What Makes an Academy Contextually Relevant in Africa?

What Makes an Academy Contextually Relevant in Africa?

On 30 July 2026, NASAC successfully hosted its second session of the  Academy Development Initiative (ADI) Virtual Meeting Series under the theme “What Makes an Academy Contextually Relevant in Africa?” The dialogue brought together representatives of senior science academies, National Young Academies (NYAs), researchers, and science leaders from across Africa to examine how young academies can strengthen their relevance, influence, and long-term sustainability.

Dr. Jackie Kado, Executive Director of NASAC, welcomed participants to the meeting and reaffirmed NASAC’s commitment to strengthening science academies across the continent. She noted that the Academy Development Initiative provides an important platform for sharing experiences, building institutional capacity, and fostering collaboration among African science academies. She additionally emphasized that National Young Academies have a critical role to play in ensuring that science contributes meaningfully to national development and evidence-informed policymaking.

The session featured a keynote presentation by Dr. Christian Nkanga, a pharmaceutical scientist and co-founder of the Young Academy of Sciences of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (ASJ-RDC. Drawing from his experience in establishing and leading a young academy, he challenged participants to rethink what makes an academy truly impactful, arguing that scientific excellence alone is insufficient if it is not translated into tangible societal benefits.

Dr. Nkanga presented five key dimensions that define a contextually relevant academy: relevance, credibility, inclusion, translation, and connection. He explained that academies must remain responsive to national priorities by addressing pressing issues such as health, food security, climate change, education, innovation, and sustainable development while ensuring that scientific evidence informs public policy and decision-making.

He encouraged National Young Academies to identify flagship programmes that respond to national challenges, document the lessons learned, and align their work with regional and global development agendas. He noted that the interdisciplinary nature of young academies positions them uniquely to provide innovative solutions to complex societal challenges.

A major focus of the presentation was the importance of building strong institutions. Dr. Nkanga highlighted governance, sustainable programming, strategic partnerships, and results measurement as the four pillars of successful academies. Reflecting on the experience of the Young Academy of Sciences of the DRC (ASJ-RDC), he shared lessons on establishing legal frameworks, strengthening governance structures, preserving institutional memory, and building credibility with government institutions and development partners.

The dialogue also explored the value of strategic partnerships. Participants discussed the importance of cultivating meaningful collaborations with governments, senior science academies, universities, funding agencies, and international scientific networks. Such partnerships, they noted, should be based on trust, clearly defined roles, shared objectives, and measurable outcomes that contribute to national development.

During the interactive discussions, participants shared experiences from their respective countries, highlighting common challenges facing National Young Academies, including legal recognition, sustainable financing, governance, and member engagement. Participants agreed that Young Academies should position themselves as trusted sources of independent scientific advice capable of supporting governments in addressing national priorities through evidence-based recommendations.

The discussions also explored opportunities to harness the expertise of young scientists through leadership development, mentorship, policy engagement, science communication, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Nkanga illustrated the value of academy engagement by demonstrating the far-reaching opportunities that can emerge from strategic networking and collaboration.

Looking ahead, Dr. Nkanga encouraged academies to take practical steps towards institutional strengthening by conducting an internal assessment of their current status, developing a flagship programme that addresses a clearly identified national need, and implementing activities with clear ownership, accountability, and measurable outcomes.

The open plenary session concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening National Young Academies as credible institutions that generate public value, promote evidence-informed policymaking, and contribute to Africa’s sustainable development. Participants agreed that the long-term success of an academy depends not only on the scientific achievements of its members but also on its ability to remain relevant to society, build trusted partnerships, and demonstrate measurable impact.

The session concluded with announcements on the next Academy Development Initiative (ADI) Virtual Dialogue, scheduled for 24 September 2026, under the theme “Enhancing the Capacity of Newly Established and Young Academies in Africa.”

Please click on this link access the audio recording of the event.