SU International
Welcome to Stellenbosch University

Centre for Capacity Development in Africa

​​​​​​​​About​​ us​

​​​Stellenbosch University consolidates its support for the development of scholarship on the continent through its Africa Centre for Capacity Development in Africa​ (CCDA) formerly known as the Africa Centre for Scholarship.

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The Centre for Capacity Development in Africa was first launched as the Africa Centre for Scholarship in 2017. In 2023, the University decided to refocus the​ mission and scope to a reformulated structure to be known as the Centre for Capacity Development in Africa in 2024.  

The Centre through its pa​rtnerships:  

  1. Collaborates with faculties and University support staff and external stakeholders to deliver capacity development programmes primarily focusing on target groups in the doctoral pipeline at Stellenbosch University, across Africa and beyond. African Doctoral Academy Website​ 

  2. Supports the division and institution by providing research information on internationalisation policy, practice, developments and trends in International Higher Education in Africa to increase relevance and effectiveness of the division’s programmes and activities.​​

  3. Provides and supports services for international education and credentialling to increase access to higher education. SU Unit for International Credentialling Website​


​​​Flagship programmes

African Doctoral ​​Academy​

The African Doctoral Academy, now in its 12th year, provides training in research methodology as well as academic career development for pre-doctoral and doctoral candidates via its annual Summer and Winter Doctoral Schools, as well as short form Spring and Autumn Schools.

Joint Schools in Africa ​programme​

The Joint Schools in Africa programme comme​nced in 2018 and is directed primarily at post-doctoral and early career researchers. The Schools are presented jointly by staff members from Stellenbosch University and the hosting African partner institution. The focus is on capacitating participants in areas such as advanced research methods, doctoral supervision, teaching and learning methods, research leadership, ethics and digital technology. 

 

 Emerging Scholars Initiative

The Emerging Scholars Initiative was approved in December 2019 to be implemented in 12 institutions within nine countries in Africa (Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia) between 2020-2022 and will focus on scholarship development of early career staff and doctoral students at 12 African institutions. 


​Achievements and partnerships

  • CCDA harnesses Stellenbosch University's more than 30 institutional and faculty  agreements, as well as its extensive thematic networks inlcuding in the fields of Water, Energy and Disaster Risk Reduction on the continent.
  • Over 5 500 students from 53 countries have participated in the African Doctoral Academy Doctoral Schools since 2009. The last four Doctoral Schools held since July 2020 have been online due to Covid-19.
  • Between 2016 and 2019, 550 delegates have participated in nine Joint Schools (doctoral and/or research) held at Ardhi University (Tanzania) (in partnership with PERI-PERI U), University of Lagos (Nigeria), Makerere University (Uganda), University of Malawi, Mekelle University (Ethiopia) (in partnership with KU Leuven, (Belgium)), University of Namibia, Strathmore University (Kenya) and University of Rwanda.
  • Since 2021, more than 150 delegates have participated in ESI Schools in Kenya at Strathmore University and in Nigeria at the University of Lagos.