Orange launches Data 4 Development contest, Côte d’Ivoire, education, StarAfrica.com
abernard102@gmail.com 2012-09-27
Summary:
"Orange 'Data for Development' - D4D - is an open data challenge, encouraging research teams around the world to use four datasets of anonymous call patterns of Orange's Ivory Coast subsidiary, to help address society development questions in novel ways. The data sets are based onanonymised Call Detail Records extracted from Orange’s customer base, covering the months of December 2011 to April 2012. Research teams wishing to take on the challenge and participate to the development of Ivory Coast society will have access to the data to analyse it and cross-compare it with other types of data to find useful insights. The best research results will be selected by an independent D4D committee and will be presented at the 2013 NetMob conference and later at an event in Ivory Coast. The goal of the D4D challenge, in line with our Group’s Orange for Development initiative, is to contribute to the socio-economic development and well-being of populations. Knowledge of typical behaviours of mobile telephone users can be very useful, for example to identify early signs of epidemics, to be reactive in times of crisis, to measure the threat and resultant impact of droughts, to optimize the usage of certain infrastructures, etc. The research subject can be chosen freely as long as it relates to an objective of development and improved quality of life for all. The results of the research work will be assessed by the D4D Committee, consisted of personalities from the University of Bouake, Global Pulse, the MIT, Orange Labs, UCL and the World Economic Forum. The committee will evaluate the scientific insights’ quality and originality, the potential to contribute to a relevant development issue and the quality of data visualisation to make the data speak in simple and engaging ways. The submissions are expected until the end of October 2012, teams will have until the end ofJanuary 2013 to complete their works and the results will be published in May 2013."