The European Union has announced the launch of the “African Research Initiative for Scientific Excellence” (ARISE) Pilot Programme with a contribution of €25 million.
ARISE will enable early career African scientists (2-7 years post-doc) in delivering cutting-edge research across Africa. The programme will be implemented by the African Academy of Sciences with the strategic direction of the European Union and the African Union.
Through the programme, 40 young and emerging African research talents, early career scientists and their ideas, will have the opportunity to be recognised and offered further development opportunities with grants. Beneficiaries will be selected on the basis of scientific excellence in a continent-wide open competition.
The ARISE grantees will be awarded up to €500,000 in grants over a period of up to five years to start their own independent research teams and projects. The ARISE grantees and their research teams will be hosted in African higher education or research institutions in 40 African countries.
ARISE is inspired by the successful approach of the European Research Council (ERC). The ARISE initiative will be implemented by the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), which is a non-aligned, non-political, not-for-profit pan African organisation whose vision is to see transformed lives on the African continent through science. The Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA) is a platform of the AAS and the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD.
