UCL African Partners Summit Report - Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu, Pro-Vice-Provost (Africa & Middle East)
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GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT OFFICE
UCL African
Partners Summit
Report
October 2020
Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu, Pro-Vice-
Provost (Africa & Middle East)
Funi Nemaheni, Senior Partnership
Manager (Africa & Middle East)
Panellists
Overview and Context Professor Michael Arthur,
President & Provost,
The purpose of the UCL African UCL
Partners Summit was to initiate
discussions, with African partners,
regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Dr Dame Nicola
the Higher Education (HE) sector and Brewer, Vice-
Provost (International),
the future of HE global engagement. UCL
This report forms the main output from Summit Chair, Professor
the Summit and will potentially feed Ijeoma Uchegbu, Pro-
into UCL’s development of the Global Vice-Provost (Africa &
Middle East), UCL
Engagement Strategy 2021-26, while
also informing developments around
UCL’s engagement with the Professor Mamokgethi
Phakheng, Vice-
Sustainable Development Goals Chancellor, University of
(SDGs). Cape Town, South Africa
The Summit was held on Microsoft Professor Ernest
Teams Live. It was held in two Aryeetey, Secretary
sessions in an interactive question and General, African
Research
answer format. Attendees submitted Universities Alliance
their questions and comments using (ARUA), Ghana
Sli.do. Professor Zeblon
Vilakazi, Vice-Principal
The Summit was open to anyone with and Deputy Vice-
Chancellor (Research
links to, experience of, or an interest in and Postgraduate
collaborations between UCL and Studies), University of
African partners. the Witwatersrand,
South Africa
Professor Michael Arthur, President & Professor Deenan Pillay,
Pro-Vice-Provost
Provost of UCL opened the Summit (International), UCL
and Professor Ijeoma Uchegbu, Pro-
Vice-Provost (Africa & Middle East)
chaired the Summit. Dame Nicola Professor Willem
Brewer, Vice-Provost (International) Hanekom, Director of the
opened the second session on the Africa Health Research
Institute (AHRI), South
future of global engagement. Africa
Panellists included Vice-Chancellors of
Dr Joseph Macarthy,
African universities, a representative Executive Director,
from the African Research Universities Sierra Leone Urban
Alliance (ARUA), a representative from Research Centre
(SLURC), Sierra Leone
the Association of Commonwealth
Universities (ACU) and key partners of Professor Delmiro
Fernandez-Reyes,
UCL. Biomedical Computing,
UCL
This report is divided into two sections:
(1) Summit Areas of Convergence & Mr George Ananga,
Recommendations and (2) Summary Senior Membership
of Discussions. (International),
Association of
Commonwealth
The full recording of the Summit can Universities (ACU)
be accessed at this link.
2
Summit Areas of Convergence & Recommendations
The Summit consisted of two sessions. The first session focused on the impact of
COVID-19 on the HE sector. The panel discussed three themes: the impact of
severe shocks such as COVID-19 on the HE sector, the HE response to COVID-19
and the lessons learned from COVID-19 to date.
The second session focused on the future of global engagement. Similar to the first
session, the panel discussed three themes: developing and sustaining global
partnerships during and after the pandemic, the barriers to sustainable global
partnerships and the impact of global partnerships on the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).
This section of the report highlights the main areas of convergence that emerged
from the discussions at the Summit and the corresponding recommendations for
UCL and for UCL’s African partners.
Panel discussions: Recommendations for Broader
key themes UCL recommendations
for African partners
Encourage further Building on UCL’s Encourage
interdisciplinary ways of strong existing approach interdisciplinary funding
researching COVID-19. to interdisciplinary for COVID-19 research at
An interdisciplinary research through the both university and
research focus into Grand Challenges, government level funding.
COVID-19 could explore a COVID-19 call
provide more robust that focuses on
solutions to problems interdisciplinary research
such as unexpected either through the Global
differential death rates Engagement Funds, UCL-
and challenges around Wits Seed Funds or the
global recovery. Africa & Middle East
Teaching Initiative.
Inequality of access to GEO to work with other Continue to enhance
adequate digital departments at UCL e.g. online platforms for online
infrastructure has the Office of the Vice teaching and research
been exposed both Provost Advancement collaboration in order to
within countries and (OVPA), to develop best support the development
across international practice and guidance to of effective and more
borders. Explore support online international sustainable global
potential to invest further academic engagement partnerships. More
in online platforms to and enhance, where engagement with
continue supporting possible, online platforms governments could be
academics to develop, already operating at UCL. explored to encourage
sustain and enhance investment in digital
global partnerships. infrastructure across
research intensive public
universities.
