The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST) has reinforced its commitment to global academic engagement by hosting an international lecture on network science, focusing on its applications in tackling modern societal challenges.

The lecture, titled “Connected Worlds: How Networks Can Help to Understand Fake News Spreading, Urban Systems, and More,” was delivered on campus by Prof. Giancarlo Ruffo from the University of Piemonte Orientale “A. Avogadro,” Italy.

In his presentation, Prof. Ruffo demonstrated how network science can be applied to pressing global issues such as the spread of misinformation, urban planning, and the analysis of complex systems. He emphasized the role of interdisciplinary approaches in solving today’s societal challenges.

The session built upon a week-long short course on “Fuzzy Modeling: Theory and Practices” facilitated by Prof. Esko Turunen from Tampere University, Finland. The training was designed to equip postgraduate students and researchers with the knowledge and skills to apply fuzzy logic methods in enhancing their research capacity. Conducted in a hybrid format, both sessions drew strong participation from postgraduate students and researchers across the region, while also creating avenues for international collaboration between NM-AIST and other leading academic institutions abroad.

By organizing such events, NM-AIST continues to strengthen its mission of advancing science, technology, and innovation in Africa through knowledge-sharing and exposure to frontier research.