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Culture And Society

  • AAP Steps Up Its Global Footprint at Falling Walls 2025
    The Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) strengthened its global visibility this year with a significantly expanded presence at the Falling Walls Summit in Berlin, signaling a new phase in Africa’s engagement with one of the world’s leading platforms for science, innovation, and societal impact.  The momentum follows a fast-growing collaboration between AAP and the Falling Walls Foundation, an alliance that has already produced tangible results. LUANAR in Malawi became the first institution in the consortium to launch a combined Falling Walls Engage and Lab, followed by the University of Botswana, which introduced the Gaborone Lab in 2025 and is preparing to roll out the Engage program in 2026. For AAP, these developments are more than individual wins: they mark the beginning of a wider rollout across the consortium, designed to strengthen research communication and create a more connected science engagement ecosystem across Africa.  At this year’s Summit, AAP member universities made their strongest showing yet. Lab winners from LUANAR and the University of Botswana took the stage in Berlin, showcasing African innovation to an international audience of scientists, investors, policymakers, and global media. Senior leaders from across the consortium also attended, led by Michigan State University’s Vice-Provost for International Studies and Programs, Professor Titus Awokuse.  During the delegation meeting with Falling Walls’ Executive Director, Andreas Kosmider, there was clear enthusiasm about the trajectory of the partnership. Discussions focused on deepening African participation in next year’s Summit and widening the circle of collaborators to include government ministries, policymakers, and funding agencies, an effort aimed at opening new channels for African–German cooperation.  For AAP, the stakes are high. Strengthening research communication equips young African scientists to tell their stories compellingly, improving public understanding and increasing the influence of research on policy. The Labs, meanwhile, function as early-stage innovation pipelines, giving African entrepreneurs exposure, mentorship, and a global platform for emerging ideas. The partnership also enhances institutional visibility, positioning African universities as active players in global science diplomacy.  Planning has already begun for next year’s Summit, with AAP leaders working on a coordinated roadmap to ensure a more visible and more diverse African presence in 2026. The goal is not simply to attend, but to shape the agenda by bringing African voices, research, and innovation to the centre of the global conversation.  As AAP expands its Falling Walls footprint, the partnership is beginning to look less like a program and more like an ecosystem-building catalyst. It is strengthening the consortium internally, opening new possibilities externally, and giving African researchers and innovators a much-needed global stage. And if the early signs are anything to go by, the walls separating African science from global visibility are starting to crack, making space for a new era of collaboration and opportunity.   
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Thursday, Dec 11, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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  • Culture in collaboration: repurposing folklore for youth empowerment
    Africa, particularly Nigeria, has a teeming young population who attempt to creatively navigate rapidly shifting identities within an unstable economy. For them, storytelling becomes a powerful tool through which sense is made of their place in the world. My research on folklore reimagination interrogates how traditional narratives are transformed into contemporary artistic endeavour that reflect the social realities of the youth. Folklore reimagination thus becomes an avenue for skill acquisition and empowerment in a society plagued with mismanaged resources and youth unemployment. By perceiving folklore as a living resource rather than a mere relic of the past, my research attempts to revive cultural heritage into digital content for the screen, constituting a source of self-employment for young creatives. In addition to addressing SDG number 8 – decent work and economic growth, this research fosters partnerships between culture and performance, youth and communities, tradition and modernity, and between local narratives and a global audience, offering education opportunities and reduced poverty. The research goal is to develop a toolkit which serves as both a learning and teaching aid for students and teachers of creative writing, further resonating with SDG number 4. Besides offering a platform for creativity and skills acquisition leading to self-employment, this research provides a model for a cultural engagement that is rooted in heritage preservation, shared creativity, collaboration and mutual respect. The research, which began in 2022, is divided into three distinct phases – toolkit draft, evaluation and update. Phase one involves the draft of the toolkit, which is divided into 5 parts and provides ethical insights and guidelines on working with folklore from the point of collection until reimagination. Offering mostly a theoretical guide, this phase is completed, and phase two is in progress. Phase two demands working closely with student writers to test the toolkit draft. Through a close collaboration with my students, aspects of the toolkit are currently being tested for effectiveness. Through feedback provided by the students, the toolkit will be updated with practical guides and sample scenarios. Further updates are expected following curated workshops, writers’ conference and creative labs. The creation of this toolkit resonates with the theme for this newsletter - art in partnership. Currently under the mentorship of Dr Jeff Wray of Michigan State University and Professor Chinenye Amonyeze of University of Nigeria, this research highlights that art, generally and folklore in particular, is not just a memory of set time in history, but a flexible material that can be reshaped into performances and creative narratives with social and economic value, while fostering partnerships driven by art. Folklore reimagination is, at its heart, an art of cultural partnership which depends on collaborations between researchers and creatives. By centring youths as creative agents, it leverages heritage to build skills, empowerment and self-employment. In this partnership, cultural memory is perceived and treated as a resource for innovation and economic growth. This art of partnership is therefore a sustainable one built on shared stories – stories that bear identities shaped by the past, present and future.
