The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) established Centres of Excellence (CoEs) to strengthen research and postgraduate training across its member universities. A Centre of Excellence is a collaborative platform, typically a team, shared facility or institutional hub, that provides leadership, knowledge generation and capacity building in a specific area of focus. These centres bring together leading researchers and postgraduate students from across the continent and beyond to conduct high-quality, interdisciplinary research on critical development challenges. Unlike traditional academic structures, CoEs are designed to transcend disciplinary and institutional boundaries, enabling more agile, inclusive and impactful collaboration.
The ARUA Centre of Excellence in Climate and Development (ARUA-CD) is one of these flagship initiatives. It serves as a continental hub for research, training and policy engagement at the intersection of climate change and sustainable development. Drawing on the strengths of three core partner institutions, the African Climate and Development Initiative at the University of Cape Town, the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies at the University of Ghana, and the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation at the University of Nairobi, ARUA-CD fosters African led responses to climate challenges through knowledge co-production, graduate education and policy relevant outputs.
Core Partners:
The African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) at the University of Cape Town – Southern Africa
The African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) is a leading institute based at the University of Cape Town, dedicated to addressing the complex challenges of climate change and sustainable development from an African perspective. Established in 2011, ACDI serves as a platform for collaborative research, education, and action, bringing together expertise from across disciplines to develop innovative solutions for climate resilience and low-carbon development.
The Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS) at the University of Ghana – West Africa
IESS is one of the two Institutes within the College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS). Our mission is to promote sustainable development through education, research, and advocacy in Environmental Science, Sustainability, and Sanitation. Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies is committed to addressing the nation’s needs for transdisciplinary education, training, and research in environmental science, policy, and management within the broader African and global context.
The Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation (ICCA) at the University of Nairobi – East Africa
The Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation at the University of Nairobi seeks to impart the science of practice in climate change and adaptation among students drawn from both academic and practical fields. The assumption is that climate change affects all spheres of life and each person requires skills to respond to effectively respond to its impacts through policy and strategy applications since the day-to-day socio-economic wellbeing of people and ecology are highly influenced by climate.