Universities urge AU, EU to support clusters of excellence

Amid final preparations for the sixth summit between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) to be hosted on 17-18 February in Brussels, a network of leading research universities spanning both continents have reiterated a recent call on governments to foreground research and innovation capacity in Africa as a fundamental pillar for the next few years of geopolitical cooperation.

In particular, the universities are seeking support for the development of 40 clusters of excellence over a period of five years at emerging research universities in Africa.

This would expand on similar, existing structures that have been supported by various global partners, according to a statement by the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), a network of 16 research universities, following a board meeting on 2 February.

“It is becoming urgent that these clusters of research excellence … are properly supported and coordinated,” ARUA said in a statement to outline its position ahead of the AU-EU Summit, which will be chaired by France.

“These are intended to be clusters … that will bring together researchers in various stages of their careers from all over Africa, Europe and the rest of the world to work on realising African research goals.”

“The clusters will be the channel for developing world-class research infrastructure at African universities. They will be the vehicles for attracting researchers in the diaspora as they provide similar environments as may be found anywhere in the Global North,” the statement added.

Ernest Aryeetey, secretary general of ARUA, told University World News: “We are initially looking at €20 million [about US$23 million] per cluster per annum for 10 years. It will cover new infrastructure, doctoral training, post-doctoral training and interdisciplinary globally competitive and relevant research.”

Although the fifth AU-EU summit in 2017 has already recognised the advanced research and innovation capacity of African universities as a priority for the African-European partnership, ARUA has been working closely with the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (the Guild), which has 21 members, to operationalise the role of higher education institutions in various collaborative initiatives.

In this context, a call for the development of research clusters at African universities had been issued in July 2020 already.

Jan Palmowski, the secretary general of the Guild, said on 10 February: “The ARUA statement articulates persuasively how African universities can strengthen their contribution to global knowledge production, and support the transformation of their regions, through cutting-edge interdisciplinary research clusters strengthening inter-African collaboration, and developing equitable North-South partnerships.”

In a statement, he went on to note that, “Strengthening African universities through competitive clusters of excellence must now become a central pillar of the new AU-EU strategic partnership, as advocated by ARUA, the Guild, and 20 European Rectors’ conferences.”

The development of clusters aligns with the new Africa strategy of the EU, which is to drive development through equal partnerships – a significant shift from aid to strategic collaboration.

Appeal for government investment

This shift has been accompanied by calls from ARUA that African governments support the clusters of excellence initiative with matching funds.

In a statement coming out after the joint ARUA and the Guild conference hosted in November 2021, ARUA said it was “appealing to our governments in Africa and the African Union to do two things: the first is to make support for the clusters of research excellence initiative and the expansion of the research infrastructure at African universities a priority at the upcoming EU-AU Summit.

“The second is to ‘walk the talk’ by making national and regional support for the research clusters associated with various universities as planned, and the general improvement of the research ecosystem, a major priority for African governments to be adequately reflected in annual budgets with earmarked funds.

“This will be the best way to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and transforming Africa.”

In its response ahead of the summit, the Guild said it “strongly” supported ARUA in its initiative.

Aryeetey said on 8 February that ARUA members, ahead of the AU-EU Summit “are lobbying their governments [to support the clusters] and are being tasked to do even more of that. We are also lobbying the AU and potential African philanthropists [for support and funding],” he said.

This was confirmed by Professor Barnabas Nawangwe, the vice-chancellor of Makerere University, Uganda, who is also the chair of the ARUA board.

He said that the association has, through the Guild, lobbied the EU as a bloc, and lobbied the AU.

“As ARUA, we have encouraged our member universities to lobby their governments for increased investment in higher education as a prerequisite for research and innovation to spur socio-economic development,” said Nawangwe.

Research excellence clusters

Research clusters, as interdisciplinary networks of researchers who work to find solutions to key societal challenges, should cut across the traditional disciplines of universities, which are generally associated with departments, institutes and centres.

ARUA has already established 13 Centres of Excellence in the areas of climate change, renewable energy, water, materials development and nanotechnology, non-communicable diseases, food security, poverty and inequality, unemployment and skills development, good governance, notions of identity, urbanisation and habitable cities, post-conflict societies and migration and mobility.

According to ARUA, they have all been supported by United Kingdom Research and Innovation, or UKRI, and have created a base for research collaboration. Other centres of excellence in the region have been supported by other organisations, such as the World Bank.

