African and European universities are calling for a fundamental rethink of how international research partnerships are designed, arguing that collaboration between the two continents must move beyond historical inequalities towards more equitable, long-term relationships.
The call was made in a joint statement issued on August 31 by the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and the Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities following a summit that brought together vice-chancellors and presidents from 46 leading universities across Africa and Europe.
At the centre of their message is a growing recognition that global science cannot effectively address shared challenges while unequal power structures continue to shape international research collaborations.
The university leaders said stronger and more balanced scientific partnerships would be essential in responding to challenges ranging from health and environmental degradation to digital transformation, technological disruption, cultural tensions and geopolitical instability.
Their proposed model builds on the Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE), which currently connect more than 400 researchers from over 120 institutions across both continents and beyond.
But the leaders argue that expanding scientific networks alone will not be enough.
“Africa’s resources in talent, human development, and science requires systemic change to reach our aspirations,” the joint statement said, calling for partnerships capable of producing scalable, inclusive and transformative solutions.
The statement represents a broader shift in conversations around international research collaboration. For decades, African institutions have raised concerns about partnerships in which research priorities, funding decisions and intellectual leadership are disproportionately controlled by institutions in the Global North.
ARUA and The Guild are now urging policymakers, research funders and industry partners to actively support new models of collaboration that place equity at the centre of scientific partnerships.
Among their recommendations is increased investment in research addressing local manifestations of global challenges, with the aim of generating knowledge and solutions that can have relevance beyond their original settings.
The leaders also called for greater investment in higher education and the development of Africa's scientific talent pipeline, particularly among marginalised groups. They argued that strengthening universities must include new teaching approaches, research infrastructure and sustained investment in human capital.
Another priority is aligning development assistance with long-term investment in research and innovation infrastructure, enabling countries to build scientific capacity rather than relying on short-term project funding.
The statement also challenges policymakers to view the diversity of Africa and Europe as an advantage rather than an obstacle to collaboration.
Significantly, the university leaders acknowledged that science itself has historically been shaped by global power inequalities.
“At this time of geopolitical rupture,” they said, universities must confront those imbalances if they are to build trust-based networks capable of responding effectively to an increasingly divided world.
The call aligns with major continental and international policy frameworks, including the African Union-European Union Innovation Agenda, the African Union's Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2034), and the European Union's Global Gateway strategy.
Article by Jed Mwangi
Photo courtesy:Google
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