A robust research ecosystem is key for the creation of knowledge, innovation and prosperity in Africa. This could be achieved partly by collaborative PhD training and research.

Join us to hear more from King’s researchers, field-specialists and Makerere University who will talk about how to build equitable partnerships and programmes for capacity building and collaborative research in Africa, including one of King’s new strategic projects: an innovative Engineering Doctoral Training Academy with African partners.

This event is part of the African Leadership Centre's - Africa Week 2023 - taking place 6-10 March 2023.

This event is online. Join using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82744689881?pwd=V0ZWdkt3MW9OQS9vQVQvVTB5NklJdz09.  

Speakers

Professor Melanie Amna Abas

Professor Melanie Amna Abas is a psychiatric epidemiologist and Professor of Global Mental Health at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London and Consultant Psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS trust.

She is Co-Chair of the King’s College London African Regional Network.Melanie's research expertise is development and evaluation of interventions for common mental disorders in low resource settings, especially in countries with a high burden of HIV infection.

She has worked on the Friendship Bench program for common mental disorders in Zimbabwe since 2009, led by Dr Dixon Chibanda.Melanie's work has been further characterised by capacity building, having worked on two large African-led capacity building programs since 2010, as a co-PI for the Medical Education Partnership Initiative led by Prof James Hakim, and as KCL lead for The African Mental Health Research Initiative (AMARI), led by Dr Dixon Chibanda. She was also a founding member of the KCL/LSHTM Masters in Global Mental Health.

Professor Ihron Rensburg

Professor Ihron Rensburg is Ombud (Interim) of the University of Cape Town, Chairperson of the South Africa National UNESCO Commission, Senior Advisor to the Principal and Visiting Professor at King’s College London and Honorary Professor at Nelson Mandela University.

Most recently he was Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee on the Review of the South African Higher Education, Science and Technology Landscape, and Administrator of Vaal University of Technology (in which capacity he served as both council and Vice Chancellor of the university).

He was the founding Vice Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg (from 2006 to 2017), prior to which he was CE Strategic Services at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (from 2001 to 2006), Deputy Director General of South Africa’s Department of Education (from 1995 to 2001), and General Secretary of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement, the National Education Crisis Committee (from 1986 to 1992).

Dr Dorothy Okello

Dr Dorothy Okello is Dean, School of Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University. Director of Innovation, Resilient Africa Network (RAN) hosted by Makerere University. Supported by USAID, RAN is a multi-disciplinary network of 18 Sub-Saharan African universities that seek to identify, develop and scale innovative solutions to strengthen resilience of African communities.

Dorothy has been recognised with a number of international and national awards over the years including as ‘Top ICT Woman – Uganda ICT Excellence Awards 2009’ organised by the Uganda ICT Forum. Featured in 12 Top Technology People in East Africa who are technologists with a social twist by Enterprise Technology Magazine, September 2012.

She received the Women Achievers Award 2012 for enhancing women’s empowerment through Science & Technology presided over by H.E. Yoweri Museveni, the President of Uganda. In November 2013, 1st recipient of Africa’s first Digital Woman Award at ICT Days in Cameroon. In 2014, selected as Vital Voices Fellow for distinguished emerging and established women leaders who promote women and girls’ progress.

Ms Maria Wekesa

Maria is a Programme Manager of the Doctoral Training Academy project at King’s College London. She has acquired extensive experience working in higher education and, more specifically, in global engagement and partnerships.

Maria has vast expertise in educational partnership projects, especially in Africa and East Asia. She is particularly interested in capacity building and social justice. Maria is currently finishing her MA dissertation in Comparative and International Education at UCL Institute of Education in London.