Seminar on Augmented Intelligence for Development: Evaluating Large-Scale Structural Transformations in Developing Countries
Seminar | Online
About the Event
A half-day seminar to provide a platform for experts in the field to share their insights and experiences on how Augmented Intelligence (human-machine teaming) can be utilized to predict, monitor, and evaluate large-scale structural transformations in developing countries. The presentations will draw on real-world case studies from different regions to showcase the impact of policy interventions and the role of augmented intelligence in driving transformation.
The seminar will delve into the various components of augmented intelligence in predicting, monitoring, and assessing the progress of large-scale projects in real-time. It will also examine the opportunities and challenges that come with implementing augmented intelligence-driven monitoring and evaluation frameworks and discuss strategies for ensuring the active participation of multiple stakeholders in the evaluation process.
Our distinguished panel of presenters includes Taoufik Rajhi, a former Reform Minister from Tunisia, who will bring a wealth of experience in driving policy interventions for development. Damla Aras, the project lead for the Machine-Human Learning Project at UNAMA in Afghanistan, will share insights on leveraging augmented intelligence for sustainable development. Abdullah Altun, an Associate Professor from Gebze Technical and George Mason Universities, will offer valuable academic insights on the topic specifically on AI and Global Value Chains. Muhammad Salar Khan, Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Faculty at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, and incoming Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Dr Salar Khan will discuss strategies and policies to ensure the safe implementation of AI within government institutions, as well as how AI can drive development and innovation in low-income economies with practical examples.
The seminar will be moderated by Sebnem Sahin, Technical Advisory Group Lead for the Human-Machine Learning Project, UNDP Afghanistan. With her expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and development economics, she will ensure a stimulating and engaging discussion among the panelists and participants.
We believe this seminar is timely and important to gain a deeper understanding of how AI is reshaping the monitoring and evaluation landscape in developing countries and to explore the potential for transformative change through augmented intelligence-driven frameworks.
Participants will gain valuable insights and experiences on how augmented intelligence can be used to drive large-scale structural transformations in developing countries. They will learn about real-world case studies and best practices in policy interventions, monitoring, and evaluation frameworks. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to network with development practitioners and academics in the field.
Content:
One of the most pressing topics in the contemporary world is the transformative impact of AI. We are excited to introduce a half-day seminar focusing on the pivotal role of augmented intelligence in predicting, monitoring, and evaluating large-scale structural transformations in developing countries.
The seminar sessions will revolve around the following key questions:
-What policy interventions have the potential to spark significant transformations in developing countries drawing insights from global case studies?
-How can augmented intelligence contribute to predicting, monitoring, and evaluating these large-scale transformations in both the short and long term?
-What opportunities and challenges are associated with AI-driven monitoring and evaluation frameworks?
The core issues related to AI in monitoring and evaluation encompass:
-Identifying the components of AI relevant to Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).
-Demonstrating how AI can effectively monitor and assess the various elements of large-scale structural transformations in developing nations.
-Ensuring diverse stakeholder involvement in the evaluation of AI-driven Evaluation Frameworks.
-Exploring the opportunities and challenges presented by AI-driven evaluation frameworks.
Addressing practical considerations in AI-driven transformation: Providing guidelines, checklists, and defining the roles of key actors to promote cooperation and collaboration for active stakeholder interventions.
The proposed list of presenters:
-Professor Taoufik Rajhi, Former Honorable Minister of Reform in the Republic of Tunisia.
-Dr. Damla Aras, Analyst in the Joint Analysis and Reporting Section, at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and Project lead of the UNDP-UNAMA Augmented Intelligence Project.
-Timothy Westlake, data scientist and AI specialist in the Department of Data Science, AI, and Robotics at the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands and PhD candidate in the Department of Humanities and Digital Sciences at Tilburg University.
-Dr. Abdullah Altun, Associate Professor, Gebze Technical University in Turkiye & Visiting Scholar, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy, and Government in the United States. Project Leader for “AI and Global Value Chains”.
- Dr. Muhammad Salar Khan is a Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Faculty at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, and an incoming Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
- Dr. Sebnem Sahin, Senior Economist & Technical Advisory Group Lead of the UNDP-UNAMA Augmented Intelligence project, UNDP Afghanistan. Founder and President of SERAP LLC, an established consultancy firm in the Washington DC area.