3
Encourage and support GEO to explore how Continue exploring
early career researchers existing and new seed avenues for enhancing
in partner institutions to funding schemes can and supporting early
maximise any better support early career career researchers to
opportunities presented researchers to encourage take on research
by COVID-19. For innovative research leadership positions
example, early career approaches to COVID-19. within universities.
researchers could This can be
pivot their research interdisciplinary and
towards the pandemic enabled either via the
and take on leadership Global Engagement
roles in areas where Funds, UCL-Wits Seed
their Principal Funds or the Africa &
Investigators (PIs) Middle East Teaching
aren’t able to Initiative.
participate fully in the
projects, due to travel
restrictions.
Develop partnerships GEO should aim to African universities
with multilateral strengthen UCL’s should continue lobbying
organisations in the partnerships with HE international research
African continent in multilateral funders to achieve a
order to achieve a organisations, such as decolonised funding
critical mass to the African Research landscape and should
influence and shape Universities Alliance continue to proactively
the African research (ARUA), the Association of shape the research
agenda (including Commonwealth priorities in the continent
research priorities and Universities (ACU), the by lobbying through
funding that is locally Academy of African multilateral HE
driven) such that Sciences (AAS) and the organisations such as
Africans benefit fully United Nations Forum for ARUA.
from the research. Higher Education in order
to enhance efforts to
achieve equitable research
funding for the global
south.
New partnerships need GEO should continue to Where possible, African
to pass a longevity test encourage academics to universities should
in order to be truly pursue sustainable encourage the building of
sustainable. A majority partnerships with cross border institutional
of PI to PI partnerships African partners while partnerships.
are built around supporting PIs to
projects and disperse develop partnerships
when the project ends. that are grounded on
Existing partnerships principles of
need to be monitored equivalence. Where
to ensure that they possible, follow-on funding
continue to be opportunities should be
grounded on the
4
principles of actively identified at the
equivalence. start of the project.
GEO to establish an
‘Africa Steering Group’,
chaired by Pro-Vice
Provost (AME) to
oversee and develop
UCL’s approach to
partnership development
in Africa, both in the
context of existing links
and future ones. This
might include developing
‘principles of engagement’
to support academics as
they seek to collaborate
with potential African
partners.
Explore the possibility of GEO to discuss with Universities should
offering virtual student UCL Study Abroad and continue exploring the
exchange programmes, interested academics the possibility of more virtual
e.g. with students paired possibility of hosting a study abroad
and working on a joint virtual ‘summer school’ for opportunities with global
project in separate the 2020/2021 academic partners.
locations. Travel year with African partners.
restrictions provide an
opportunity for wider
access to each other
via electronic
solutions.
5
Summary of Discussions
enable African health researchers to
study the impact of COVID-19. A more
Session I: The Impact of pre-emptive approach would be to
COVID-19 on the HE Sector have a clear interdisciplinary focus on
Theme 1: Impact of COVID-19 on emerging threats in order to build up
research the research base.
The panel agreed that the disruption of
research and teaching due to
lockdown regulations has hugely
affected the student population in
African countries where the digital
infrastructure remains under-
resourced. For instance, Njala
University in Sierra Leone is faced with
the challenge of students’ limited
access to laptops and providing
When asked to describe the impact of students with email addresses in order
COVID-19 on the HE sector, the majority to deliver ‘fit for purpose’ online
of attendees mentioned the word teaching and content.
‘uncertainty.’
Other challenges include non-
The panel agreed that COVID-19
conducive home environments due to
negatively affected research activities
cultural expectations (i.e. female
in HE in a number of ways:
students being expected to carry out
operational, financial and scientific,
domestic chores at home). This
especially in low resource settings.
domestic burden prevents female
students from learning optimally in a
home environment.
