Final Meeting: Symposium on “Systems Optimization for Sustainable Resources Utilization in Africa”

The increasing complexity of energy, water, agricultural, and mobility systems requires innovative approaches for managing resources efficiently, reliably, and sustainably. Climate variability, uncertain demand patterns, growing urbanization, and increasingly interconnected infrastructures present challenges that cannot be addressed through conventional methods alone. The symposium „Systems Optimization for Sustainable Resource Utilization“ provides an international platform for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, industry representatives, postgraduate students, and early-career researchers to exchange ideas and discuss recent advances at the intersection of mathematical optimization, systems and control engineering, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and sustainable resource management.

The symposium marks the conclusion of the five-year collaborative research project (2022–2026) „Systems Optimization for Sustainable Resource Utilization in Africa“, jointly conducted by Technische Universität Ilmenau and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Rwanda, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR). The project has fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, strengthened research capacity, and promoted scientific exchange between African and German partner institutions. Beyond presenting the scientific outcomes of the project, the symposium showcases cutting-edge research that advances optimization, control, and AI-driven methodologies for addressing sustainability challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

A central theme of the symposium is optimization and decision-making under uncertainty, including stochastic and robust optimization, Chance-Constrained Optimization (CCOPT), Model Predictive Control (MPC), data-driven optimization, and AI-assisted decision-making. These methodologies provide powerful tools for designing adaptive, resilient, and efficient systems capable of operating under uncertain and dynamic conditions. The symposium welcomes contributions addressing theoretical developments, computational methods, experimental validation, and innovative interdisciplinary applications in areas including sustainable energy systems, water resources management, intelligent agrifood systems, autonomous and cyber-physical systems, smart mobility, and sustainable logistics.

The scientific program will feature keynote lectures by internationally recognized experts, contributed presentations, and discussions highlighting recent developments at the interface of optimization, artificial intelligence, and sustainable resource utilization. Participants will have the opportunity to present their latest research results, exchange methodological innovations, and explore novel applications that contribute to resilient and sustainable infrastructures.

The symposium aims to strengthen international scientific cooperation, foster interdisciplinary dialogue, and create new opportunities for collaborative research, academic mobility, and knowledge transfer between Africa and Europe. By connecting mathematical foundations with real-world applications, the event seeks to inspire innovative solutions that support sustainable development and technological transformation while advancing long-term research partnerships between universities, research institutions, industry, and policymakers.