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Thursday, Dec 11, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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  • 2025 AAP Consortium Delegates Welcomed in Classic Warm Heart of Africa Style
    Delegates to the AAP Consortium Meeting in Malawi were welcomed with a vibrant cultural reception on the afternoon of Sunday, June 8, 2025, at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) Amphitheatre. The event offered a rich immersion into Malawi’s cultural heritage, from traditional dances that transported participants across the country, to rhythmic music echoing tales of generations past, complemented by a curated selection of local foods and beverages. Set in the warmth of Malawian hospitality, the reception also featured interactive activities celebrating African cultural diversity through language games and cultural lightning talks.  Reception Planning   The reception was carefully designed to celebrate cultural identity and diversity while ensuring an enjoyable and memorable experience for all attendees. Preparations began with identifying local performance groups whose artistry authentically reflects the Malawian cultural brand. Consultations with selected groups ensured a thoughtful balance of energetic and soothing performances suited to a diverse audience, ultimately creating a programme that offered a cultural tour of Malawi through music and dance. Organisers also coordinated with the hosting hotel to incorporate Malawian cuisine on the cocktail menu, showcasing the country’s culinary heritage. With the performances and menu in place, the reception hosts curated additional interactive activities to promote cultural exchange and engagement among delegates.  Performances  The Malawi National Dance Ensemble, popularly known as the Kwacha Cultural Troupe, headlined the afternoon. Established in 1987, the renowned 30-member troupe delivered a captivating sequence of traditional dances representing Malawi’s regions. Their repertoire included Beni, Chimtali, Chisamba, Chiterera, Mjedza, Malipenga, Ingoma, Mganda, Vimbuza, and Gule Wamkulu—the iconic masked dance of the Chewa people. Adding to the ambiance, Owen Mbilizi and his team offered a rich musical experience featuring original compositions and Malawian classics, blending skilled instrumentation with harmonious vocals. Delegates responded with enthusiastic applause and cheers throughout the performances.   Local Foods  Participants enjoyed an assortment of local delicacies, including mandazi, zitumbuwa (banana fritters), malambe (baobab) juice, and thobwa (sweet beer), alongside familiar continental snacks. The refreshment break provided an informal space for delegates to mingle, exchange reflections, and deepen their appreciation of the cultural showcase.   Significance  The cultural reception successfully highlighted Malawi’s artistic and culinary traditions while fostering a shared appreciation for cultural diversity among delegates. It was an afternoon filled with warmth, laughter, and a strong sense of community, the perfect icebreaker for the week’s engagements. 
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Tuesday, Dec 9, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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  • From Lens to Learning: Alex Mkwizu’s Transformative MSU Journey
    When Ibn Battutah said, “Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller,” in his famous volumes Travels of Ibn Battutah, little did I know how profoundly this wisdom would echo throughout my eight-day experience at Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing. I had the honor of attending as the overall winner of the InVision Africa Photography Competition, curated and sponsored by the Alliance for African Partnerships. This MSU initiative champions collaboration with African universities in art, culture, language, and other fields.  My time at MSU was eye-opening, filled with warm introductions to professors and artists. I met Professor Peter Glendinning from the Kresge Art Center, whose expertise in photography was inspiring; Professor Susan Wyche, who specializes in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI); and Mr Vadu Rodrigues, a Master of Fine Arts candidate, from whom I learned how his personal influences shaped his narrative and storytelling in photography. I also met many other colleagues, learning from their diverse experiences and creative processes.  These key encounters with experts and practitioners across different artistic disciplines opened doors for me to continue exploring, collaborating, and discovering new opportunities as a multidisciplinary creative artist passionate about the intersection of data, technology, and human-centered storytelling.  One of the most memorable encounters was with Professor Peter Glendinning and his body of work Attached to the Soil, a brilliant photographic project consisting of fifty portraits, oral history-based stories, and metaphoric representations of South African youth. He shared fascinating insights into his process, including an old, rare tool he once used to achieve a stroboscopic effect before the era of advanced cameras and editing software. What stood out most to me was that each photograph’s story was told from the perspective of the subject themselves, a powerful approach to narrative photography.  Another remarkable interaction was with Mr. Vadu Rodrigues and his artistic initiative Positive Africa, which seeks to challenge negative and biased narratives about Africa through photography and other art forms. Spending time with him in his studio was deeply insightful. I admired his practice of carrying a small notebook to document daily experiences and visual ideas that later influence his creative work. Observing his process from conceptualization to a finished art piece was a masterclass in intentional storytelling.  The culmination of this experience profoundly influenced my growth as a creative technologist and multidisciplinary artist. It also opened new doors for collaboration, one of which came through the MSU Museum CoLab Studio. I learned about a call for artists to create a piece exploring AI singularity in all its forms. Having subscribed to the studio’s newsletter, I received the announcement and decided to apply with a concept for a Virtual Reality immersive experience: a VR tribunal where sentient AIs bring cases against humans. Participants take the role of the defendant, while a generative AI judge, UbuntuBot, presides, modelled on African communal justice systems. The project merges storytelling, ethics, and digital futures.  As the old proverb goes, “Luck is when opportunity meets preparedness.” Fortunately, I was selected as one of the artists to collaborate with the MSU CoLab Studio, supported by a seed grant to bring this piece to life and exhibit it at the MSU Museum.  While the journey has only just begun with MSU Art Community, the experience with the Invision Africa Photography Competition and the exposure and connections made within MSU’s artistic community have left a lasting and transformative impact. It will continue to shape my creative path and remain a defining part of my artistic journey.     