The seminar will delve into the various components of augmented intelligence in predicting, monitoring, and assessing the progress of large-scale projects in real-time. It will also examine the opportunities and challenges that come with implementing augmented intelligence-driven monitoring and evaluation frameworks and discuss strategies for ensuring the active participation of multiple stakeholders in the evaluation process.
Our distinguished panel of presenters includes Taoufik Rajhi, a former Reform Minister from Tunisia, who will bring a wealth of experience in driving policy interventions for development. Damla Aras, the project lead for the Machine-Human Learning Project at UNAMA in Afghanistan, will share insights on leveraging augmented intelligence for sustainable development. Abdullah Altun, an Associate Professor from Gebze Technical and George Mason Universities, will offer valuable academic insights on the topic specifically on AI and Global Value Chains. Muhammad Salar Khan, Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Faculty at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, and incoming Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Dr Salar Khan will discuss strategies and policies to ensure the safe implementation of AI within government institutions, as well as how AI can drive development and innovation in low-income economies with practical examples.
The seminar will be moderated by Sebnem Sahin, Technical Advisory Group Lead for the Human-Machine Learning Project, UNDP Afghanistan. With her expertise in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and development economics, she will ensure a stimulating and engaging discussion among the panelists and participants.
We believe this seminar is timely and important to gain a deeper understanding of how AI is reshaping the monitoring and evaluation landscape in developing countries and to explore the potential for transformative change through augmented intelligence-driven frameworks.
Participants will gain valuable insights and experiences on how augmented intelligence can be used to drive large-scale structural transformations in developing countries. They will learn about real-world case studies and best practices in policy interventions, monitoring, and evaluation frameworks. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to network with development practitioners and academics in the field.
Content:
One of the most pressing topics in the contemporary world is the transformative impact of AI. We are excited to introduce a half-day seminar focusing on the pivotal role of augmented intelligence in predicting, monitoring, and evaluating large-scale structural transformations in developing countries.
The seminar sessions will revolve around the following key questions:
-What policy interventions have the potential to spark significant transformations in developing countries drawing insights from global case studies?
-How can augmented intelligence contribute to predicting, monitoring, and evaluating these large-scale transformations in both the short and long term?
-What opportunities and challenges are associated with AI-driven monitoring and evaluation frameworks?
The core issues related to AI in monitoring and evaluation encompass:
-Identifying the components of AI relevant to Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).
-Demonstrating how AI can effectively monitor and assess the various elements of large-scale structural transformations in developing nations.
-Ensuring diverse stakeholder involvement in the evaluation of AI-driven Evaluation Frameworks.
-Exploring the opportunities and challenges presented by AI-driven evaluation frameworks.
Addressing practical considerations in AI-driven transformation: Providing guidelines, checklists, and defining the roles of key actors to promote cooperation and collaboration for active stakeholder interventions.
The proposed list of presenters:
-Professor Taoufik Rajhi, Former Honorable Minister of Reform in the Republic of Tunisia.
-Dr. Damla Aras, Analyst in the Joint Analysis and Reporting Section, at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and Project lead of the UNDP-UNAMA Augmented Intelligence Project.
-Timothy Westlake, data scientist and AI specialist in the Department of Data Science, AI, and Robotics at the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands and PhD candidate in the Department of Humanities and Digital Sciences at Tilburg University.
-Dr. Abdullah Altun, Associate Professor, Gebze Technical University in Turkiye & Visiting Scholar, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy, and Government in the United States. Project Leader for “AI and Global Value Chains”.
- Dr. Muhammad Salar Khan is a Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Faculty at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, and an incoming Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
- Dr. Sebnem Sahin, Senior Economist & Technical Advisory Group Lead of the UNDP-UNAMA Augmented Intelligence project, UNDP Afghanistan. Founder and President of SERAP LLC, an established consultancy firm in the Washington DC area.
