Dear Colleagues,
The year 2024 has been one of great engagement and consolidation of our activities. Working together, we have chalked many milestones that are worth mentioning. I would briefly reflect on some of the high points and touch on our aspirations for 2025 and beyond.
The inaugural Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) conference, hosted by Stellenbosch University, took place from September 29 to October 2, 2024. Bringing together more than 250 academics from 49 institutions across 27 countries in Africa, Europe, and beyond, the conference served as a pivotal platform for fostering international collaboration and advancing cutting-edge research initiatives.
ARUA DVCs met at Stellenbosch University for a one-day session to discuss ongoing programs and projects of the Alliance and explore new directions. The gathering also marked Prof. John Gyapong’s first official meeting with DVCs as Secretary General of the Alliance.
The Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Mathematics (CoRE-Math) has been selected as the 21st CoRE to join the initiative led by The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild). The academic co-leads of the CoRE-Math will be welcomed into the fold by around 200 participants at the inaugural CoRE conference taking place from 30 September to 2 October, hosted by Stellenbosch University.
ARUA is currently searching for a Director of Research and Research Management. This is a new position, and the successful candidate will be expected to take office as soon as possible.
Prof. John O. Gyapong has on Thursday, August 1, 2024, assumed office as ARUA Secretary-General. A symbolic handing-over ceremony took place at the office of Prof. Ernest Aryeetey.
A send-off ceremony has been held for out-going ARUA Secretary-General, Emeritus Professor Ernest Aryeetey. The ceremony which took place at the Institute for Statistical Social & Economic Research (ISSER) hall on 30 July 2024, was attended by management of the University of Ghana, colleagues and friends of Prof. Aryeetey as well as incoming ARUA Secretary-General, Professor John Gyapong. It was hosted by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Vice-Chair of the Board of ARUA, Professor Nana Aba Appiah-Amfo with ISSER as co-host.
ARUA has launched the third Universities Profiles Report. The online launch dovetailed from the Distinguished Public Lecture held on July 30 2024.
The Second ARUA Distinguished Public Lecture has been held on July 30, 2024. Over 160 people joined the online lecture delivered by Professor Funmi Olonisakin, Vice-President of International, Engagement & Service at King’s College London (KCL).
The ARUA Executive Committee has approved sixteen (16) Collaborative PhD programmes that will begin in January 2026. All the programmes are designed to be four-year programmes that involve 12 months of common course work to be undertaken at all the participating universities, 18 months of immersion in a research project or a period of ‘research apprenticeship’ at another participating institution. The final 18 months will be spent on students’ independent work leading to a thesis under the supervision of a team of both local and international supervisors.