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Tuesday, Dec 9, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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  • Celebrating The Role of Art and Creativity in Shaping Global Partnerships
    Photo by: Cris Dopher.  The arts represent the most imaginative and creative form of expression, integral to the civilizational progress of communities worldwide. In Uganda, an East African country where I originate, the arts are embodied and lived through music, dance, theatre, poetry, storytelling, folktales, and other forms of artistic engagement. The cultural, historical, social, and political meanings are etched in the art forms of the people. The arts are evolutionary and revolutionary, depicting the changes and continuities, and instigating shifts in the lived experiences of communities.  The arts have demonstrated their value in fostering community transformation across histories and territories. In Africa, the role of the arts has evolved in tandem with sociocultural, political, and economic changes in communities. The arts have offered platforms to sensitize communities around ever-emerging challenges, such as disease, climate change, conflicts, forced migration, gender-based violence, poverty, and cultural differences, among others. The functions of the arts have transcended stage performances and entertainment. Communities have deployed their creative and artistic potential to explore local solutions to prevailing problems. Within international development discourse on Africa, there is talk about ‘Africa finding local solutions to African problems’. Arts-oriented interventions that communities have applied and sustained offer a rubric on how communities in Africa can develop and implement sustainable and cost-effective solutions to local challenges.  The migratory and borderless natures of the creative arts, and their distinctiveness as a universal language, position them strategically to mediate differences, heal broken communities, quell tensions, and pluralize perspectives. The transnational and transcultural nature of the creative arts is evident in how they are constituted by cross-pollination of diverse cultural traditions, stories, and orthodoxies. The art forms are reinvented and reimagined at the intersection of other existing artistic practices. The aspect of embodiment that gives the arts their true meaning and essence centers people, as bearers of practices, meanings, and knowledge.  The global flow of art forms stems from local innovations. The being of the global dimension of the creative arts is rooted in their local value. Art proliferates by diffusion. The notion of art being born of people’s imaginaries enables its adaptation, assimilation, transcendence, and permeation across localities and contexts. Across Africa, the Black Diaspora, and global indigeneity, the commonalities between the arts demonstrate their universal reach, underscoring histories of migration, cultural connections, and intercultural interfaces.  Scholarship, practice, and research are media through which the arts have found expressions in transboundary contexts. In the realm of scholarship, collaborative research in the creative arts has increased, generating rich and diverse knowledge that has improved the human condition. The mobility of scholars and researchers between cultures and nationalities has augmented the exchange of expertise and circulation of artistic and cultural ideas and practices.  My current tenure as an African Futures Fellow at Michigan State University under the auspices of the Alliance for African Fellowship (AAP) is testimony to how the creative arts and artists can support global partnerships through scholarship and research. As a dance studies scholar at Makerere University in Uganda, East Africa, the program has supported me to connect with scholars at MSU and the US; co-write articles for publications; present at conferences; collaborate on artistic works with communities; and partner with researchers on ideation, incubation, writing, and submission of research grant ideas. Such engagements have facilitated the convergence of ideas, cultures, and people. My story represents a myriad of scholars who are leveraging the scholarly prowess of the creative arts to dissolve boundaries and dismantle barriers.  The arts have accelerated global partnerships through joint performances and collaborative creative processes. Worldwide, concerts, festivals, competitions, showcases, and productions have facilitated exchanges between artists, communities, artistic works, and audiences, and have supported the mobilization of resources through fundraising to care for those in need. The arts have been the heartbeat of globalization. Through exposure to different artistic forms, communities have peeked into cultures beyond their own. The creative arts carry a unique ability to communicate across generations, demographics, cultures, and geographies. Communities across the globe have united through the creative arts to draw attention to and amplify the voices of the oppressed.  The emergence of innovative technologies and platforms has empowered creatives worldwide to access wider audiences and listenership. Technology has democratized access and consumption of creative artworks globally. For Africa, the innovative platforms have enabled people to tell their own stories and confront stereotypical views through artistic and cultural products. Global business collaborations have emerged, resulting from the potential for the creative arts to circulate as commercially valuable products.  The creative arts possess inherent power to unite people across divides. As the world confronts challenges of conflicts, climate change, food insecurity, natural disasters, disease, social injustices, forced labour, and human trafficking, among others, the arts will continue to take center stage as strategic tools through which global communities can partner to find solutions to these problems. The creative arts have always been the heart that gives and receives. 
