General News

University of Glasgow played host to the Secretary-General of the African Research Universities Alliance, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, on 11^th March 2019. The visit to University of Glasgow was at the invitation of the Dean for Global Engagement (Africa and Middle East), Professor Paul Garside. It was planned to facilitate follow-up discussions after the earlier meeting of ARUA Vice Chancellors and the Russell Group of Vice Chancellors in London last October. The Russell Group is currently chaired by Professor Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice Chancellor of University of Glasgow. In a tweet, Professor Muscatelli welcomed Professor Ernest Aryeetey to University of Glasgow.

The joint launch of the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Materials, Energy and Nanotechnology (ARUA CoE MEN) and the ARUA Centre of Excellence in Migration and Mobility (ARUA CoE M&M) took place on the 15^th November 2018 at the University of the Witwatersrand. For ARUA CoE MEN, the launch was preceded by a nearly day-long workshop.

The umbrella organization for managing research in the United Kingdom, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to support the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) in setting up the latter’s 13 Centres of Excellence. Following the signing of the MoU in September 2018, UKRI invited ARUA Vice Chancellors to meetings with UKRI Senior Management to discuss the scope of the partnership. The visit was also for the purpose of meeting with the Russell Group Vice Chancellors in London to discuss possible collaboration between the two networks. The visit took place on 24-25 October 2018.

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) launched two new Centres of Excellence on 6^th September 2018 at University of Lagos. The launch of the two centres, ‘Unemployment and Skills Development’ and ‘Urbanization and Habitable Cities’ coincided with the bi-annual meeting of ARUA Deputy Vice Chancellors (Research) hosted by University of Lagos. The launch ceremony was presided over by the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe. All the DVCs attending the bi-annual meeting were present. Also present were various regional experts and academics working in the areas of the two Centres.

The last three days of February 2018 saw a fascinating meeting unfolding at the Elilly Hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The hotel was the venue of a meeting of representatives of 13 of the 16 ARUA universities.

Professor Ernest Aryeetey, Secretary-General of the African Research Universities Alliance has recently undertaken official tours of Makerere University and University of Nairobi.