The multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach of the CISAO of the University of Turin for development cooperation

Established in 2004, the Interdepartmental Centre of Research and Technical - Scientific Cooperation with Africa (CISAO) of the University of Turin was born form the need to group under a single centre the various cultural, scientific and technical competences available in some Departments of the University of Turin. From the very beginning, the departments (that are currently the Departments of: Chemistry; Culture, Politics and Society; Economics and Statistics “S. Cognetti de Martiis ”; Law; Agricultural, Forestry and Food Sciences; Earth Sciences; Veterinary Sciences; Inter-University Department of Sciences, Project and Territorial Policies; Humanities Studies) had as main objective making effective collaboration with African partners in the field of research, education and training, in coherence with the Millennium Development Goals. This objective is totally included in the internationalization mission of the University of Turin. Specifically, the activities of CISAO aims to support local “capacity building”, coordinating and encouraging the meeting not only between the academic and research world, national and international public and private institutions, but also NGOs, the businesses and civil society. Since 2016 the CISAO has expanded its area of intervention to all Africa, and now it boasts consolidated collaborations in Senegal, Cape Verde, Mali, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Chad, Mauritania, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Tunisia on issues concerning the agricultural and food sector, production and animal health, water and renewable energy management, waste management and waste reduction, but also on social, economic and development strategies.