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Thursday, Dec 11, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY

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  • Call for Papers: History of Technology Conference
    “Engaging the History of Technology” International Congress of History of Science and Technology Annual Meeting   Democritus University of Thrace Alexandroupolis, Greece October 8 – 11, 2026 The theme of this conference, “Engaging the History of Technology”, invites critical reflections on how history of technology can engage with evolving methodologies, theories and pedagogies, and other branches of historical study to demonstrate that understanding technologies’ pasts are essential to navigating contemporary challenges. The conference, therefore, seeks contributions across spatial and epistemic boundaries: from the everyday and local to the geopolitical and planetary; from archival practice to classroom teaching and public engagement; and from discipline-specific research methods to interdisciplinary collaborations. Contributors may engage with one or more of the following themes, or even suggest new ways of thinking about:  1. The History of Technology between the Local, the Regional, and the Global:• Circulation of technologies, expertise, and knowledge across borders• Adaptation and appropriation of technologies in different cultural contexts• Tensions between globalisation and localisation in technological change• Regional networks and their role in shaping technological trajectories• Colonial, postcolonial and decolonial dimensions of technology• Networks of maintenance and repair2. History of Technology, Historiography and Education:• Methodological innovations in researching the history of technology• Interdisciplinary approaches and their challenges• Teaching the history of technology in universities and schools• Public engagement and the communication of technological history• The relevance of technology history to contemporary policy debates• Digital humanities and new forms of historical scholarship3. Intersections between the History of Technology and Other Fields of Historical Study:• Technology and social history: class, labour, gender, and everyday life• Technology and cultural history: representation, identity, and meaning• Technology and environmental history: sustainability, resource use, and ecological change• Technology and economic history: innovation, industrialisation, and development• Technology and political history: governance, regulation, and power• Technology and the history of medicine: cultural values, therapeutic practice, and material conceptions about the human body4. Special Focus: Museums, Material and Intangible Cultural Heritage, and Public Engagement: Given our collaboration with the Ethnological Museum of Thrace, the planners particularly welcome proposals that engage with material and intangible culture, museum practices, and public history. They are interested in innovative session formats that:• Explore tensions and synergies between academic and museum approaches to technological history• Demonstrate object-based learning methodologies• Address the challenges of communicating technological history to diverse publics• Examine the role of museums in preserving and interpreting technological heritage• Study visitor engagements with intangible heritage, particularly those of marginalised and silenced ethno-cultural communities• Critically examine the funding relationships between private technological and industrial interests, and museum Proposals will be accepted in the following formats: Paper presentations Individual and author teams’ presentations.Please, submit an abstract of up to 350 words. Panel Sessions Thematically coherent sessions of 3-4 papers. Panel organisers should submit a panel abstract (up to 400 words) describing the theme and its significance; after approval the conference committee and the panel organisers will issue a specific call for proposals (individual or author teams’ paper abstracts up to 350 words each). Roundtables Discussion-based sessions with 4-6 participants addressing a specific question or debate. Organisers should submit a description of the topic and format (up to 350 words); names and brief bios of participants (up to 100 words each); key questions to be addressed. Graduate Student and Early Career Opportunities ICOHTEC is committed to supporting emerging scholars. We particularly welcome submissions from graduate students and early career researchers. The conference will feature:• Visual Lightning Talk Competitions for graduate students• Mentorship opportunities pairing students with established scholars• Book development workshops Submissions of abstracts through the conference website: December 15, 2025 - January 31, 2026 Official conferencewebsite: https://icohtec2026.hs.duth.gr - Peter Alegi, MSU Department of History -“Soccer as Work and Play: A Congolese Life Story, from Colonialism to Globalization” (co-sponsored by the MSU Department of African American and African Studies and the MSU African Studies Center)   Monday, March 23 - Jenelle Thelen – “Smooth as Silk: Working Women of the Belding, MI Silk Mills (1902-1908)” (co-sponsored by the MSU Center for Gender in Global Context)   Friday, April 3 - David Stowe, MSU Religious Studies – “The Musical Tanner: Negotiating Work, Music, and Belief in Revolutionary Boston”   * TBD - Nicholas Sly, MSU Department of History - “Curing the Crisis of Masculinity: Calisthenics and Office Work in the Early Twentieth Century”     Check out all the Our Daily Work/Our Daily Lives brown bag presentation recordings available on the MSU Library website (over 125 and still counting!!