The university has been engaged in front-line work and support for front line workers in many ways. First, faculty of the university form part of the national COVID-19 task force working with the Ministry of Health to address the pandemic. They are involved in providing advice, supporting evidence generation and the provision as well as mounting of surveillance in health facilities and burial sites.
Scientists and researchers at the Wits University are involved in several activities related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, an interdisciplinary team of researchers made up of computer and data analysts, engineers and physicists, have developed an intuitive and interactive Dashboard to track and model the spread of the virus. Also, the University, in partnership with a private foundation (Gift of Givers) has opened a COVID-19 Testing Station on the Braamfontein Campus, which offers tests to referred potential patients for a small fee. The facility has a turnaround time of between 24-48 hours for results.
By Emmanuel Abbey, Emmanuel Adu-Danso and Ernest Aryeetey
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating effect on education worldwide. Schools and universities have been shut down, like everything else. Universities around the world have responded positively, intensifying research to find solutions, assisting their governments in developing ways to contain the pandemic, and finding other channels to deliver on their mandate.
The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) has formally opened its offices in Accra. The formal opening of the offices took place on Monday, 2nd March 2020, and this was done by the Chairman of the ARUA Board of Directors, Professor Idowu Olayinka, Vice Chancellor of University of Ibadan.
University of Glasgow and the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Friday, 28th February 2020 at the Turnbull Room, University of Glasgow. The purpose of the “MoU is to develop research co-operation and to promote mutual understanding between the two parties”.
Four ARUA Universities are currently meeting at King’s College London with the PLuS Alliance (4-5 February) to discuss possible collaboration at an Africa Roundtable.
Second Biennial Conference
University of Nairobi
18-20 November 2019
Click here to download the PDF Programme & Schedule of Parallel Sessions
A two-day meeting of ARUA Deputy Vice Chancellors has been held at Makerere University. The meeting took place on 4-5 September 2019, and was opened by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, who welcomed the participants and exhorted them to appreciate the values and goals of the network.