Harvard University Center for African Studies
Harvard Gazette: University of Ghana, Africa CDC, University of Yaounde, and Others partner with Harvard Faculty as part of six projects selected for the 2026 Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa
Six projects have been selected as the 2026 awardees for the Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa, announced by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) and the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs (OVPIA), in collaboration with the Harvard University Center for African Studies.
The Motsepe Fund was established in 2020 to support faculty-led and student-driven research projects that focus on advancing key challenges and opportunities facing Africa, with a focus on projects falling within the STEAM rubric (the application of the arts and humanities to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research). Following the success of the first five rounds of awards, the Motsepe Foundation has generously renewed its commitment to enable another five years of awards. Now in its sixth year, the Motsepe Fund continues to garner interest from faculty across the University.
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News Stories
Six projects chosen for Motsepe Presidential Research Accelerator Fund for Africa
The Motsepe Fund was established in 2020 to support faculty-led and student-driven research projects that focus on advancing key challenges and opportunities facing Africa, with a focus on projects falling within the STEAM rubric (the application of the...
Leaders Across Harvard’s African Student Organizations Gather at CAS Luncheon to Shape the Year Ahead
Harvard Center for African Studies and Brand South Africa to Host “Amapiano: A Cultural Export of Freedom” with Grammy-Winning Artist Zakes Bantwini
Harvard Alumni and Students Visit African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa for High-Level Overview and Diaspora Linkage within the AU
Inaugural Middle East and Africa Harvard Alumni Summit – CAS Faculty Director Dr. Zoe Marks joins alumni and colleagues at newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo
Harvard Kennedy School JFK Forum Panel Warns of Escalating Atrocities in Sudan, as a second Genocide Unfolds
Since 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a devasting civil war. Harvard Kennedy School held a 2024 JFK Jr. Forum on the attacks by a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the Sudanese Armed Forces. Zoe Marks, the Oppenheimer...
Nigerian Tribune: Harvard University Center for African Studies Strengthens Connections on the Continent with Landmark Week in Lagos
A Decade of Impact: Celebrating 10 Years of the Harvard Center for African Studies.
Faculty & Student Research Spotlights
Exploring Pathways for Sustainable Human-Lion Coexistence in Kenya
Improving Livelihoods for Smallholder Coffee Farmers in Ethiopia
Bridging Education and Technology: Exploring Rwanda’s School Data Management System
Below is the written report from HGSE student, Ayo Arowolo, who travelled to Rwanda for her research project in Spring 2025.
The Role of Food Vendors in School Food Environments: A Qualitative Study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Journals, Research, & Working Papers
This new section highlights recent outputs from the Harvard University Center for African Studies, featuring journals, research contributions, and working papers generated through CAS conferences, workshops, and symposia. It offers a curated space for showcasing emerging scholarship, ongoing intellectual projects, and newly released papers that reflect the breadth of academic work across the continent and the global African diaspora.