The National Research Foundation (NRF) last month took part in a seminal 4th Africa-Europe Science Collaboration Forum under the banner of the African-European Radio Astronomy Platform (AERAP) held at the South African Embassy in Brussels, Belgium.
Collaboration across Disciplines
The event created a critical platform for leading scientists, policymakers, programme managers and stakeholders from Africa and Europe to share, discuss and advance scientific co-operation across various disciplines. The science community also used the event to exploit the European Commission’s funding instruments such as Horizon Europe and its successor, Framework Programme 10 (FP10), which will commence in 2028.
International University Networks
The science collaboration forum also aims to promote dialogue, share best practices and forge partnerships between Africa and Europe in the fields of science, technology and innovation. For its part, the NRF used the moment to contribute its vast expertise and insights to the discussions as well as highlight prospective plans to increase its support towards funding academic programmes through international university networks and industry engagements. In addition, it reinforced its commitment to driving scientific excellence and address global challenges through collaborative efforts, said NRF in a statement published on its website.
Advancing Scientific Research
Said NRF’s Dr Thandi Mgwebi: “The NRF emphasised its commitment towards increased programmes that focus on industry placements, postgraduate fellowship programmes and mobility and exchange programmes. The NRF’s participation at the AERAP Forum underscores its dedication to collaboration with national and international institutions; advancement of scientific research and innovation on a global scale and ensuring that policies are strategically informed and in line with national, regional and continental strategies.” Other local and distinguished entities took part in the discussions and shared their respective initiatives at the AERAP, including:
- The Department of Science and Innovation
- South African Medical Research Council
- Agricultural Research Council, South African National Energy Development Institute and Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies
Enhancing Africa-Europe Research Collaborations
In addition to sharing scientific collaborations and best practices, the forum’s other areas of focus included exploring ways in which to enhance Africa-Europe research collaboration in fields such as astronomy, climate science, biotechnology and renewable energy. This is because the selected research areas hold immense potential to address pressing societal issues and to drive sustainable development. By forging inter-disciplinary partnership and knowledge sharing, the forum aimed to leverage the collective expertise from both continents’ scientific communities on how to address shared challenges and capitalise on emerging opportunities.
Driving Innovation-Led Growth
The NRF leveraged the strategic nature of the forum to showcase its ongoing initiatives and research endeavours. The idea is to see how these can be scaled up through international university partnerships and networks to highlight the organisation’s contributions to the scientific community and its role in driving innovation-led growth. The foundation also looked into issues related to capacity building, skills development, and research infrastructure investment with a view to creating a robust scientific ecosystem that nurtures talent, fosters scientific excellence, and boosts economic growth.
Key Issues Discussed At The Collaboration Forum
In a nutshell, the key points discussed at the forum may be summarised as the following:
- The inclusion of the African research community in partnerships from the start, rather than as an afterthought;
- The need for more equitable and mutually beneficial partnerships between Africa and Europe, with local benefits and inclusion of African researchers and communities;
- Capacity development initiatives in areas such as data science, biotechnology, and precision medicine;
- Barriers to collaboration between African and European universities;
- Strengthening international cooperation and establishing partnerships to contribute to global challenges like health, sustainability and digital transformation.
Further Engagements to Strengthen SA-EU Collaboration
The NRF and the Embassy of South Africa in Brussels hosted a partners networking session, attended by partners and representatives from the business community in the EU. It is hoped this will lead to the implementation of further initiatives under the SA-EU collaboration framework. The NRF and DSI will lead further engagements with the EU’s director- general, Education, Youth, Sports and Culture on new initiatives planned for launch this year.
