Strengthened capacities for research at smaller and younger universities in fragile settings and regions are important for overall economic growth, natural resource management, governance and peace. So, when the Building Stronger Universities 4 programme was designed, it was decided to build on the existing collaboration with Gulu University in Uganda and the State University of Zanzibar in Tanzania from previous Building Stronger Universities phases, and to include University of Hargeisa in Somaliland as a new lead institution. Four of the partner universities in Phase 3 were discontinued, see *history.
The African-led partnership model for collaboration between African and Danish universities proved successful in previous phases of the Building Stronger Universities programme and has therefore been continued into Phase 4.
Experience from the previous phases also suggested that the most substantial outcomes of the programme were to be observed in smaller and younger universities, where Building Stronger Universities contributed to strengthening both academic and administrative research capacities as well as enhancing institutional research support systems. Previous phases also demonstrated an increased need for fostering inter-university collaboration among universities in Africa and beyond.
The programme provides DKK 70 million for the period from May 2023 to April 2028. It involves three universities: Gulu University in Uganda, the University of Hargeisa in Somaliland, and the State University of Zanzibar in Tanzania, in addition to the Danish universities.
