Why this event

In 2021, Mpala launched the organization’s first-ever comprehensive
strategic planning process to articulate a bold vision for the future that identifies new
opportunities for intellectual impact, broadens scientific and scholarly engagement,
and develops a sustainable fiscal and operational model. Central to this initiative, Mpala
is making a deep dive into diversity, equity and inclusion with a special emphasis on
overcoming the barriers to increasing the number of Kenyan and African scholars at
Mpala.

Your role

We invite you – our community members, affiliates, partners, and
potential collaborators – to join us in this crucial conversation. We will be gathering on
Zoom in an open forum aimed at jointly identifying and creating priorities for action.
We recognize that you have important experiences and insights into this issue, and w e
need your help to develop solutions to equitably enhance research capacity
and foster a culture that promotes greater African scholarship. All
information acquired through this event will be used to inform our new strategic plan.
This will be a fully remote event to accommodate for multiple time zones and
geographies, and ensure that as many people as possible are able to attend. We hope
that you are interested and willing to participate in this special opportunity to make a
long term difference at Mpala!

What will happen

We will have an Open Space to:

1. Discuss issues, thoughts, and ideas raised by participants on the identified topic.
2. Participants will split into break out rooms for further discussion.
3. All plans, recommendations, and ideas for action will be documented and
   included in a comprehensive report that will be made available to all participants.
4. After the event, identified priority actions will be reviewed for implementation.

Date and time

August 20, 2024, 1:00-7:00 pm EAT (GMT +3:00) | 6:00 am-12:00 pm EST
The event will begin promptly at 1:00pm EAT, so we recommend that you join 10-15
minutes early to familiarize yourself with the format and work out any technological
issues you may have. We recognize that this time is not ideal for everyone, but this is
our best compromise to accommodate for different time zones and allow enough time
for open discussion.

What is an open space event

As the name suggests, an Open Space event is an ‘Open’ gathering of people from
diverse backgrounds who are motivated and passionate about addressing a specific
topic. This is a highly interactive, inclusive, and collaborative process with no set
agenda, speakers, or outcomes. A moderator will initiate the discussion but
participants will co-create the rest of the event by self-organizing into parallel working
sessions (break-out rooms), where they will discuss and brainstorm ways to move
forward. All perspectives, ideas, and opinions are welcome. You can read more
about Open Space technology here.

Registration

Register with the link below. Please use the Zoom link provided in the
confirmation email to attend the event.

Event Schedule: (EAT)

• 12:45 pm – participant technology troubleshooting.
• 1:00 pm – event introduction and open circle brainstorming session.
• Until 7:00 pm – breakout rooms on various topics, join us for as long as you want!