University groups seek support for African centres of excellence

Call for 40 research centres, focused on shared priorities and built on collaboration

The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities and the African Research Universities Alliance have called for 40 centres of research excellence to be set up in Africa, based on collaboration among African universities with links to Europe.

The centres should be focused on areas that are priorities for the European and African unions, including public health, environmental sustainability, digitisation, governance and migration, the groups said in a policy paper pitching the idea to governments on 9 July.