The African Academies Diaspora Fellowship Programme provided support for African academies to invite African diaspora members to collaborate on policy initiatives or other activities designed to strengthen the host academies. Funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Academy of Science of South Africa; German National Academy of Sciences, Leopoldina; Royal Society (UK); IAP; and Working Group member Prof TJ Higgins (Australia), a total of $75,000 was awarded to seven grantees, selected through a competitive process. Diaspora fellows collaborated with their host academies on a variety of scientific, policy, strategic or development initiatives, in each case contributing specialized expertise and/or unique perspectives unavailable with the academy’s own network. Consistent with the focus of the larger Harnessing STI initiative, all projects were designed to address aspects of one or more strategic frameworks: the host academy’s own strategic plan; the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) strategic plan; STISA-2024; and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Burundi Council of Young Scientists Using Science, Technology and Innovation to Improve Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture to Achieve Food Security Host Academy Lead: David Niyukuri, Co-Chair Diaspora Fellow: Emery Nibigira, Blaise Pascal University, France; Secretary, Burundi Council of Young Scientists
Ghana Young Academy Development of a 5-Year Strategic Plan for the Ghana Young Academy Host Academy Lead: Priscilla Kolibea Mante, Co-Chair Diaspora Fellow: Alice Matimba, Wellcome Genome Campus, UK; Member, Global Young Academy
Académie Nationale des Sciences et Techniques du Sénégal Creation of a Database of the Skills of the Senegalese Diaspora and Definition of a Strategy of Their Mobilization for the Development of Senegal Host Academy Lead: Mam Binta Gaye, Administrateur de programmes Diaspora Fellow: Mahamadou Lamine Sagna, Schiller International University, France
Nigerian Academy of Science Combatting Drug Abuse and Antibiotic Resistance: A Public Lecture Host Academy Lead: Oladoyin Odubanjo, Executive Secretary Diaspora Fellow: Sunny E. Ohia, Texas Southern University, USA; Fellow, Nigerian Academy of Science
Nigerian Young Academy Multidisciplinary Research: A Cornerstone for Sustainable Development Host Academy Lead: Tope Olomola, President Diaspora Fellow: David Mba, De Montfort University, UK; Foreign Member, Nigerian Academy of Science; Foreign Member, African Academy of Science
South Africa Young Academy of Sciences Building Science and Policy Capacities of Young Academies of Science Host Academy Lead: Edith Shikumo, Secretariat Diaspora Fellow: Saleem Badat, The Andrew W Mellon Foundation, USA; Member, Academy of Science of South Africa; Board Member, South Africa Young Academy of Sciences
Sudanese National Academy of Sciences (SNAS) Developing Approaches for the Incorporation of Nanotechnology in the Science and Engineering Education in the Sudan Host Academy Lead: Mohamad H A Hassan, President Diaspora Fellow: Osama O. Awadelkarim, Pennsylvania State University, USA; Fellow, Sudanese National Academy of Sciences