The Africa Science Leadership Programme (ASLP) brought together its 2019 cohort – excellent researchers from across Africa, from 22-27 March 2019, in one out of a host of workshops leading up to the launch of the new Future Africa campus at the University of Pretoria.

The ASLP 2019 includes 20 researchers from 11 African countries, among them two GYA members: Roula Inglesi-Lotz and upcoming GYA member (2019) Mona Abdel-Mottaleb. This cohort took part in the programme’s fifth round of training. Over the last 5 years, the ASLP has connected 104 fellows from 19 African countries.

The Africa Science Leadership Programme (ASLP) is an initiative of the University of Pretoria and the Global Young Academy, with the support of the Robert Bosch Stiftung. It aims to grow mid-career African academics in the areas of thought leadership, team management and research development, with the intention of enabling them to contribute to the development of a new paradigm for science in African, focused on its contribution to solving the complex issues facing both Africa and the global community. Read more about the ASLP here.

The ASLP was one of four workshops leading up the March 29 launch of a new campus for ‘Future Africa’ at the University of Pretoria, a place to bring together Africa’s leading scientists and scholars from many countries and disciplines to address the grand challenges facing Africa and the world.

Further workshops include a three-day workshop (from 26-28 March) to reunite the 2018 ASLP cohort, allowing them to share the impact of their fellowship, share experiences and update the team on their leadership initiatives.

A Science Advice for Policy Workshop (26-27 March) hosted by Future Africa and the InterAcademy Partnership, aimed to hone scientists’ communication skills for effective engagement with policymakers. GYA members Abdeslam Badre, Maha Nasr, Marian Nkansah, Fridah Kanana, Shaheen Motala-Timol, as well as GYA alumni Vidushi Neergheen-Bhujun and Abidemi Akindele were among the over 30 early to mid-career scientists and researchers to take part.