant to an average citizen and how well the data visualisation works and supports the story.

There will be prizes up for grabs and lunch and refreshments served throughout the day. 

The event forms part of a nationally coordinated drive to promote open data access in South Africa and will be hosted by Code for South Africa in collaboration with  Open Data Durban, Innovation Hub, and Geekulcha, Journalists, designers, developers, researchers, engaged citizens, and anyone with an interest in data are encouraged to attend. 

To register, please complete the online registration form.

For more information please visit the event page on Facebook.

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Economies of Regions Conference: all the presentations, graphic harvest and video

The Government Technical Advisory Centre and the Economies of Regions Learning Network in partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand’s Development Studies Programme hosted a conference with the theme of Economic Development at the sub-national level.

The conference brought together research on relevant South African and international experiences on approaches to sub-national economic development that will contribute to job creation and economic growth. The conference provided a platform for academics, government officials, policy makers and civil society to explore and discuss these issues within the context of stimulating economic development.

Find the presentations here

Find the keynote speaker video here

Graphic Harvest day 1: (Touch the images to link to the presentations)

Graphic Harvest day 2:

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ERLN Spotlight: Head of Wits School of Development Studies

The University of Witwatersrand Development Studies Programme is an inter-disciplinary programme, headed by Professor Samuel Kariuki. The ERLN conference is being hosted in partnership with the Wits Development Studies Programme. ERLN Convenor, Kirsten Pearson, puts Prof Kariuki in the spotlight. 

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