Professor John Briggs - International Dean for Africa

Background

John Briggs is a Professor of Geography in the University, and also Chair of the Glasgow Centre for International Development, which is an interdisciplinary research centre drawing together the University of Glasgow’s research expertise and experience in international development issues, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.

His main research interests are in environment and development issues in Africa, and he has published widely in this area. 

He is a member of the Department for International Development’s (DFID) Research Advisory Group, and is Chair of the Universities Scotland Rwanda-Scotland Higher Education Steering Group.

International Experience

He has lived, researched and taught for over 30 years in various African countries, but has particular experience of working in Tanzania, Egypt, Sudan, Malawi, Rwanda, Swaziland and post-1994 South Africa.

Role as an International Dean

He has a strong commitment to poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards in Africa, and believes that this can only be achieved through raising educational standards at all levels.  He is particularly committed to capacity-building in the HE sector because it is only through the development of this sector that African countries have a chance of delivering to the MDG targets by 2015.

Key projects

Our key institutional African partnerships are currently with Makerere University in Uganda, the University of Dar es Salaam and the University of Dodoma (both in Tanzania). In addition, we also have significant collaborative work with colleagues in Ghana, Kenya, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Mozambique and Rwanda.