Strengthening Postgraduate Research and Funding in Africa

The Corporation’s Andrea Johnson provides insights into how the Corporation’s Higher Education and Research in Africa team is working to support African research and doctoral training

By Carnegie Corporation of New York November 20, 2020
African Academics
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The quality and quantity of research coming out of the Sub-Saharan African region has continually increased over the last two decades — as has the demand for it — and yet, the region still only accounts for less than 1 percent of the world’s research output.

Andrea Johnson, a program officer with the Corporation’s Higher Education and Research in Africa team, recently offered insights into how philanthropy and education can work together to support growing demand for quality research and doctoral training in Africa during a webinar hosted by the African Population and Health Research Center and the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa. As reported by the University World News, African Edition, the webinar featured experts in philanthropy and education discussing the current changes to both postgraduate study and its funding.

Carnegie Corporation of New York has always faced the dilemma of ‘investing in one person and reaching fewer people’ in view of limited available funds, Johnson explains, adding that one method for optimizing funds has been to encourage postdoctoral fellows to apply for residency within Africa, with short stays outside the continent. With international funding for doctoral training and research in Africa set to decline after COVID-19, Johnson urged African philanthropists to recognize and support African research as an important contributor to development and international peace and security. 

(Credit: Oleksandr Rupeta/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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