- JPB)   Did you miss a brown bag presentation that you really want to hear? Or perhaps you may want to explore the listing of past presentations that you didn't even know about. There's an answer to both quests.   Thanks to all our friends at MSU Vincent Voice Library, there is a new home for all our recorded brown bags.  Follow these links and you should be able to tap into all of the recordings we have cataloged thus far: Our Daily Work/Our Daily Lives Channel or https://mediaspace.msu.edu/channel/channelid/209060293. Easy Peasy!! Thanks to everyone for setting us up this way!!!   The deepest note of Thanks to all of the folks at the Vincent Voice Library who have worked with us to create this archived set of recordings. Thanks to Shawn, James, Mike, Rick and the late John Shaw for their work over the years on our behalf.      For over thirty years, "Our Daily Work/ Our Daily Lives" has been a cooperative project of the Michigan Traditional Arts Program and the Labor Education Program.
    By: Aaron Dorner
    Thursday, Dec 4, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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  • Call for Book Proposals: Yorùbá Worlds, New Book Series Edited by Toyin Falola
    The University of Wisconsin Press is pleased to announce the launch of a new book series, Yorùbá Worlds, edited by Toyin Falola. Publishing innovative book-length works and privileging Yorùbá voices, this multidisciplinary series is intended to answer urgent calls to decentralize colonial narratives of Africa and its diaspora and elevate Indigenous knowledge systems, oral histories, and community-centered approaches. “The long and diverse history of the Yorùbá people, from precolonial times to today, included notable achievements in political systems, economic ties, cultural innovations, multireligious interactions, and global continuities,” says series editor Toyin Falola. “This series highlights Yorùbá voices and knowledge systems, focusing on agency and communities in both Africa and the diaspora, to deepen understanding of ongoing developments and potential related to identity, spirituality, decolonization, and transnationalism. I am excited about the opportunity to showcase and curate a wide range of innovative, cutting-edge, and multidisciplinary scholarship that offers new insights into the history, cultures, and intellectual contributions of what is perhaps Africa’s most significant and most widely dispersed group, the Yorùbá.” The Yorùbá people have a long history of producing remarkable cultural forms, intellectual traditions, and influential historical narratives. The history of Yorùbá civilization is exemplified by precolonial urbanized city-states such as Ilé-Ifẹ̀, Ọ̀yọ́, and Ibadan, each of which had administrative structures in place. As Yorùbá people dispersed globally, their religious beliefs, languages, and cultures were foundational to forming Afro-diasporic identity in Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, Haiti, and the United States. Yorùbá legacy, both within the African continent and among members of the global diaspora, has intensified in the contemporary period, as seen in the vibrancy of the religious expressions of Santeria and Candomblé, the explosion of Afrobeats, Yorùbá films, and transnational repatriation projects, among others. Yorùbá Worlds is a multidisciplinary series that aims to showcase this vibrant legacy by compiling various perspectives. In addition to rigorous analyses of Yorùbá contributions to global intellectual, political, and cultural histories, the series will collapse some distance between academic inquiry and the wider world. The series will also be essential for understanding how African epistemologies continue to shape contemporary conversations about identity, spirituality, decolonization, and transnationalism. Editor in chief Dan Crissman notes, “The University of Wisconsin Press is a recognized leader in publishing groundbreaking and essential work in African studies. We are very pleased to partner with Dr. Falola to shine a spotlight on Yorùbá history and culture.” Series editor Toyin Falola is Distinguished Teaching Professor and Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin. Falola is the author or editor of more than 150 books on African history, politics, and society. He is the recipient of twenty-eight honorary doctorates from around the world as well as more than forty lifetime achievement awards. The series advisory board includes Olufunke Adeboye (University of Lagos), Akintunde Akinyemi (University of Florida at Gainesville), Andrew Apter (University of California, Los Angeles), Matt D. Childs (University of South Carolina),Henry Lovejoy (University of Colorado Boulder), Akin Ogundiran (Northwestern University), Bola Sotunsa (Babcock University), Aribidesi Usman (Arizona State University), Olufemi Vaughan (Amherst College), and John Thabiti Willis(Grinnell College). The first book in the series, Joseph Odùmósù’s Book of Healing, edited and translated by Michael Ọládẹ̀jọ Afọláyan and Helen Tilley, will be published in January 2026. For more information about submissions, please contact Dan Crissman, editor in chief, at dcrissman@wisc.edu. For other inquiries, please contact the series editor, Toyin Falola, at toyinfalola@austin.utexas.edu. About the University of Wisconsin Press The University of Wisconsin Press is a not-for-profit publisher of books and journals. With more than 1,500 titles and 8,000 peer-reviewed articles in print, its mission embodies the Wisconsin Idea by publishing work of distinction that serves the people of Wisconsin and the world. Contact Information Dan Crissman, Editor in Chief, University of Wisconsin Press Contact Email dcrissman@wisc.edu
