The International Relations Office of Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) is organising the 3rd International African Week, under the theme “Innovation Under Constraints: How Lab to Market Succeeds (and Fails) in the Global South”, which will take place from 18 to 22 May 2026 in Heraklion, Crete, at the Amphitheatre of the School of Management and Economics.
Continuing an important cycle of international cooperation that began in 2024, focusing on internationalisation, food security and precision agriculture, and continued in 2025 with an emphasis on the Sustainable Development Goals in higher education, this year’s event explores how research innovation moves from the laboratory to the market and society.
It examines both the opportunities and the challenges faced by universities, researchers and scholars in the Global South, as well as in Mediterranean countries facing similar constraints in terms of resources, infrastructure and funding tools.
This year’s event brings together approximately 25 speakers from nine countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Egypt, Uganda, Palestine and Jordan, alongside members of the HMU academic community and invited guests from the wider academic, research and business community of Crete.
Through lectures, round tables and workshops, the programme will address issues such as alternative funding, entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystems in the Global South, precision agriculture, sustainable agriculture and living labs, as well as the transfer of knowledge from the laboratory to the field and production.
At the same time, topics related to engineering, energy and resilient structural solutions in resource-constrained environments will be presented, along with the role of academic libraries, accessibility and education in strengthening innovation and the social impact of research.
The event is open to all members of the academic community and the general public.
Hellenic Mediterranean University invites students, researchers, academics, professionals, organisations and citizens to participate in an international meeting that brings Crete and Africa closer together, strengthening bridges of research, education, innovation and cooperation.
Programme and information:
https://iro.hmu.gr/aw3/
