The Africa Research and Innovation Partnership successfully launched Day One of its two‑day Africa–EU collaborative workshop at Lancaster University on 26 March 2026, bringing together leading researchers and innovation partners from across Ghana, Lithuania, Malawi, Nigeria, Portugal, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, the UK and Zambia.
This international gathering marks a significant step in strengthening equitable Africa–EU research partnerships and co-developing competitive proposals for forthcoming Horizon Europe opportunities.
Focusing on Shared Challenges & Opportunities
The day opened with a warm welcome from Prof. Simon Guy, Lancaster University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global (Digital, International, Sustainability) and an overview of the ARIP mission and Africa–EU research landscape, providing context for the workshop’s focus on developing strong, competitive concepts aligned with Horizon Europe priorities.
Participants then spent time getting to know one another, laying the groundwork for meaningful collaboration and a shared understanding of experiences, regional contexts and institutional strengths.
A key theme for the day centred on sustainable and climate-smart agriculture in Africa, explored through facilitated group discussions. Participants examined critical regional challenges, reflected on what sustainable agriculture should prioritise and identified the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) most relevant to their collective work.
Collaborative Group Work & Thematic Exploration
During the afternoon, groups presented their early insights before moving into exercises to identify the academic expertise and non-academic partners needed to achieve impact in Africa–EU collaborative projects. This provided the first building blocks for forming multi-institutional teams and shaping the outlines of future research initiatives.
The day concluded with a summary session and informal evening dinner, creating space for continued networking and strengthening of emerging partnership clusters.
A Strong Start to a Strategic Workshop
Day One set a productive tone, confirming ARIP’s commitment to co-design, mutual learning and building high-quality, competitive research proposals that respond directly to African priorities while benefiting from Africa–EU cooperation.
Day Two will move into deeper exploration of the water–nutrient–energy nexus, local knowledge, potential business opportunities and the development of concrete research questions and proposal structures.