    By: Aaron Dorner
    Friday, Nov 21, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY

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  • African Futures Research Leadership Program - Cohort 6 Call for Applicants
    AAP AFRICAN FUTURES RESEARCH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM  Artificial Intelligence in Africa: Transdisciplinary Innovations for Sustainable Futures Cohort 6 Call for Applicants  Alliance for African Partnership (AAP) invites applications for the sixth cohort of the African Futures Research Leadership Program. This competitive visiting scholar program supports early career researchers from AAP consortium universities to collaborate for one year with faculty members at Michigan State University (MSU) and their home institutions. The program focuses on strengthening skills in impactful research, curriculum development, innovative teaching, scholarly and policy writing, dissemination of research results, and grant proposal development. Scholars will also participate in a structured professional development program while building meaningful and lasting connections with MSU faculty and fellow scholars. The primary goal of the African Futures Program is to strengthen the capacity of emerging African researchers to become scientific leaders in their communities. The program seeks to foster long-term partnerships with MSU faculty, co-create innovative solutions to Africa’s challenges, and cultivate the next generation of research mentors and leaders. AAP invites applications from early career researchers to join the upcoming cohort, which will begin virtually in February 2026. Scholars will spend September through December 2026 at MSU for the in-person phase of the program, followed by continued virtual collaboration through early 2027. Each scholar will receive a small grant to support research, teaching, and professional development activities, including conference participation and publication. Scholars will also receive a stipend during their time at MSU, visa support, and round-trip travel from their home institution. Potential Teaching and Research Areas  The 2026 theme, “Artificial Intelligence in Africa: Transdisciplinary Innovations for Sustainable Futures,” highlights the potential of AI to address Africa’s most critical challenges and opportunities. AI research must be ethical, contextualized, and socially responsible, drawing insights from science, engineering, the arts, business, culture, and society. In addition to thematic research, scholars will contribute to the development of curricula for a transdisciplinary doctoral program in AI in Africa and explore innovations in teaching and learning. We particularly encourage cross-disciplinary projects exploring AI’s transformative potential in: Agri-food systems – leveraging AI for food security, sustainable agriculture, and resilient supply chains Health and nutrition – applying AI in disease prevention, diagnostics, personalized medicine, and strengthening health systems Climate change, water, energy, and environment – using AI for mitigation, adaptation, monitoring, and sustainable resource management Ethics, governance, and society – integrating human rights, accountability, and inclusivity in AI design and deployment Culture and the arts – examining how AI interacts with African languages, creative expression, heritage preservation, and digital storytelling Engineering and science – developing AI-driven technologies suited to African contexts Education – enhancing equitable access to learning, bridging digital divides, and improving pedagogy through AI Business and entrepreneurship – fostering inclusive growth, financial technologies, and youth-led AI innovations to shape Africa’s digital future Through transdisciplinary collaboration, the program aims to promote AI research and teaching that bridges technical and social disciplines, ensuring innovation reflects Africa’s diverse values and aspirations. Program Benefits  Professional Development – Structured workshops on equitable partnerships, teaching innovation, academic time management, proposal development, budgeting, and research communication to enhance research, teaching, writing, and leadership skills Leadership Development – A research leadership retreat focused on building leadership competencies, self-reflection, and career development for research advancement Collaboration Networks – Each scholar will collaborate with MSU and home institution partners. Collaborators may conduct reciprocal one-week visits. Scholars will also join AAP’s network of researchers at MSU, across Africa, and globally to foster lasting institutional partnerships Expected Outcomes By the end of the program, each scholar and their team are expected to achieve at least: Submission or publication of one to three joint manuscripts Submission of