Webinar: Launch of STINT Outlook – Research leadership is on the rise in Africa

For a considerable time, research and development collaborations with Africa emanating from the north have not specifically concentrated on elite scientists’ leadership, training and team development. This created a drop-off cliff within the pipeline for talented scientists, hindering the growth of robust and sustainable research ecosystems. Further, Africa-driven, Africa-focused pursuits delivered by those closest to the problem have been minimised.

This STINT Outlook presents an example of a research programme that nurtures research leaders and enhances intra-African collaborations – a novel approach for instance directly linked to the discovery of the Omicron virus.

The Developing Excellence in Leadership, Training, Science in Africa (DELTAS Africa) programme is funded by Wellcome and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). The first phase, started over a decade ago, supported 11 consortia across 54 institutions in 24 countries and was implemented through the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA), the programmatic arm of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS). The second phase supports 14 consortia spanning 75 institutions across 36 countries, is connected to global partners, and is implemented by the Science for Africa Foundation (SFA).

As of 2025, DELTAS Africa has supported over 1,167 Fellows, thus strengthening research capacity and developing research leaders who conduct cutting-edge research in areas such as priority infectious diseases, climate change, and NCDs. This new crop of research leaders collaborates globally and does not depend only on local funding. DELTAS Africa is contributing to the broader transformation of Africa’s research ecosystem, therefore enhancing global health security.

Programme

• Welcome – Dr Andreas Göthenberg, Executive Director, STINT
• Introduction – Dr Nelson Torto, STINT Senior Science Fellow in Africa
• Background – Dr Denis Chopera, Senior Programme Manager, Science for Africa (SFA) Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya
• A DELTAS Africa project – Prof. Thumbi Ndungu, Leader of SANTHE Consortium, Africa Health Research Institute (AHRI), University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Durban, South Africa.
• Questions and discussion

Welcome!