The Africa Initiative

International Initiatives

The Africa Initiative

Why Africa?

Africa presents outstanding opportunities for activities that characterize Michigan as a great public university and a leading university of the world: opportunities for the co-creation of knowledge for the public good, for international understanding, for comparative and collaborative treatment of issues of health, culture, economic development, politics, diversity, and public policy. As an institution, we can learn much from our counterparts in Africa of the role of university research and scholarship in service to society; at the same time, our students and faculty in Africa enter into a marvelous laboratory for dynamic education and research.

As President Coleman thought about where to focus her global efforts for significant impact on U-M’s internationalization, she saw an opportunity to extend the projects and relationships developed by 140 faculty already working in Africa — some for two decades or more. (The numbers have grown to more than 160 since then.)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu "The Africa delegation was created to explore ways to expand mutual appreciation and exchange in educational and research opportunities. The delegation’s visit offer[ed] a chance to strengthen relationships and bring new resources and knowledge to our Michigan Campus."

Read more in the Africa Initiative One–Year Report

Watching the Africa Trip Unfold

NEWS RELEASE
Read more about the delegation to Ghana and South Africa

SPEECHES

One Year Later, New African Studies Center

NEWS RELEASE
Upon return from the Africa trip, a new African Studies Center was launched to serve more than 160 faculty and many students across campus who are involved in partnerships and research in Africa. This complements the longstanding Center for Afroamerican and African Studies (CAAS).

Chorus

Work in Africa

The Africa trip has led to six major areas of ongoing collaboration:

  • African Presidential Scholars Program
  • strengthening healthcare
  • Heritage Collaboration: Archives and Arts
  • African Social Research Initiative
  • Health Open Educational Resources Initiative
  • STEM & Africa: Science, Technology and Math