The Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations, launched three years ago in Windhoek, Namibia, is beginning to show measurable shifts in how African universities engage in global research, according to the Association of African Universities (AAU).
From implementers to co‑leaders
The charter, adopted in July 2023 under AAU leadership, calls for African institutions to move beyond the role of recipients or implementers and become co‑designers, co‑leaders, and agenda setters in research projects. AAU Secretary‑General Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole told University World News that the most tangible change observed is a stronger acknowledgment of the need for equitable partnerships.
African institutions are increasingly moving from being primarily recipients or implementation partners to becoming co‑designers, co‑leaders, and agenda setters in research initiatives, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole said. The shift is evident in proposal language, which now focuses on leadership, ownership, research priorities, knowledge production, and sustainability rather than merely increasing African participation.
European response and emerging challenges
European partners are beginning to adjust as well. The charter received endorsement from the Coimbra Group, Europe’s oldest network of research‑intensive universities, which referenced a “new realism in European funding.” Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole noted that several European collaborators are paying more attention to co‑creation, capacity strengthening, leadership development, and fairness.
However, many projects still rely on European coordination due to historical administrative and funding structures. The AAU urges African governments and universities to adopt a more strategic stance by 2026, moving “from project participation to partnership leadership.”
The goal of the charter is not to reject knowledge systems from any region, but to promote a more inclusive and balanced global knowledge ecosystem, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole explained. He stressed that achieving epistemic justice requires investment in doctoral training, mentorship, and research management capacity.
Related: Universities rethink role in climate crisis
Data collection remains a hurdle. The AAU lacks a continental dataset on the number of 2023‑26 Africa‑focused projects led by African principal investigators or featuring African ownership of intellectual property. Still, Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole observed gradual improvement in programmes that have adopted co‑creation principles.
Three warning signs appear in memoranda of understanding that suggest a European partner is ignoring the charter: unequal leadership arrangements, limited recognition of African research priorities, and unbalanced ownership and sustainability terms. They are the biggest obstacle, with some partners acknowledging equity but struggling to revise established procedures.
The AAU frames equitable collaborations as mutually beneficial, arguing they lead to stronger research outcomes, greater sustainability, and increased trust.
The charter has attracted more than 120 signatories worldwide, including university networks, learned societies, and research institutions. Its conversation has spread among scholars, research managers, higher‑education leaders, funders, and policy actors at national, regional, and international levels.
It is clear that the sector is poised to move from advocacy to evidence. The next step involves systematically capturing and tracking the charter’s impact, a task that will determine whether it remains a statement of intent or becomes a driver of systemic change, particularly in areas such as helping students prepare for higher education.
Change is happening.
