Frequent Questions and Answers

Français

Question : What is your aim ?
Answer : Our aim is to develop scientific research in Mali and the rest of Africa and to raise the level of the higher education. We also look for bridging the gaps that may exist between industries and academics in Mali and the rest of Africa.

Question :I am not Malian can I join the steering or the organizing committees ?
Answer : Of course. There is no restriction in that sense. We are looking for scientists regardless of their nationality.

Question : I would like to participate to the symposium. Can I get financial support ?
Answer : Organizers and Scientific Committe members are volunteers. MSAS does not have any official sponsorship. Our ressources are therefore very limited. However we might be able to support few world class speekers. For Malians we suggest that they contact Tokten. We should add that for the next symposium, demands of sponsorship were made. If we obtain this financing we could increase considerably the number of guests.

Question : If I participate to the MSAS, will organizers arrange lodging ?
Answer : Yes, the organisers will give you the alternatives of the hotels in Bamako and they will make the reservation for you.

Question : If I participate to the MSAS, will organizers arrange meeeting me at the airport ?
Answer : Yes, if you let the organizers know the date and time of your arrival they will arrange to meet you and accompany you to your destination.

Question : Will MSAS conferences take place if the demands of financing ended in no result ?
Answer : it is not even necessary to ask. When the symposium is decided, MSAS committees will make sure to realize it.

Question : I may not be able to participate to the next MSAS conferences because of tight schedule, can you change the date ?
Answer : No, sorry. The date of MSAS conferences is absolute.

Question : I have many other friends that would like to participate if you change the date, will you ?
Answer : No, sorry. The date of MSAS conferences is absolute.

Question : Do you publish abstracts ?
Answer : Yes, we do, before the conference. Accepted abstracts are published in the conference program and online, at the conference web site.

Question : Do you publish your proceedings ?
Answer : Absolutely yes. These are refereed proceedings. Their purpose is very simple : broaden the impact of the symposium by reaching many more individuals other than the attendees. Even for the attendees, we know that complex knowledge, processes, and procedures can only be transmitted through writing. Hence, the proceedings permit attendees to further digest the contributions from their own field and from related fields. The larger goals of promoting research, contributing to development activities, etc., are not attainable without publications.

Question : I am not sure whether I will be at the symposium, can I submit a paper ?
Answer : The organizers expect at least one of the authors to be present at the symposium. To present the paper If you are not sure to be present you can still submit a paper. In the case when none of the co-authors are present to present the work, the editors of the proceedings can not give a guarantee for the publication of the paper.

Question : I have just learnt of the symposium and I would like to give you the title and the summary of my paper during the symposium in Bamako. Is it possible ?
Answer : No, sorry. In the past, to encourage the Malian researchers to present the results of their work, we registered them during the symposium. These changes of last minute had unpleasant consequences which do not give to a rehearsal. This time, the program will be established well before and will be executed without the slightest change of this kind.

Question : What is the language of MSAS ?
Answer : English and French. Presentation can be done in either one. Translation will be provided.

Question : Which language should be used for writting the abstracts ?
Answer : Both English and french are accepted. Papers will be published in the language chosen by the author.

MSAS 2012