British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences
The Nairobi Report: Frameworks for Africa-UK Research Collaboration in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Produced by the British Academy and the Association of Commonwealth Universities
Published online: 31 March 2009
This Report is available in the following formats:
- HTML , with links to references, people, and organisations
- PDF, for downloading and printing [3.6Mb | 49pp]
About this Report
The Nairobi Report is the culmination of a two-year process of reflection and discussion amongst UK and African scholars across the humanities and social sciences. It presents a series of frameworks derived from the collective ideas of some 60 scholars and research leaders, who met in Nairobi in September 2008, which aim to address the challenges facing Africa-UK research collaborations in the humanities and the social sciences, and to formulate practical solutions to these.
The challenges are substantial and the investments which will be needed to overcome these considerable, and much will need to be tackled at higher levels. However, much can also be done through a renewed, frank and open partnership between African and UK researchers and institutions, and it is hoped that the Nairobi Report might help to inform this dialogue.
UK Launch, March 2009
The Report's launch at the British Academy on Friday, 27 March 2009, featured short presentations by Professor Duncan Gallie, FBA (British Academy Foreign Secretary), Professor Goolam Mohamedbhai (Secretary General, Association of African Universities ), Professor Graham Furniss (SOAS), Dr Ama de-Graft Aikins (University of Cambridge) and Mr Richard Dowden (Executive Director, Royal Africa Society).
Professor Mohamedbhai's presentation on the challenges currently facing Africa universities is now available to download
Africa Launch, March 2010
On 18 March 2010, the Report was launched in Africa, at the British Institute in Eastern Africa, based in Nairobi. The occasion was marked with a series of presentations by scholars from the UK and Africa who are involved in initiatives aligned with the findings of the Report, and which serve to demonstrate the effect which the Report has already had across the academic community. It is clear that the Report has helped to launch, and importantly to sustain, a significant and timely conversation about the future of the humanities and social sciences in African universities, and to ensure that these vital disciplines are not forgotten in the drive to scale up and strengthen science, engineering and medical training and research. (Programme of launch event.)
Professor Graham Furniss, Chair of the British Academy's Africa Panel and Pro-Director at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, summed up what is now being termed "The Nairobi Process" in his keynote lecture, which is available to download here.
The report was written by Jonathan Harle, The Association of Commonwealth Universities. The British Academy provided funding towards Mr Harle’s time in writing the Report, and is grateful to him for his work.
The project was directed by a Steering Committee established by the British Academy’s Africa Panel:
Professor Graham Furniss, British Academy Africa Panel (Chair)
Richard Dowden, Royal African Society
Professor Kenneth King, British Academy Africa Panel
Dr John Kirkland, Association of Commonwealth Universities
Professor Tunde Zack-Williams, African Studies Association of the UK
© The British Academy/Association of Commonwealth Universities, 2009