at least one grant proposal Presentation at one or more academic or professional conferences Collaborations are designed to extend beyond the program’s duration. Scholars are encouraged to engage broadly with MSU faculty and maintain partnerships after completion. Participants must submit regular progress reports to AAP and their home institution focal point. Failure to meet program or partnership expectations may result in early termination. Eligibility  Citizenship in an African country PhD awarded within the last 10 years Current employment as Academic Staff at one of the AAP African member universities including Egerton University, Makerere University, University of Dar es Salaam, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Botswana, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University Cheikh Anta Diop, Yambo Ouologuem University of Bamako, United States International University-Africa, or University of Pretoria Official approval of leave or sabbatical for the in-person phase A home institution partner committed to collaborating throughout the program Research aligned with the program’s thematic areas, focusing on AI in Africa Submission of only one proposal per applicant in this round of funding Application Requirements  An updated CV outlining professional accomplishments A one-page letter of interest detailing alignment with program priorities, research approach, and potential societal impact Names of up to three potential MSU faculty collaborators (identified from MSU department websites; applicants should not contact faculty directly—AAP will initiate contact) Two relevant peer-reviewed publications Two professional references providing context on the relationship and an assessment of the applicant’s expertise A one-page letter from the home institution collaborator confirming willingness to participate and travel to MSU for collaboration A one-page endorsement letter from the Head of Department approving leave A one-page letter of support from the institution’s AAP Focal Point Selection Criteria:  Professional merit, scientific ability, and potential for career impact (evaluated through CV, publications, letters, and references) Institutional assurance of continued employment and support post-fellowship Commitment to return to the home country after the fellowship Consideration for diversity across disciplines, institutions, and regions. Priority will be given to projects that demonstrate transdisciplinary approaches integrating technology, culture, ethics, and societal impact EXTENDED DEADLINE: Applications are due by November 28, 2025   Apply: https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eVb2iErQhRpmAPs For questions, please contact José Jackson-Malete at jacks184@msu.edu or +1-517-884-8587.   This project is made possible with the philanthropic support of Carnegie Corporation of New York
    By: Justin Rabineau
    Wednesday, Nov 19, 2025
    AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS
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  • The Call for the 2026 AWARD Leadership Program for Emerging African Women in Agricultural Sciences
    The call for applications to the 2026 Leadership Program for Emerging African Women in Agricultural Sciences is now open. The program funded by The Carnegie Corporation of New York (CCNY) and implemented by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) seeks to build a pool of capable, confident, influential young women scientists equipped to excel in agricultural sciences, thrive in leadership roles, and champion gender integration in agriculture. In this call, the leadership program is targeting applications from the following sub-Saharan African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia. The initiative seeks to invest in up to 40 competitively selected African women under 35 years of age and their mentors. Selected candidates will participate in an intensive, non-residential career transformative program spanning nine months. They will be equipped in a range of areas, including: Effective leadership styles How to define their career path and leverage networks to advance their careers How to develop personal brands to build confidence in pitching their research ideas to potential funding agencies and collaborators The necessary tools and skills to successfully manage teams, navigate organizational dynamics, build alliances, and take risks How to navigate gender dynamics and apply proven strategies to be effective negotiators and problem solvers. Apply here: https://form.jotform.com/252601474687968 
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Thursday, Oct 2, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY

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  • Open Call: WD2026 Media Scholarship Program
    Deadline: Oct 15, 2025 Donor: Women Deliver Grant Type: Scholarship Grant Size: Not Available Countries/Regions: All Countries Area: Disability, Climate Change, Health, Human Rights, Indigenous Communities, , Individuals, Journalists, Leaders, LGBTQ, Journalism, Media, Refugee & Asylum Seekers, Gender Equality The Women Deliver is offering Media Scholarships for journalists and content creators worldwide, especially those who may not otherwise be able to attend and report. For more information, visit https://womendeliver.org/wd2026/participate-in-wd2026/media-scholarships/ Premium Link: https://grants.fundsforngospremium.com/opportunity/op/open-call-wd2026-media-scholarship-program
