IPORA is an international transdisciplinary research network initiated by university teams from Ethiopia, Côte d'Ivoire, France and Morocco. One of the major challenges in setting up the network was to ensure efficient digital communication and fluid data exchange between partners. Work Package 3 (WP3), dedicated to the data platform, had the primary objective of strengthening the available IT resources. Given the diversity of contexts and technical resources of the teams involved, a prior assessment of existing IT capabilities and the specific needs of each partner was essential.
In 2023, the GPR IPORA WP3 team organized missions comprising three IT specialists, who went out into the field to meet partner teams. This multidisciplinary delegation brought together experts in information systems, network administration and cybersecurity, bringing a wide range of skills to strengthen collaboration and meet technical needs.
Site visit to the International University of Rabat in November 2023
(from left to right: Bachir Loukhbalat, Zaïnab Cherrat, Doiminique Yao, Célestin N'Chot, Zineb Omary, Eric Balestre)
Site visit to Addis Ababa University in October 2023, Center for Food Science and Nutrition
(from left to right: Nefisa Zekaria, Kaleab Baye, Ida Viho, Eric Balestre, Dominique Yao)
Site visit to Addis Ababa University in October 2023, Department of Economics
(from left to right: Tewodros Kahsay, Dominique Yao, Eric Balestre, Ida Viho, Atnafu Gebremeskel, Anagaw Derseh)
PACCI site visit, Abidjan, July 2023 (PACCI IT team)
The aim of these missions? To take stock of the IT capabilities of IPORA's partner structures. These site visits enabled initial contact to be established with local teams, while discovering the infrastructure: premises, server rooms, meeting rooms, classrooms, etc. Several key issues were addressed, such as available IT equipment, human resources, and security and data protection issues. These exchanges also served to assess the specific needs of each structure, to better understand the local context and to adapt to the specific workings of each university.
Following these visits, and in consultation with the local teams, the IPORA program decided to provide concrete support by investing in appropriate IT and communications equipment.
A video-conferencing room and a doctoral students' room at the International University of Rabat
To meet the needs of the UIR, the WP3 team chose to equip an IPORA video-conferencing room, in close collaboration with the UIR team. This choice is in line with IPORA's environmental policy, which aims to encourage remote working and reduce the carbon impact of air travel. Located in the Center for Global Studies of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, this video-conferencing room is equipped with a large interactive screen, a video-conferencing system and adapted furniture. It provides the team with a modern, functional space in which to participate effectively in seminars, training courses and remote meetings.
Video-conferencing room at UIR's Center for Global Studies
Also at UIR, a second room, adjoining the video-conferencing room and dedicated to doctoral students, has been fitted out with modern IT equipment (computers, printers, hard drives, etc.). This space has been designed to welcome doctoral students and visitors in optimal conditions, offering a functional and adapted working environment.
Doctoral students' room at UIR's Center for Global Studies
A multimedia room at Abidjan's Université Félix Houphouët Boigny
At UFHB's Laboratoire des Sciences de la Matière, de l'Environnement et de l'Énergie Solaire (LASMES), Professor Yoboué had expressed the wish to set up a multimedia room, a project that had been put on hold due to a lack of resources. The IPORA project decided to support this initiative, enabling it to become a reality. Today, the new multimedia room is fully equipped with modern technology: 75-inch screen, videoconferencing system, microphones, video projector, cameras, speakers and much more. The room was inaugurated on March 20, 2025 during an official ceremony covered by several local media (https://w.univ-fhb.edu.ci/ipora-offre-une-salle-multimedia-a-lufhb/). This infrastructure now provides LASMES with a high-performance tool to facilitate remote exchanges and collaboration.
Inauguration of the LASMES multimedia room in March 2025 (Université Houphouët Félix Boigny)
Multimedia room at LASMES (Université Houphouët Félix Boigny)
Data hosting equipment at Addis Ababa University
At Addis Ababa University, the situation was different: the College of Food Sciences and Nutrition already had a "smart class" room equipped with an interactive whiteboard, video projector and webcams, while the School of Health Sciences had an operational videoconferencing room.
Smart classroom, Addis Ababa University College for Food Science and Nutrition
Video conference room, School of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University
The WP3 team proposed to support the UAA in improving research data hosting capabilities for the School of Public Health. This support took the form of the provision of equipment to reinforce the existing server room, including a new server dedicated to data hosting and equipment to improve security: fire detection system, security door, UPS, surveillance cameras and air conditioning. The idea is to build the capacity of data center located at School of Public Health so that it can be used to host IPORA related data that will be collected from different sources and countries.
Capacity building for the PACCI program and collaboration with CREDIM (Bordeaux University)
A long-standing partner of the Université de Bordeaux and also a partner of the IPORA network, the PACCI program (CHU de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire) needed to strengthen its server room resources. To meet this need, IPORA financed the acquisition of a firewall to secure their server room. IPORA also supported the Information Systems Department (DSI) of the University of Bordeaux, and more specifically the Centre de Recherche et de Développement en Informatique Médicale (CREDIM). In December 2023 and April 2025, a seminar was organized at the University of Bordeaux thanks to IPORA's financial support. During these meetings, CREDIM experts shared their know-how and experience with the PACCI program's IT team, in particular to assist them in upgrading the network architecture of their server room.
These initiatives have helped enrich exchanges and lay the foundation for a dynamic collaborative network, built on diverse skills and complementary experiences. They may in particular support: investment in large-scale IT infrastructure; strengthening the skills of IT staff through tailored training and seminars; the development of a dedicated procedure for the exchange of IPORA research data; the adoption of harmonized procedures for data management and storage, especially in the context of multidisciplinary research involving various data sources and types, in order to ensure their effective and secure use.