The AfricaLics PhD Academy provides an opportunity for PhD students enrolled at African universities who work in the field of innovation and development studies to gain more knowledge of this burgeoning field, meet leading academics and receive feedback on their PhD studies.

Participants of the 8th AfricaLics PhD Academy hosted by Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) in Nairobi.

Nearly 30 PhD students from Sub-Saharan African countries converged in Nairobi, June 2022, for the 8th AfricaLics PhD Academy. The Academy was hosted by the Jaramogi Odinga Oginga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST) and the AfricaLics Secretariat based at ACTS.

The AfricaLics network is an academic research and capacity building network that focuses on how innovation (the process through which new or improved products, processes, organisational forms, ways of working and acting are introduced into new environments) occurs and the relationship this has with economic and social development in African countries. Such research is becoming known in the network as ‘innovation and development studies’ because it is at the intersection of innovation and development studies.

The PhD Academy is only one of a number of activities being undertaken under the AfricaLics network.

On 9^th February 2022, ACTS signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JOOUST to host the Visiting Fellowship Programme (VFP) under the AfricaLics project.

The MoU between JOOUST and ACTS has resulted in the revamping and renaming of an existing program as an institute or a center, which opens significant opportunities for mainstreaming the R&D and anchor the Visiting Fellowship Programme (VFP) and the recently launched Master’s degree programme at the university.

The JOOUST management team was delighted to fast-track the formalisation processes needed to assist in getting this program off the ground.The AfricaLics PhD Academy and the VFP programme are supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) under the ACTS’ run project ‘Enhancing Research Capacity on Innovation and Development in Africa’.

“The AfricaLics PhD Academy started 10 years ago in Nairobi and has returned this year to its birth place. At the end of this 8th Academy, we will have trained over 200 PhD students in this emerging field of study for the continent. The Academy provides an opportunity for students who often sit in disciplinary departments to experience this new emerging multi-disciplinary field and become members of a network of scholars who work in this field; providing  an important peer support system as they continue with their careers" Prof. Rebecca Hanlin, ACTS non-resident research fellow and member of the AfricaLics Secretariat.

“JOOUST is honoured to have been able to host the PhD Academy and the VFP programme. This year sees the VFP programme being hosted for the first time in Africa. This is possible because of the burgeoning expertise on the continent. JOOUST is at the forefront of these activities having been among the first universities in sub-Saharan Africa together with University of Johannesburg to have a dedicated PhD programme in innovation and sustainable development.”  Prof. Benard Muok, JOOUST Director at Directorate of Research, Innovation and Partnership.

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• Quaterly Newsletter - August 2022