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Thursday, Oct 2, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY
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  • African Futures Cohort 5 Arrives at MSU
    Alliance for African Partnership (AAP), a consortium of ten leading African universities, Michigan State University (MSU), and a network of African research institutes, is excited to welcome the fifth cohort of the African Futures Research Leadership Program to MSU for the in-person portion of the program. Each early career scholar is paired with a faculty mentor from MSU and their home institution for one year of virtual and in-person collaboration to strengthen research skills, innovations in teaching, writing of scholarly and/or policy publications, dissemination of research results and grant proposals.   A consortium-wide initiative, the African Futures program is designed to strengthen the capacity of a cadre of African researchers to return to their home institutions and become scientific leaders in their community, establish long-term partnerships with MSU faculty, co-create innovative solutions to Africa’s challenges, and in turn become trainers of the next generation of researchers. African Futures Cohort 5: Alfdaniels Mabingo Performing Arts and Film Makerere University Home Mentor - Sylvia Antonia Nakimera Nannyonga-Tamusuza, Dept of Performing Arts and FilmMSU Mentor – Philip Effiong, Dept of English, Theater Studies & Humanities & Gianina Strother, Dept of African American and African Studies  Gladys Gakenia Njoroge Pharmacy Practice and Public Health United States International University – Africa Home Mentor - Calvin A. Omolo, Dept of Pharmacy Practice and Public HealthMSU Mentor - Yuehua Cui, Dept of Statistics and Probability  Seynabou Sene Plant Biology University Cheikh Anna Diop Home Mentor - Abdala Gamby Diedhiou, Dept of Plan BiologyMSU Mentor - Lisa Tiemann, Dept of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences  Portia T. Loeto Educational Foundations (Gender Studies Section) University of Botswana Home Mentor - Godi Mookode, Dept of SociologyMSU Mentor - Soma Chauduri, Dept of Sociology  Betina Lukwambe Aquaculture Technology University of Dar es Salaam Home Mentor – Samwel Mchele Limbu, Dept of AquacultureMSU Mentor - Abigail Bennett, Dept of Fisheries and Wildlife & Maria Claudia Lopez, Dept of Community Sustainability  Assilah Agigi Business Management University of PretoriaHome Mentor - Alex Antonites, Dept of Business Management MSU Mentor - Sriram Narayanan, Dept of Supply Chain Management  Miriam Nthenya Kyule Agricultural Education and Extension Egerton University Home Mentor - Miriam Karwitha Charimbu, Dept of Crops, Horticulture and Soils MSU Mentor - Susan Wyche, Dept of Media and Information Studies  Asha Nalunga Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics Makerere University Home Mentor - Bernard Bashaasha, Dept of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics MSU Mentor - Saweda Liverpool-Tasie, Dept of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics   Ezinne Ezepue (participating virtually)Theatre & Film Studies University of Nigeria, Nsukka Home Mentor - Chinenye Amonyeze, Dept of Theatre & Film StudiesMSU Mentor - Jeff Wray, Dept of English “We were extremely impressed with the quality and diversity of applications we received for this cohort of the African Futures program. We are excited to build on the successes of past cohorts and continue to evolve this program as we support the next generation of African research leaders,” said Jose Jackson-Malete, co-director of the Alliance for African Partnership.  Differing from previous cohorts, Cohort 5 is piloting a hybrid model of the African Futures program. The scholars began their work in February 2025 virtually, then will spend the fall semester at Michigan State University working closely with their MSU mentor. They will then complete the rest of their year back at their home institution, culminating in a research showcase in February 2026 to share the research they’ve done. Partnerships between mentors and mentees are expected to continue beyond the end of the program and lead to sustainable collaboration and future funding opportunities.  For more information, visit the Alliance for African Partnership website  
    By: Justin Rabineau
    Thursday, Sep 4, 2025
    AGRI-FOOD SYSTEMS
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  • Apply Now: Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program (Botswana)
    Deadline: Sep 19, 2025 Donor: U.S. Embassy in Botswana Grant Type: Grant Grant Size: Not Available Countries/Regions: Botswana Area: Arts & Culture, Filmmaking and Entertainment, Music, Energy, Individuals, Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Misinformation/Disinformation, Research, Science, Technology, Sports & Recreation The U.S. Embassy in Botswana is pleased to announce the competition for the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program for the 2026-27 academic year. For more information, visit https://bw.usembassy.gov/funding-opportunities/#F/Bright Premium Link: https://grants.fundsforngospremium.com/opportunity/op/apply-now-fulbright-visiting-scholar-program-botswana
    By: Baboki Gaolaolwe-Major
    Monday, Aug 25, 2025
    CULTURE AND SOCIETY

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