University of Groningen to join two new Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence

At their recent summit in Brussels, the Vice-Chancellors and Presidents of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) and The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities (The Guild) launched seventeen Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence - lead by ARUA and the Guild (2023-2032). These Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) aim to transform the nature of collaborative research, foregrounding equity as a precondition for excellent and impactful research to address our common societal challenges. The University of Groningen (UG) actively supports two of those Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence, on Inequalities, Poverty and Deprivation, and on Renewable Energy.

CoRE in Inequalities, Poverty and Deprivation

Together with the University of Cape Town, the University of Groningen will lead the Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Inequalities, Poverty and Deprivation (CoRE IPD). Other partners are the Universities of Aarhus, Ghana, Göttingen and Nairobi. CoRE IPD aims to grow indigenous African research capacity with a work programme that includes the multidimensional inequalities that are targeted for action in several of the Societal Development Goals (SDGs) and which intersect and perpetuate inequality and poverty.

UG’s lead and principal investigator is Prof. Robert Lensink (Faculty of Economics and Business). CoRE IPD will be supported by UG’s Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development and UG’s Department of International Strategy and Relations (ISR).

CoRE in Renewable Energy

The University of Groningen will also be a partner in the Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Renewable Energy (CoRE Renewable Energy), led by the University of Ghent and Stellenbosch University, UG’s strategic partner in sub-Saharan Africa. Also involved are the Universities of Makerere, Nairobi and Oslo. CoRE Renewable Energy aims to facilitate a long‐term sustainable transition toward a sustainable energy system through technology development, equitable societal transition, and sustainable education and training.

UG’s lead is Prof. Lorenzo Squintani. The Cluster will be supported by UG’s Wubbo Ockels School for Energy and Climate, and by ISR.

Both Clusters of Research Excellence align with UG’s priorities, as it is UG’s ambition to strengthen its research and education through a closer connection with current societal challenges and by actively contributing to the SGDs. Moreover, the Clusters create synergy between UG’s interdisciplinary schools, UG’s Strategic Partner Framework, and its sub-Saharan Africa strategy.