A call to action to all Members and Member networks in Africa

The International Science Council and Future Africa signed an agreement in 2022 to co-design the ISC’s presence in Africa to respond to the need to support African agendas and capacities and strengthen the presence of African science on the global stage. The scientific expertise and African networks of both organizations are being brought together in the frame of this agreement to strengthen the influence of African science in the world.

As part of this process a consortium of partners is being convened to collaborate on leading a pan-African scoping and development process with the following objectives: 

• Review the current state of African sciences and science systems and the associated opportunities and challenges posed. 
• Explore collaborative avenues to accelerate African science system development, and enhance its voice, visibility, and influence in the global science arena.
• Ascertain interest and commitment of African science system leadership to collaborate in pursuing next-level action to advance African science systems. 
• Explore the institutional presence, the complementary role, and support of the ISC and other international multilateral institutions in advancing African science.  

A report and proposal to the ISC Governing Board will be provided by January 2025, to coincide with the ISC’s General Assembly. The report will suggest recommendations on collaborative avenues to accelerate the development of African science and enhance its voice, visibility, and influence in the global arena. The report is also expected to provide recommendations on the ISC’s future role and institutional presence in Africa, as well as an envisioned and feasible implementation pathway. 

About Future Africa

Future Africa is the University of Pretoria’s pan-African collaborative platform for research that works across the sciences and with society to address Africa’s biggest and most urgent contemporary challenges. Future Africa’s fundamental purpose is to develop and unleash the transformative potential of African sciences to inform and inspire a future of thriving African societies. Within the context of this overarching goal, Future Africa is a key partner in globally recognized pan-African open science platforms such as the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre, the International Network for Government Science Advice (INGSA), and the African Open Science Platform (AOSP).

A call to action

As part of the process outlined above, Future Africa asked all stakeholders, including ISC Category 2 Members in Africa as well as the African networks of ISC Catgeory 1 and 3 Members, to contribute to a survey to help Future Africa explore the current state, related opportunities and challenges for African science, and collaborative avenues to accelerate African science system development and enhance its influence, visibility and voice in the global science arena.