The ‘clusters of excellence’ initiative is expected to focus efforts to build research capacity.

At present, Africa generates 50%-90% of the research output in the various countries of the region, and their research output has grown significantly in the past decade. Consequently, Africa contributes almost 4% of global knowledge production, according to ARUA.

However, although COVID-19 has seen individual universities in Africa rise to the occasion through innovations on a number of fronts, the continental sector is underfunded (ranging from 0.1%-0.6% of GDP) and beset by problems.

These include the fact that several of them remain trapped in the traditional expectation of developing the growing human capital needs of mainly public organisations; several remain state organs and depend heavily on state funding for their operating expenses; and others rely on foreign funding for research or do not benefit from uneven collaborative research with partners in the North.

Although these challenges manifest in global rankings, African researchers’ production at universities in Africa is clearly rising, but needs greater support to rise much faster.

It is in this context, ARUA stated, that “there is a strong and urgent need to refine and further strengthen the research ecosystem in Africa with universities at the centre of it”.

Professor Tawana Kupe, the vice-chancellor of the University of Pretoria, South Africa, said the university supported the initiative of having clusters of excellence.

“The establishment of African clusters of excellence on climate change, communicable disease and sustainable food systems [among others], is already well advanced. I would like to see that these clusters are adequately and sustainably supported,” he said.

“They will bring together researchers from all over Africa, Europe and the rest of the world to work on realising African research goals and develop innovative responses to the issues facing African and societies across the globe.”

The Guild, in its support of ARUA’s call for an expansion of the clusters, echoed Kupe’s view that clusters would “provide long-term academic career prospects, strengthen South-South and equitable South-North research partnerships, and address key strategic areas of Africa’s transformation”.

Likewise, Dr Robin Drennan, the director of research and innovation, speaking on behalf of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, said that, whereas it was vital that Africa solve its own problems with its own talent and know-how, it was equally important that the continent be in touch with the world of research and knowledge growth.

He explained: “It is important to conduct research from the perspective of the Global South because many studies are led by researchers based in the Global North – even when they focus on a country or region in the Global South.”

What outcomes do vice-chancellors expect?

ARUA’s 2 February board statement was signed by the vice-chancellors of ARUA member institutions.

They are professors Barnabas Nawangwe (Makerere University, Uganda), Sizwe Mabizela (Rhodes University, South Africa), Toyin Ogundipe (University of Lagos, Nigeria), Mamokgethi Phakeng (University of Cape Town, South Africa), Nana Aba Appiah Amfo (University of Ghana), Wim de Villiers (Stellenbosch University, South Africa), Tassew Woldehanna (Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia), Tawana Kupe (University of Pretoria, South Africa), William Anangisye (University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania), Zeblon Vilakazi (University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa), Kayode Adebowale (University of Ibadan, Nigeria), Nana Poku (University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa), Stephen Kiama (University of Nairobi, Kenya), Aly Mbaye (Université Cheickh Anta Diop, Senegal), Alexandre Lyambabaje (University of Rwanda) and Dhanjay Jhurry (University of Mauritius), an associate member.

Some of the signatories told University World News they are hopeful that the outcome of the AU-EU Summit will bring regional and national benefits for researchers and research institutions, in addition to the broad continental advantages of cooperation.

Vice-chancellor Nawangwe of Makerere University in Uganda said his expectation is that the EU-AU Summit will stimulate research collaboration between Ugandan and European universities.

“I also expect that the EU will provide more funding for collaborative research involving universities in Uganda and Europe.”

Professor Dhanjay Jhurry, the vice-chancellor of the University of Mauritius, who has been actively advocating the development of Africa’s nanotechnology capabilities, said African Universities should play a key role in shaping the continent’s future and address the various societal challenges.

He would like to see the summit emphasise on ways and means to help Africa raise its research and innovation profile.

Vice-Chancellor Kupe of the University of Pretoria said he would like to see the partnerships that have been established between African and European universities strengthened and expanded.

“We need more science collaboration and the strengthening of the research and innovation capacity of African universities should be part of the priorities of the African-European partnership,” he said.

The AU-EU Summit, set to determine a strategic agreement for the period 2021-27, is expected to be focusing on macro questions such as economic and financial challenges, health education, climate change, and security and migration affecting both continents. It takes place every three years.

Due to COVID, the summit scheduled for 2020 had to be moved forward.

Additional reporting by Edwin Naidu and Esther Nakkazi.