From 16 to 18 April 2018, held in Tlemcen, Algeria, the "Research-2-Practical Forum on Renewable Energy, Water and Climate Change in Africa (Res-2-Prac 2018)". Initiated by the Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES) with the support of the German Government and in collaboration with a consortium of German and UN institutions, this forum brought together experts / scientists, leaders in education, policymakers, entrepreneurs, public and private sectors, civil society actors and institutions interested or active in applied and practical research for development to discuss the situation, challenges and innovative solutions in the fields of renewable energies , water and climate security and building strategic partnerships in Africa; the aim is to promote and support applied and practical research as well as strategic partnerships.

During the three days of the meeting, about 65 presentations were made to 120 participants from around the world. Among them is the highly appreciated one by Sylvain Usher, Executive Director of AfWA. Indeed, The Executive Director presented the AfWA African Young Water and Sanitation Professional Small Grant program and the Scholarship program for Master’s and PhD’s degree. These two programs raised a lot of interest towards the Technical and financial partners attending the Forum and many face to face discussion followed the presentation. The Executive Director also chaired a plenary session on: Funding Opportunities for Applied Research and Research to Practice in Africa. AfWA's contribution to the forum was considered of crucial importance in guiding the debate and crystallizing the interactions between scientists and practitioners in thematic areas.

This forum, according to participants, was a great opportunity to have B to B meetings and to explore partnership opportunities. They expressed their satisfaction with the relevance of the topics and the quality of the speakers.

It should be noted that The Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (including Climate Change) (PAUWES) is one of the five hubs of the Pan African University (PAU) and is hosted at the University of Tlemcen in Algeria. Supported by the Algerian Government, the African Union Commission and the German Government, PAUWES offers an extensive and state-of-the-art infrastructure for modern learning.