Authors: M. Flint-O’Kane, E. Abbey, J. Tager, J. Williams, S. Marillier, L. Oberlander, L. Shackleton, F. Swanepoel
The year began with a lot of promise for ARUA. There was rapidly growing interest around the world in what ARUA was doing to enhance the performance of African research universities, both in the region and globally. The network was set to build on various initiatives from the previous year, which had led to significant agreements and collaborations with leading global research and funding organisations. It was this growing worldwide interest in ARUA that led us to begin working closely with the Guild of European Research Universities, and to collaborate in the mobilisation of resources to support research and innovation in partnership with the European Union and the African Union.
The news that an effective vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 will be introduced imminently was welcomed with great enthusiasm worldwide. The consensus is that access to vaccines for low-income countries is a global responsibility.
Ernest Aryeetey, Eivind Engebretsen, Åse Gornitzka, Peter Maassen and Svein Stølen
The gigantic global scientific efforts to develop a vaccine to mitigate the devastating impact of COVID-19 on societies have reached a point where the mass production and use of effective vaccines are a reality.
The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research- Intensive Universities (The Guild) jointly request investing €1bn per annum in African research universities by the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) as part of the renewed Africa-EU partnership.
Africa and Europe have a unique opportunity to develop their relationship in new, strategic ways, through collaboration on common global challenges that delivers on the key objectives of the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU).
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.