The CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security in Germany has made history as the first research institution outside Africa to sign the Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaboration. This milestone reinforces CISPA’s commitment to forging stronger partnerships with African universities and research institutions, with a focus on addressing structural disparities in global knowledge production.
Launched in 2024, the Africa Charter was developed by leading African academic institutions, including the Perivoli Africa Research Centre (PARC), the Institute for Humanities at the University of Cape Town, and the Albert Luthuli Research Chair at the University of South Africa. The initiative provides a framework for fair, sustainable, and impactful research collaborations, ensuring African institutions play a more central role in global research efforts.
By signing the charter, CISPA has outlined its Africa strategy, which includes joint research projects, increased access to research funding for African scholars, and the incorporation of African perspectives into global scientific discourse. The charter sets out ten key principles to balance research collaborations, including supporting African-led initiatives, promoting knowledge exchange, and recognizing African intellectual contributions as integral to global scientific advancement.
CISPA’s collaboration with African research communities predates this endorsement. In 2024, the institution partnered with Deep Learning Indaba, one of Africa’s leading AI and machine learning conferences. During the event, CISPA launched the Women in AI Award, which grants an African researcher one year of mentorship with a CISPA faculty member. Additionally, the research center has been building institutional ties with African universities, reinforcing its dedication to long-term academic exchange.
Michael Backes, CISPA’s Founding Director and CEO, underscored the institution’s motivation in signing the charter, stating:
"It is a matter close to my heart to promote excellent research in Africa and to support our colleagues in working under the best possible conditions. By signing the Africa Charter, we are taking another step toward achieving this goal. At CISPA, we are also laying the groundwork for our Africa strategy.”
Professor Dr. Isabella Aboderin, Director of the Perivoli Africa Research Centre, also lauded CISPA’s move, emphasizing its significance.
"CISPA's forward-looking attitude is reflected today in their active endorsement of the Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations. As the first research center outside Africa to sign the Charter, and the first institution focused exclusively on strategic future technologies, CISPA’s commitment signals the Charter’s potential impact across multiple research fields and regions. We look forward to working together to realize its aspirations.”
The Africa Charter has gained backing from some of the continent’s most influential higher education organizations, including the Association of African Universities (AAU), the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), the Inter-University Council for Eastern Africa (IUCEA), the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS).
With this latest partnership, CISPA and African academic institutions are set to drive transformative advancements in technology, cybersecurity, and other strategic research fields, benefiting both Africa and the global scientific community.
Article by Nyokabi Wanjiku
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