The 1st ENRICH International Conference “Energy accessibility & efficiency: the importance of Science, Technology and Innovation support services” has been hosted by MZUMBE University in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania last 8th October 2015. The main aim of this conference was to bring together top management and researchers from Higher Education Institutions, research & project managers, managers from energy industries and the main stakeholders in the energy field to exchange ideas and promote an effective collaboration in the East African region.

Following the morning presentations, two round tables were conducted. The first one was focused on the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) support services on energy access and efficiency and the second one on the future areas of co-operation in the energy sector. The objectives of the roundtables were:

• to discuss the importance of STI support services for an operational and effective management of research and innovation on energy access and efficiency in East Africa.
• to discuss potential synergies and possible actions to facilitate regional co-operation in the energy sector among academia, researchers, industries and policy makers in East Africa.

The Conference was attended by representatives from the ENRICH and Succeed Network Higher Education Institution partners from Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania and Burundi, the Directorate of Research Management and Development (DRMD) of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kenya, the Ministry of Communication Science and Technology of Tanzania, the Tanzanian Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH), the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST), the Inter University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Tanzania Academy of Sciences and the United Nations Development Organisation (UNIDO) as well as external experts in the energy and environment sectors.

Following the conference, on the 9th October, a joint ENRICH & Succeed Network coordination meeting, took place. The aim of this joint meeting was to develop synergies between these two projects, in order to strengthen the consortia and increase the sustainability of the results.