Author: Rowena Quinan

Sharon Fonn (MBBCh, PhD, MASSAf) is a founding and current co-director of the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa. The consortium brings together African Universities and Research Centres and Non-African partners. It has been active for the past 17 years. CARTA has produced 188 PhD graduates to date, supports early career researchers, trained over 600 faculty members in various aspects of research training and management among other achievements. CARTA is building a vibrant multidisciplinary African Academy that leads world-class research. Sharon is a Professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg and a Visiting Professor at the University of Gothenburg Sweden.

Professor Kayode Oyebode Adebowale is a Nigerian academic and scientist who currently serves as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan. He assumed office in October 2021, having previously contributed significantly to university administration and policy as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) from June 2018 to October 2021. Professor Adebowale began his distinguished academic career at the University of Ibadan as a Graduate Assistant and advanced through the ranks, ultimately being conferred with the title of Professor of Industrial Chemistry in 2006. His scholarly impact extends beyond Ibadan, having served as a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, before returning to Ibadan in 1999 as a Senior Lecturer. Notably, he has held several key administrative positions, including Dean of the Faculty of Science at the University of Ibadan, where he played a central role in nurturing academic programs, research initiatives, and faculty development, thereby strengthening the institution’s reputation for scientific excellence.

Professor Mosa Moshabela is the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Cape Town (UCT) and he also serves as the Chairperson of the Governing Board at the National Research Foundation (NRF). He is Chair of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU) until 2026. IARU is a network of eleven international research-intensive universities from nine countries across the globe.

His vision as Vice-Chancellor is to consolidate UCT’s three missions – teaching, research and societal impact – while building a fourth mission to position the university as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship for Africa, while living and embracing the values of ubuntu.

Prof. Kayihura Muganga Didace has been serving as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the University of Rwanda since July 2022, appointed by the President of Rwanda. In this role, he provides strategic leadership to advance the university’s academic, research, and institutional development. Prior to this appointment, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Law at the former National University of Rwanda from 2007 to 2009 and served as the Rector of the Institute for Legal Practice and Development (ILPD) from 2016 to 2017. He also held the position of Acting Principal of the University of Rwanda’s College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS). Dr. Didace holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) from the National University of Rwanda, an LL.M in International Business Law, and a Ph.D. in Law from Utrecht University in the Netherlands, where his research focused on corporate governance and directors’ liability in Rwanda.

Professor Bolanle Oboh is a distinguished Professor of Genetics at the University of Lagos and currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics & Research). In this capacity, she provides strategic leadership and oversight for the University’s academic affairs, encompassing curriculum development, quality assurance, academic administration, student admissions, and advancement of the research agenda across faculties. Prior to her current appointment, she served as the Director of Research and Innovation within the Research Management Office, where she led initiatives in research capacity building, pre- and post-award grant management, research promotion, and governance frameworks aimed at enhancing institutional research impact. Professor Oboh also holds the position of Director and Coordinator of the TETFund Centre of Excellence for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management (TCEBCEM), where she spearheads multidisciplinary research efforts focusing on sustainable biodiversity conservation, environmental resilience, and knowledge generation for ecological sustainability.

Prof. Sizwe Mabizela is Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University and the Board Chair of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA). He previously served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic and Student Affairs and senior lecturer at the University of Cape Town in mathematics and applied mathematics. Prof Mabizela is a Mathematician, and his research field is Abstract Approximation Theory, a subfield of Functional Analysis. He obtained his MSc and BSc Hons cum laude in mathematics at the University of Fort Hare, where he was the recipient of the Abe Bailey Travel scholarship and the CSIR postgraduate scholarship. He received his PhD in mathematics at the Pennsylvania State University, US, where he was the recipient of the EOCIIE Overseas Scholarship and the Penn State-UCT Share Fellowship. He is a professional member of many international mathematical societies including the SA, American and Japanese Mathematical Societies, and is a member of the Association of Black Scientists, Engineers & Technologists.

Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala has been the Rector of the United Nations University (UNU) and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations since March 2023, and a member of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board since August 2023. Marwala is a scholar and thought leader with multi-disciplinary research interests that include the theory and application of AI to engineering, computer science, finance, social science, and medicine. He was the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg.  He holds a Bachelor of Science from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in AI and Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Professor John Gyapong is the Secretary-General of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), bringing to the role a distinguished record of leadership, scholarship, and commitment to advancing research and higher education across Africa. Before his current appointment, he served as Vice Chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences from 2016 to 2022, and as Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development at the University of Ghana from 2011 to 2016. He has also held the position of Adjunct Professor of Global Health at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. From 1987 to 2010, Professor Gyapong practised as a medical doctor in Ghana, during which period he rose to become Director of Research and Development at the Ghana Health Service, where he oversaw health systems and implementation research. Professor Gyapong has made significant contributions to the higher education landscape in Africa, as well as to global research governance and university leadership. He serves on several international research granting bodies and review panels. His primary field of expertise is the epidemiology of infectious diseases, particularly neglected tropical diseases. He is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Faculty of Public Health of the Royal College of Physicians.

Hon. Dr. Monica Musenero Masanza, DVM, MS, MPH, is a renowned Ugandan scientist, and epidemiologist currently serving as the Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in the Office of the President of Uganda. Prior to joining the Cabinet Dr Monica was a Senior Presidential Advisor on Epidemics a role which plunged her at the forefront of Uganda ‘s response and management of the COVID-19 pandemic. As Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), Dr. Musenero has repositioned science, technology, and innovation as drivers of socio-economic transformation. She has led flagship programs including E-Mobility, Pathogen Economy, Infrastructure Innovation, Industry 4.0+, Productivity Acceleration & Import Substitution, Space & Aeronautics, and Support Services. Under her leadership, Uganda has established landmark infrastructure such as the Kiira Vehicle Plant, Deep-Tech Centre, the Engineering Development and Innovation Centre, Coffee Innovation Hubs, and the Biosciences Park, a cutting-edge initiative specializing in vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics R&D, capacity development and manufacturing.      

Dr. Lorna Magara has been actively engaged in the world of education for over 37 years. She firmly believes education is a transformational process that impacts the whole of life and is a critical determinant in forming the character and quality of society. She holds a BA in Education from Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; an MA in Organizational Leadership & Management from Uganda Christian University, Mukono; and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Advanced Educational Leadership from Regent University, USA. She also holds a certificate from the Haggai International Institute for Advanced Leadership. Dr. Lorna Magara’s passion and ability to develop effective leadership and management systems and structures have seen her serve on several Governing Bodies of Education organizations. She is currently Chairperson of the Makerere University Council, now in her second term (2018–2022; 2023–2026), where she continues to provide strategic leadership to Uganda’s premier university, advancing academic excellence, research, and societal impact.