ARUA SG Advocates for a New Research Ecosystem in Africa at WUN Forum
Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, Secretary-General of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), has underscored the urgent need for a transformative business model in African research collaboration. He made this known while delivering a keynote address titled, “Developing a New Research and Innovation Ecosystem for Africa through Effective Partnership” at the 2024 Presidents Forum of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN).
The event was held at the Future Africa Campus of the University of Pretoria, focusing on the theme “Addressing Global Research Challenges in an African Context.” ARUA Vice-Chancellors were distinguished guests, joining the Presidents and Vice Presidents of WUN for their forum on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, as part of WUN’s Annual General Meeting.
In his address, Prof Aryeetey advocated for partnerships grounded in shared visions and long-term goals, novel approaches to capacity building, and equitable funding models. Highlighting the success of ARUA’s Centres of Excellence (CoE) model which also formed the basis of its collaboration with The Guild of European Research Intensive Universities, Prof. Aryeetey showcased the Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) initiative. This ambitious project unites over 160 researchers from more than 60 institutions across Africa and Europe in response to the AU-EU innovation agenda. It exemplifies the potential of collaborative efforts in addressing global research challenges with an African perspective.
Prof. Aryeetey further underscored the critical importance of increasing the number of PhD graduates in Africa. He announced ARUA’s exciting partnership with Mastercard Foundation, aiming to produce 1,000 PhDs annually in alignment with the African Union’s goal of 100,000 PhDs in a decade. This initiative aspires to produce 7,000 PhDs over ten years, significantly enhancing the continent’s research capabilities and fostering high-quality, interdisciplinary research.
The Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) is a leading global higher education and research network comprising 24 universities across six continents. WUN’s mission is to enhance the impact and prominence of its member universities through strengthened partnerships and collaborative research initiatives.
