Wits signs up to the Africa Charter
- Wits University
Wits University joins African higher education institutes as a signatory to the Africa Charter.
The Charter is an Africa-centred framework for advancing a transformative mode of research collaborations that will serve to advance and uphold the continent’s place in the global production of scientific knowledge.
As a research-intensive university located at the southern tip of Africa, Wits is fit to drive and lead research from the Global South.
“Becoming an institutional signatory was a mammoth milestone for the University as we would be well-placed to help shape the future of research partnerships, funding and policy at both continental and global levels,” says Samia Chasi, Head of the Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office at Wits.
The Africa Charter aims to achieve a fundamental reshaping of research collaborations and promises to:
- Decolonise knowledge production
- Enhance the global relevance of research
- Build sustainable research capacity in Africa
- Foster more equitable and productive international partnerships
- Contribute to more diverse and innovative solutions to global challenges
The signing of the Charter is a key contributor to the University’s ambitious 2033 Strategic Framework that envisions harnessing our intellectual talent and resources across disciplines, institutions, sectors and geographic boundaries to change our world for good.
All institutions involved, whether in Africa, the Global North or beyond, will gain an opportunity to join forces to shape a more just future scientific effort. This is urgently needed to address the multiple crises humanity and the planet face.
The Charter coalition comprises major African and global university networks and academic associations, and key higher education institutions on the continent, the UK and wider Europe, North America and Latin America.