Harvard University Center for African Studies
CAS Hosts the President of Sierra Leone for a three-part platform on Learning, Research, and the Geopolitics of Africa
In a three-part series with His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, the President of Sierra Leone, CAS convened a 1) faculty research roundtable on Sierra Leone’s development priorities; 2) a student gathering on governance and ethical leadership; and 3) concluding with a public convening at the John F. Kennedy Jr. Forum examining the shifting geopolitical landscape of the West African country.
In partnership with the Institute of Politics and the Office of the University Marshall, CAS welcomed President Bio and the Sierra Leonean delegation to Harvard with a welcome motorcade and flag ceremony. The visit also marked President Bio’s return to Harvard seven years after his first visit to the University in 2019.
News Stories
Student Lens: Reflections from Sierra Leone’s Presidential Visit to Harvard and CAS
Sierra Leone's President Julius Maada Bio at the JFK Jr. Forum: Africa and the Shifting Geopolitical Landscape
CAS at UNGA: High-Profile Africa Convenings on the Sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly
Welcome to the 2026-2027 Academic Year
Chidi Blyden Hired as New Executive Director of Harvard Center for African Studies
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
Upcoming Events
Peacekeeping in Africa and Beyond with President Olusegun Obasanjo
ASW - “Constitutional Self-Determination and the (Re)Making of International Law: Lessons from British Nigeria, 1949–1966” with Emmanuel Oyasande
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.