General News

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) joined university leaders, policymakers, higher education networks, and international development partners in Nairobi, Kenya, for the IMPACT HE Leadership and Stakeholder Forum held from 6th to 7th May 2026. The forum explored how African universities are driving local development through research, innovation, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.

ARUA joined fellow partners in Nairobi, Kenya, on 15–16 April 2026 for the CB‑SITS Africa Validation Workshop, convened under the 2026 Annual CB‑SITS Partners’ Meeting hosted by the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA). The workshop formed part of a Carnegie Corporation of New York‑supported initiative to build a comprehensive, digital Capacity Building and Scientific Impact Tracking System for Africa (CB‑SITS Africa).

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities have joined forces with Enabel to launch a new Africa-Europe Partnership to strengthen research on Mpox and Lassa fever. This research initiative, under the AU-EU Health Partnership, aims to build Africa’s capacity in translational research and vaccine development for these diseases.

This inaugural issue of ARUA Quarterly brings together four interconnected strands of work that demonstrate how ARUA is building research capacity, generating evidence, and translating knowledge into impact across the continent.

When African researchers write, Africa should hear it. Yet for many, research still culminates in theses and journal articles that are largely accessed and read only by peers and disciplinary specialists.​ The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) is determined to change that story by supporting its Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to move from “research done” to “research heard, seen and used.”​

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) convened a three-day Early-Career Researchers (ECR) Workshop last week, bringing together early-career scholars and experienced facilitators from across the continent to strengthen research capacity, mentorship, and collaboration among Africa’s next generation of research leaders.

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) convened a well-attended Information Webinar on the Early-Career Research (ECR) Fellowships, bringing together early-career researchers and research professionals from across Africa and beyond.

ARUA will host an Information Webinar, which is aimed at equipping prospective applicants with the knowledge and guidance needed to prepare competitive and successful applications for the 2026/2027 intake. The Webinar will take place on Friday, January 16, 2026.

The ARUA Board is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Jane Ambuko as the Director of Research and Training at African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA). Professor Ambuko’s appointment is a result of a competitive recruitment process that followed a call for expressions of interest in the position. She is a Professor of Horticulture from the University of Nairobi with extensive experience in research, training and community engagement.

This volume is the result of the third phase of the data gathering an benchmarking project, which was funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. It presents a synopsis of the findingsof the first three rounds of data gathering from ARUA universities over nine years, from 2015 to 2023.