Africa’s Research Ecosystem Needs a Culture of Mentoring
Sub-Saharan Africa faces a range of development challenges, including high population growth, poverty, food insecurity, and poor health. There is a clear need for qualified and skilled researchers to tackle these issues. But there is also a scarcity. For instance, Sub-Saharan Africa contributes less than 1% to global research output despite accounting for 13.5% of the global population. This asymmetry calls for a response that builds […]
Research-Intensive Universities in Africa? A Model of How to Build Them
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 13·5% of the global population but less than 1% of global research output. In 2008, Africa produced 27 000 published papers – the same number as the Netherlands. There are some areas of improvement. A 2014 World Bank study showed that the quantity and quality of sub-Saharan Africa’s research had increased substantially in the previous 20 years. It more […]
What Can be Done to Better Supports Women Pursuing Their PHDs in Africa
A Doctor of Philosophy – commonly known as a PhD – is the highest level of academic training. It allows the degree holder to teach the chosen subject at university, conduct research or practise in the specialised area. However, in many African countries like Kenya there are gender gaps when it comes to women enrolling in, and completing, their […]
Want to Solve Complex Health Issues? Train Scholars to Think Across Disciplines
In this complex world a number of factors affect both the distribution and prevalence of disease and the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or reduce disease. These factors are social, physical, environmental and historical. It follows, then, that challenges in public health require a multidisciplinary approach. This means that if researchers want to make an […]
African Health Research Needs Support: Here’s One Programme That’s Working
African countries bear a disproportionate burden of infectious and noncommunicable diseases. More than two thirds of people living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa. It’s estimated that over 85% of deaths due to noncommunicable diseases are in low- and middle-income countries. To help solve these health problems, academic institutions need stronger research capacity. But the continent continues to lag […]