When asked if their research had been
impacted by COVID-19 in a negative or
positive way, 81% of the attendees stated
that their research was negatively 100% of attendees answered ‘yes’ when
affected. asked if COVID-19 has had a
disproportionate effect on students and
Most research priorities were reported
staff from lower socioeconomic groups.
as being redefined and pivoted in
order to respond to the pandemic. This The panel pointed out that the
includes opportunities for African availability of a vaccine will worsen the
scientists to delve into new areas of inequality gap between the global
research, such as researching whether north and the global south, if not
people living with HIV or tuberculosis accessed equitably. There is a need to
(TB) suffer worse outcomes if they move away from a nationalistic
become infected with the virus. agenda (i.e. nations securing vaccines
for their own populations, to a more
As a result of the pandemic, most
global outlook when developing the
governments in Africa are putting more
vaccine for a global pandemic).
funding into healthcare research to
6
Theme 2: Response to COVID-19 The panel noted that working remotely
meant that most of the universities’
The panel noted that research and estates have not been in use, but
education activities in their universities there is a strong case for maintaining
have been hugely supported. the campus experience for both staff
and students.
80% of the attendees agreed that their
institutions’ response to COVID-19 has 92% of attendees voted ‘yes’ when asked
been helpful in enabling them to carry out if it is more likely that they will continue to
their research or education remotely. conduct some of their work remotely.
In terms of universities’ response to It is likely that remote working will
online learning, the panel noted that continue but as the pandemic
COVID -19 exposed the infrastructure becomes more controlled, staff are
deficits within HE systems in Africa more likely to return to offices and
and the world. There is a need for face-to-face teaching is more likely to
African governments to invest in online resume. New universities have the
infrastructure. 95% of all research in opportunity to remodel the future of the
Africa is in public universities. digital HE experience.
There are ongoing discussions On mental health related to the
between some African universities and pandemic, the panel noted that more
telecommunication companies to resources are needed to care for
extend bandwidth to students in rural students and staff with mental health
areas. issues that may have been
In African countries where online exacerbated by the lockdown
platforms are more advanced, such as measures in many countries.
Wits University in South Africa, student Theme 3: Lessons learned from
participation rates have increased
COVID-19
compared to participation in physical
classrooms. Universities’ processes and structures
should be agile in order to adapt
As more universities are moving to
swiftly when faced with shocks such
online learning, the panel expressed
as COVID-19. More focus should be
that universities should start the
placed on change management in
conversation on fee reduction for
order to effectively insulate the HE
online learning.
sector from future shocks.
74% of the attendees voted ‘no’ when
asked if they think that online learning 62% of the attendees voted ‘yes’ when
offers sufficient value for money. asked if they think the HE sector can
insulate itself from future shocks such as
COVID-19.
7
The pandemic exposed systemic to local challenges. Similarly, the
weaknesses in the HE sector that United Kingdom Research and
need to be addressed urgently, such Innovation (UKRI) agency has been
as the inequality and the digital divide funding research that is more locally
emanating from online learning. driven.
There are unique opportunities for
working together collaboratively across Session II: Future Directions
borders and there is a strong need to
focus HE strategies on working with of Global Engagement
multiple stakeholders in an
Theme 1: Developing, sustaining
interdisciplinary way.
and enhancing global partnerships
during and after the pandemic
The panel noted that mutual
partnerships are based on trust built
over face-to-face interactions.
Universities need to start thinking
more about ways to build trust
virtually, especially for new
partnerships.
Attendees’ one word descriptions of how
the HE sector may insulate itself from
future shocks such as COVID-19.
There is a strong desire for HE
institutions to define their mission in
contributing to society. The UK 56% of attendees voted ‘yes’ when asked
mortality rates were among the highest if they were currently developing new
in the world, despite the fact that most international collaborative research
proposals.
of the top performing universities in
research excellence are in the UK. For established partnerships, a
Research excellence needs to majority of collaborations are being
translate into societal benefit. sustained through virtual interactions.
Governments should continue to work In addition, universities need to think
closely with researchers through task of ways to support academics’ global
force teams to come up with well- partnerships during a global pandemic
informed research policies. and/or future shocks.
‘Helicopter science’1 will continue
happening in Africa until African
researchers define their own research
agenda. Research funders in the UK
have started decolonising the funding
landscape and asking for research that
is driven by local researchers. For
instance, the Wellcome is working with
the African Academy of Sciences
Attendees’ one word descriptions of the
(AAS) to run programmes that respond
support from their institution in manging
1 elsewhere and publish the results with little involvement from local
Used to describe situations where researchers from wealthier
countries fly to developing countries to collect data, analyse it scientists.
8their research and learning partnerships The lack of digital infrastructure in
during the COVID-19 crisis. some African countries prevents the
development of mutually beneficial
The panel also noted that mobile
global partnerships. Few African
technology in African countries is
universities have the capability to
considered to be a” leap frog” model,
process large data sets that are
in that it has enabled economic
increasingly required for cutting-edge
development on an unprecedented
internationally funded research.
scale with mobile banking, reduced
road transport and greater access to
public services. Collaborators need to
recognise the potential for using
mobile technology for
building/sustaining partnerships.
