O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative framework and application guidelines

The Tambo Africa Research Initiative aims to increase African research and innovation by creating Research Chairs at top African Universities. Importantly, the initiative directly supports with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and STISA 2024 goals for socio-economic development.

The African Research Chairs Initiative

In its initial pilot phase, the initiative will establish ten Research Chairs that target key African challenges such as climate change, poverty, governance, and AI. This will focus on key African challenges like climate change, poverty, governance, and AI. In addition, it promotes research, postgraduate training, and partnerships to strengthen Africa’s research systems.

Chairs must reside at research-intensive public universities in SGCI (Science Granting Councils Initiative) countries. To host a chair, universities must demonstrate strong research capabilities, infrastructure, and a sustainability plan.

The criteria for Chair selection

At least 60% of awarded Chairs will be women; up to 40% may be in the Humanities and Social Sciences. Each Chair receives an initial five-year appointment, with potential renewal for up to ten additional years based on performance and funding. Chairholders must spend at least 80% of their time on research and postgraduate supervision. Moreover, candidates must be internationally recognised researchers with a PhD, a strong publication record, and mentoring experience.

The selection process

Each university may submit up to 3 expressions of interest and propose 2 Chair candidates per submission. The selection process then involves two phases: the institutional expression of interest and the full proposal by nominated Chair candidates. Applications are reviewed by a Steering Committee and selected based on strategic fit, institutional readiness, and research quality.

The funding is up to USD 215,000 per Chair per year, covering staff, fellowships, research costs, equipment, and limited university overheads. However, host institutions are required to fund the Chair’s salary and support postgraduate bursaries, preferably with contributions from their national SGC.

Looking at the long-term

Annual progress reports are required; a complete peer-reviewed evaluation occurs in year five. Funding decreases after year 5 (from 100% to 25% in years 9–10), encouraging co-funding and sustainability. A baseline study and annual evaluations will track the Chairs’ institutional and academic impact.

The African Research Chairs initiative prioritises collaboration across institutions, fosters international partnerships and supports capacity building in less research-intensive universities.