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ISC Regional Presence in Africa

The ISC and Future Africa are working together to design the future of the Council’s presence in Africa.

The ISC’s future regional presence will work with African scientists to strengthen the influence of African science at the global level.  

Recognizing that African scientists must shape the value system for science and scientific practice in Africa, the ISC and Future Africa, a pan-African collaborative research platform, formed a partnership in December 2022 to establish a vision for the ISC’s regional presence, building on the scientific expertise and networks of both organizations.   

Overview

  • December 2022: A high-level workshop on the margins of the Science Forum South Africa brought together nearly 100 delegates including ISC Members and National Academies to discuss collaboration to advance African science in a global context.  
  • January 2023: Establishment of an ISC-supported joint ISC-Future Africa team, which is now engaged in preliminary research and consultations to map out the fundamentals of the ISC’s future presence in Africa. 
  • May-July 2024: Ongoing survey of ISC Members
  • January 2025: Coinciding with the ISC General Assembly, a report and proposal to the ISC Governing Board will make recommendations on the ISC’s future presence in Africa, and for collaborative avenues to accelerate the development of African science and enhance its global voice, visibility and influence. 

Participate in the Future Africa Survey

Future Africa is conducting a survey on the process of developing a regional presence. Please complete by 15 July. If you have already completed it, there is no need to fill in again.

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Part A: Organizational information

3. Please indicate the main source(s) of institutional funding for your organization. Tick all that apply.
4. Please indicate which of the types of organizations listed below are key collaborators (i.e., organizations involved as partners in the design and implementation of your organizationu2019s projects/programmes). Tick all that apply.

Part B: ISC membership

5. Have you nominated a representative for the ISC Governing Board in recent years?
Please indicate the nature of your organizationu2019s engagement with the ISC since its establishment in July 2018
6. Have you nominated a representative for another ISC structure, e.g. statutory or project committee, or through an open call for nominations for experts, e.g. through UN processes such as IPBES or UNEP Foresighting? Tick all that apply.
Please indicate the nature of your organizationu2019s engagement with the ISC since its establishment in July 2018
7. Have representatives of your organization recently participated in ISC membership meetings, including General Assemblies and other membership events, e.g. Global Knowledge Dialogues? Tick all that apply.
Please indicate the nature of your organizationu2019s engagement with the ISC since its establishment in July 2018
8. Has your organization recently participated in ISC projects, programmes or other initiatives?
Please indicate the nature of your organizationu2019s engagement with the ISC since its establishment in July 2018
9. To what extent do you think your organization currently values its membership of the ISC?
10. Is your organization a member of any other regional or international organizations?

Part C: Role of the ISC Secretariat

11. From the perspective of your organization, how would you rate the importance of the ISC for science and science systems development u2013 globally?
12. From the perspective of your organization, how would you rate the importance of the ISC for science and science systems development u2013 in Africa?
13. From the perspective of your organization, do you feel that the ISC through the collective strength of its membership could do more to advance science and science systems development - in your country?
14. From the perspective of your organization, do you feel that the ISC through the collective strength of its membership could do more to advance science and science systems development - in Africa?
17. The ISC recently sent out a 'Call for input to the ISC Strategic Plan 2025-2028' (https://council.science/members/consultation-isc-strategic-plan-2025-2028). Please share your response:

Part D: State of science systems in Africa

19. Thinking about science systems more broadly, how do you rank the current state of science systems in your country in relation to the following issues?
PoorFairGoodVery goodExcellent
Science education
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Research outputs
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Scientific capacities
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Intra-African collaboration
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
International collaboration
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Science-policy interactions
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Science-industry collaborations
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Innovation
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Funding of science
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Open science
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
AI
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
20. How do you rank the state of science on the continent in relation to the following issues?
PoorFairGoodVery goodExcellent
Science education
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Research outputs
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Scientific capacities
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Intra-African collaboration
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
International collaboration
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Science-policy interactions
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Science-industry collaborations
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Innovation
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Funding of science
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
Open science
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
AI
Poor
Fair
Good
Very good
Excellent
21. What is your view on the general direction of science systems in your country?
22. What is your general view about the long-term future of science systems in Africa?
23. What is your personal view about the ability of your organization to influence and change science systems in your county/region?

Contact

For inquiries, email Dr. Farai Kapfudzaruwa farai.kapfudzaruwa@up.ac.za. 

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