The panel recommended that
universities should encourage young
researchers to maximise the
opportunities presented by COVID-19,
for instance pivoting their research
Attendees’ descriptions of their research
towards the pandemic and taking on
experience with overseas partners.
leadership roles in areas where their
Principal Investigators (PIs) aren’t able While the African continent is a rich
to fulfil these leadership roles due to resource for a variety of datasets,
travel restrictions. African researchers often have to rely
on the global north for processing of
The panel noted that universities
the data. This creates a challenge with
should reimagine offering a
regard to research ownership.
campus/residential experience via
virtual study abroad programmes. The panel noted that African
governments’ funding for research is
Theme 2: Barriers to global limited. While there is a huge capacity
partnerships, especially in Africa for research, the lack of financial and
infrastructure resources to enable
research production remains a burden
and further plays into the narrative that
Africa is the ‘poor cousin’ instead of an
equal player in partnerships.
87% of attendees voted ‘yes’ when asked
if they believe there are significantly more
barriers to research and learning
partnerships with African partners.
The panel noted the global asymmetry
in knowledge production, lack of
critical mass in research intentions and
disproportionate research ownership in
global partnerships. This creates a
Attendees’ one word descriptions of
power gap when creating cross border
barriers to global research partnerships.
partnerships.
9More engagement with multilateral Universities should encourage the
organisations, such as the United building of partnerships around a wider
Nations, is needed to highlight the institutional strategy in order to create
need for more funding for research sustainable interactions.
grants in the global south. In order to
Other barriers to partnerships include
lobby and advocate for more funding
the sheer cost of travel, weak
with multilateral organisations, African
currencies and poor internet
governments need to show that they
bandwidth. All these contribute to
have already started funding research
unequal research relationships.
in their own countries.
The panel noted that universities in the Theme 3: Research to address the
global north should incentivise 2030 SDG Agenda
researchers to encourage good
behaviour towards mutual partnerships
and discourage ‘helicopter science,’ a
description used when global north
scientists arrive to harvest data and
analyse it, with no consideration given 99% of attendees answered ‘yes’ when
to the African data providers or the asked if their research focused on
needs of the continent’s residents. sustainable development goals (SDGs).
The panel agreed that more research
“Instead of asking partners in the is needed to study the impact of
global south ‘what can we do for pandemics on specific ethnic groups
you?’ there should be a two-way such as Black, Asian and other
conversation about ‘how can we minority ethnic groups.
work together to arrive at a The panel also noted that solutions to
solution?’” research questions should benefit
those that need the intervention most.
- Professor Willem Hanekom, For instance, current COVID-19
Director of AHRI vaccine trials in the UK have shown
that 90% of trial participants were
Excellence exists everywhere and white, despite the overwhelming
researchers need to be purposeful in burden of COVID-19 morbidity and
their use of language with partners – mobility being disproportionately borne
instead of asking partners in the global in Black people.
south “what can we do for you?” this
should be a two-way conversation
about “how can we work together to
arrive at a solution?”
The panel expressed the need to
influence and shape the African 87% of attendees answered ‘yes’ when
research agenda and to decolonise asked if there is disproportionately more
the funding landscape. research focused on problems that largely
affect the global north.
The panel noted that new partnerships
When asked for areas where more
need to pass a longevity test in order
research funding is urgently needed,
to be truly sustainable. Most
the panel highlighted eight areas: (1)
partnerships are built around projects
climate change, (2) poverty-related
and disperse when the project ends.
10diseases, (3) youth mobility research,
(4) women in STEM, (5) infectious
diseases, (6) mental health, (7)
inequality in disease responsiveness,
and (8) the interplay between
governance and infrastructure to
enable science to benefit society.
Summit Evaluation
When asked to rate the Summit, 56%
of attendees voted excellent, 28%
voted very good and 16% voted good:
With thanks to the UCL African
Partners Summit organising
committee:
UCL Global Engagement Office:
Funanani Nemaheni, Sophia Hilt,
Lucy Crick, Jinnie Chua and
Tomoyo Miyakawa
UCL ISD: Patrick Robinson
Cover image: iStock
Website: ucl.ac.uk/global
Twitter: @UCL_Global
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