Reinforcing our commitment to equitable Africa–Europe research partnerships
The University of Glasgow has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening equitable research partnerships across Africa and Europe, supporting collaborative efforts to address the world’s biggest challenges.
The Second Africa–Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) Conference – hosted by the University of Glasgow in June – highlighted the value of long-term collaboration between institutions across the two continents in advancing research, strengthening capacity and fostering more equitable international partnerships.
Bringing together academic and research expertise from Africa and Europe, the Clusters – developed in 2023 – are tackling challenges that affect millions of lives, including infectious and non-communicable diseases, climate change, food systems and genomics.
A strong example of the partnership in action is the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Multimorbidity Cluster, co-led by the University of Glasgow alongside partners from Kenya, Senegal, Nigeria, South Africa, France and Poland. The Cluster is tackling the growing burden of NCDs – including cardiovascular disease and inflammatory disorders – which are now among the leading causes of death across Africa.
Cardiovascular disease is a particular focus. Despite carrying 25% of the global disease burden, African populations remain significantly underrepresented in the research that shapes international clinical guidelines and treatment strategies. This evidence gap limits the development of effective, context-specific approaches to prevention and care.
By bringing together researchers and clinicians from across Africa and Europe, the Cluster is generating new evidence, strengthening research capacity through training and mentoring, and expanding opportunities for scientific collaboration. Its work is helping to ensure that African data and perspectives are better represented in global health research, while raising the profile of cardiovascular health in Africa through publications in leading international journals. In doing so, the Cluster is building the knowledge, expertise and partnerships needed to improve cardiovascular health outcomes and advance more equitable global health research.
The Africa-Europe CoRE is a flagship initiative of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities – two networks representing many of Africa and Europe's leading research-intensive universities. Together, ARUA and The Guild are working to strengthen long-term, equitable collaboration between institutions on both continents, helping to ensure that research agendas are shaped jointly and that the benefits of research are shared more fairly among partners.
Through collaborative research, training and knowledge exchange, the Clusters will contribute to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 ambition of building a knowledge-based economy and society, while supporting the European Union’s Global Gateway commitment to sustainable development and international partnerships.