Strengthening the social sciences and humanities in African universities

In recent years the ACU has developed an important strand of work devoted to understanding the challenges facing research in African universities, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. The emphasis has been firmly on formulating a series of practical responses to these.

This work connects with our programmes on research management, human capacity development and higher education partnerships, and our involvement in early career research training through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

Projects

• The Nairobi Report: Frameworks for Research Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Humanities

• Partnership for African Social and Governance Research

• The Africa Desk

• The Early Research Career

The Nairobi Report: Frameworks for Africa-UK Research Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Humanities

Between 2007 and 2009 the ACU and the British Academy undertook a consultation on the problems which faced the African humanities and social sciences community, what could be done to strengthen research in these fields, and what the role of partnerships between African scholars and their colleagues in the UK or elsewhere might be.

The Nairobi Report was the culmination of a two-year process of reflection and discussion amongst African and UK scholars and research leaders, and the result of a meeting held in Nairobi in September 2008. This followed an earlier background study undertaken by the ACU in 2007. Both reports can be downloaded below.

The challenges are substantial and the investments which will be needed to overcome these considerable, and much will need to be tackled at higher levels. However, much can also be done through a renewed, frank and open partnership between African and UK researchers and institutions, and it is hoped that the Nairobi Report might help to inform this dialogue.

Follow-up events - UK, Kenya, South Africa

The Nairobi Report was launched in London at the British Academy in March in 2009, and at the British Institute in Eastern Africa, Nairobi, Kenya in March 2010. A further workshop focusing on the early career issue was convened jointly by the ACU, British Academy and Higher Education South Africa at the University of the Witwatersrand in February 2011.

Professor Graham Furniss, Chair of the British Academy's Africa Panel and Pro-Director at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, summed up what is now being termed "The Nairobi Process" in his keynote lecture, which is available from the British Academy website.

Download reports

The Nairobi Report (March 2009)

Frameworks for Africa-UK Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Humanities (May 2007)

See also the SciDev.net opinion piece 'Small-scale support counts for social science in Africa' (March 2011)

Partnership for African Governance and Social Research (PASGR)

The ACU has supported the inception phases of the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR), advising on its initial development and undertaking a number of scoping reports to inform its planning.

PASGR is an initiative of the UK Department for International Development (DFID). It seeks to strengthen the capacity of African academic institutions and researchers to produce research that can directly influence social policy, governance and ultimately poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa.  To achieve this, the Nairobi-based PASGR office,  and regional and international advisors have been working on the design and development of a research  programme, a collaborative graduate programme and a strategy for capacity building.

For further information see the project website at www.pasgr.org

The Africa Desk

The Africa Desk is a portal for African and UK researchers in the humantities and social sciences. An initiative of the British Academy and the African Studies Association of the UK, it has been co-developed by the ACU.

The site aims to encourage and support collaborative research between African and UK scholars by providing advice and information on areas such as research funding, scholarships and relevant capacity strengthening initiatives.

It hosts two new directories of African and UK humanities and social science scholars, which it is hoped will enable researchers in both regions to connect with their peers more effectively and identify potential future collaborators or contacts. To add your own profile please visit www.africadesk.ac.uk.

Further details

For further details on the ACU's work in these areas please contact Jonathan Harle (j.harle@acu.ac.uk)