Speakers
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Taoufik Rajhi | Professor, Former Honorable Minister of Reform in the Republic of Tunisia | Taoufik Rajhi is a renowned economist and holds a PhD from Universite Paris I – Pantheon Sorbonne in France. With a focus on macroeconomics and endogenous growth, he has published several influential articles. In 2004, he transitioned to the African Development Bank, where he played a pivotal role in economic and social development initiatives. His career took a political turn in 2015 when he was appointed as an advisor to the head of government, Habib Essid, overseeing crucial economic reforms. Subsequently, in 2017, he was appointed as a minister in charge of Major Reforms in the government. In his latest role, starting in 2019, he served as the interim Minister of Vocational Training and Employment, further solidifying his commitment to enhancing economic opportunities and development in Tunisia. Professor Rajhi is currently advising the UNDP in several capacities including M&E. |
| Damla Aras | PhD., Analyst in Joint Analysis and Reporting Section, at the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, and Project lead of the UNDP-UNAMA Augmented Intelligence Project. | Dr. Damla Aras works as an analyst/political affairs officer in Joint Analysis and Reporting Section in United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan since 2018. She previously worked as an analyst in Joint Mission Analysis Centers in UN missions in Darfur, Somalia, South Sudan and Central African Republic as a data translator. Her areas of interest include developing foresight and early warning mechanisms by teaming human and machine analysis/assessment designs. As part of her work on the human design, she has co-developed and been providing trainings to the UN field missions, agencies and member states: “Driver Based Scenario Building”, “Early Warning & Critical Indicators”, “From Complexity to Clarity: Systems Analysis for Policy-Making”. With her team, she has co-developed and successfully completed UNDP-UNAMA human-machine teaming project predicting multidimensional vulnerability levels across Afghanistan for 2024 and currently working on the Phase II of the project. She holds PhDs from Istanbul University as well as King’s College London where she also completed her post-doctoral studies. |
| Timothy Westlake | UNDP consultant. Data scientist and AI specialist in the Department of Data Science, AI and Robotics at the Ministry of Defence of the Netherlands and PhD candidate in Department of Humanities and Digital Sciences at Tilburg University. | Timothy Westlake holds a Master’s Degree in Data Science and an executive MBA from the University of Amsterdam. He works as the technical expert for the UNDP-UNAMA Augmented Intelligence Project, where he is responsible for developing the core algorithms, focusing on data science and artificial intelligence. Additionally, Timothy serves as a Data Scientist and AI Specialist at the Ministry of Defence in the Netherlands. |
| Abdullah Altun | Associate Professor, Gebze Technical University in Turkiye & Visiting Scholar, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy, and Government in the United States. Project Leader for “AI and Global Value Chains”. | Abdullah Altun, Ph.D., has been an assistant professor of Economics at Gebze Technical University (GTU) in Turkey since September 2020. He earned his Ph.D. from GTU in 2017 and holds an associate professorship title in international economics. Altun's research focuses on Global Value Chains (GVCs) in the contexts of innovation systems, climate change, and AI. He has been a visiting scholar at prestigious institutions worldwide and has published extensively in top academic journals. Before academia, Dr. Altun worked as a Chief Expert at The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey. |
| Muhammad Salar Khan | Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Faculty at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, and an incoming Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology | Dr. Muhammad Salar Khan, a Don E. Kash Postdoctoral Fellow at the Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason University, and incoming Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the Rochester Institute of Technology, will discuss strategies and policies to ensure the safe implementation of AI within government institutions, as well as how AI can drive development and innovation in low-income economies, with practical examples. |
Moderators
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Sebnem Sahin | PhD., Sebnem Sahin, Senior Economist & Technical Advisory Group Lead of the UNDP-UNAMA Augmented Intelligence project, UNDP Afghanistan. | With over 20 years of experience in economist roles at the UNDP, World Bank, OECD, IFPRI, CEPII, and academia. Sebnem Sahin specializes in Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modeling for evidence-based analysis of development challenges in various countries and regions. She supports governments and stakeholders in shaping economic policies towards sustainability and resilience-building, focusing on crisis mitigation, and addressing global events like climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, and conflict-affected countries. Dr. Sahin holds a PhD in Economics from Paris I - Pantheon Sorbonne. She is the founder and president of an established consultancy firm (SERAP LLC) in Washington DC area. |