New research clusters of excellence increase Warwick’s collaboration across Africa

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild) have announced new ‘clusters of excellence’ with partners from across Africa.

Since 2018, ARUA has worked with The Guild, which Warwick is a member of, to establish a close partnership. At the heart of this partnership is a joint appreciation that European and African universities can address global challenges affecting the African and European continents much more effectively by developing new, long-term partnerships based on equity.

These networks have underlined that the need to strengthen the long-term capacities of African universities, requiring new types of research collaboration including investment in research infrastructure and academic careers at all stages.

Warwick is taking part in three of the new clusters focussing on sustainable food, AI and public health.

Partner institutions in these clusters include Aarhus, Uppsala, King's College London, Tubingen and Ljubljana universities in Europe. Among others, Warwick will be working with the University of Ghana on public health, and the University of Pretoria on sustainable food. Stellenbosch University will be leading on the AI research cluster.

Our involvement in the ARUA/Guild clusters of excellence scheme is also acting to consolidate the close partnership between the University of Warwick and Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Both universities are looking to collaborate further together, signing a memorandum of understanding to encourage co-operation last year.

Most recently, Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela of Stellenbosch University visited the University of Warwick to discuss the intergenerational impact of apartheid in South Africa and to deliver the second Distinguished Africa lecture.

Professor Mike Shipman, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) at Warwick commented: “These new partnerships are a great example of the value of international collaboration. By working with universities across Europe and Africa, including Stellenbosch University, we can enhance the quality and impact of our research, and help train the next generation of researchers.”

“Visits like Professor Gobodo-Madikizela’s highlight just how much we have to learn from one another, and we look forward to working to increase collaboration across a wide range of disciplines”.

this article was first published on 19 June by the University of Warwick.