Call for Expression of Interest: Strengthening African Universities’ Capacity for Climate Adaptation Research
Introduction
The CO-CAT Project is a joint initiative funded by the International Development Research center alongside the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and implemented by the Association of African Universities and the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and the School of Liverpool Tropical Medicine. This project’s main purpose is to improve the capacity of African institutions in climate adaptation research through evidence-based research and living lab-based Approach.
The project will select 20 African universities to lead and play a big role in the CO-CAT project, and they will develop testing and refining approaches to redirect the future of climate change and mitigation, and adaptation on the continent. Research project focuses on understanding African universities’ capacities under the climate research and participating in co-creating and implementing the organizational capacity assessment tool. The CO-CAT tool will assess the institutional capacity of African universities in order to address the urgent climate change, particularly adaptation research, and strengthen the role of African research institutions in climate resilience and sustainability.
Overview of the Expressions of Interest
The call for expression of interest invites African universities and institutions involved in climate change adaptation to apply for this call for action research. The project will assess and support African institutions in creating long-lasting and scalable tools to improve their ability to engage with climate change challenges and fill the gap between research and policymaking.
Meanwhile, the project will employ and implement a living lab approach that focuses on different groups of stakeholders, such as research, industry experts, and university management team, and policy makers, as well as local NGOs and community members. These unique initiatives will rapidly identify the scalable solution and strategy options for climate adaptation research.
Who is Applicable?
The exciting opportunity is open to apply the following institutions:
- African institutions or research centers working on climate research
- Universities with ongoing climate adaptation research activities
- Universities committed to sustainability and climate action
- Strong institutional leadership that supporting adaptation initiatives.
Eligible Countries
Any universities and research institutions from the following countries are eligible to apply to the call for expression of interest.
- Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Central African Republic, DRC, Gabon, Burundi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Namibia, Zambia, and Botswana.
Benefits of Participating
This project will allow African universities to benefit:
- A collaborative development in the area of research tools, tailored for climate adaptation research.
- A fund opportunities of $5,000 to pilot the CO-CAT tool
- African universities will gain Training and workshop opportunity on research capacity and climate adaptation initiatives
- Increased visibility within global climate change adaptation efforts.
Project Duration
The research project will run a period of 24 months start from January and end up in December 2026. During this period selected universities will co-create, test and redirect the CO-CAT tool and them actively engaging with various stakeholders to check its relevance and effectiveness.
Call Details
To express your passion and interest in the expression of interest, all interested universities and research institutions must submit their application through the official website portal. The application documents should indicate and clearly showcase the institution’s strengths, focus areas, infrastructure, and commitment to climate adaptation efforts.
Application Timeline
- Application Period: Open now until 13 June 2025.
- Review and Selection: Applications will be reviewed, and successful applicants will be notified by 27 June 2025.
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