CARTA held a week-long series of high-level events in Nairobi, Kenya, from September 23 – 27, 2024, where key strategic discussions took center stage. The week began with the 18th Partners Forum, which brought together CARTA’s African and non-African Partners to review the consortium’s performance over the past year and engage in extensive discussions on future plans. 

At the two-day forum, partners elected Board Members for the 2025 – 2026 period. The CARTA Board of Management (BoM) comprises seven voting members, notably, three members from African partner universities; one member from African partner research institutes; one non-African partner; and the two co-Directors of the program, who also serve as the representatives from consortium leads – the African Population and Health Research Center and the University of the Witwatersrand. Selected partners serve on the Board for a two-year term, on a rotational basis.

The new Board includes:

• Sharon Fonn, University of the Witwatersrand (Co-Director, BoM Member)
• Catherine Kyobutungi, APHRC (Co-Director, BoM Member)
• John Bosco Isunju, Makerere University (Board Member)
• Hakan Billig, University of Gothenburg (Board Member)
• Christopher Odhiambo, Moi University (Board Member)
• Xavier Gómez-Olivé, Agincourt (Board Member)
• Boladale Mapayi, Obafemi Awolowo University (Incoming Board Member)

The partners also participated in the competitive selection of fellows for the program’s eleventh cohort. Drawn from an initial pool of 153 applications, 17 promising early career researchers are now set to commence CARTA’s rigorous fellowship in March 2025. Fifteen (15) fellows from CARTA partner institutions will undertake varied doctoral degree programs across CARTA African partner universities, while two fellowships are allocated to staff members of Somali National University (SNU) who will undertake PhD studies at Makerere University. Makerere will support SNU during the fellowship period, including providing mentorship on research capacity. With further funding from the OAK Foundation, the program is looking to admit three more fellows who will undertake studies in the field of Prevention of Sexual Violence Against Children. The competitive call for these fellowships is currently open.

On the afternoon of September 24, members of the CARTA BoM engaged in a strategic dialogue with representatives from key funding organizations: the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Science for Africa Foundation, and the University of Bergen (representing the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation – Norad). The session provided a platform to discuss the evolving funding landscape and explore potential opportunities for CARTA’s future growth. Funders shared their perspectives on current shifts in funding priorities and strategies, offering valuable insights into how CARTA can align its initiatives with these trends.

A key feature of the week was the Stakeholders Retreat, held on September 25-26, ahead of the conclusion of CARTA’s current strategic phase, CARTA2025. The two-day retreat was designed to reflect on CARTA’s achievements and shape its strategic direction for the next five years. The retreat began with an exploration of CARTA’s performance over the current strategic plan period using innovative frameworks like Appreciative Inquiry and the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). Discussions also centered on refining CARTA’s vision, mission, and values to ensure relevance in the evolving research and higher education landscape. The retreat’s final day focused on drafting strategic objectives and mapping them into actionable plans, which will guide CARTA through its upcoming phase. 

A notable agenda during the retreat was the validation of the Governance Assessment Report. This assessment, initiated in March 2023, involved a comprehensive review of CARTA’s governance structures, policies, and processes. Conducted by governance experts, the report’s findings were derived from interviews with key stakeholders and a thorough examination of current governance practices. Discussions on this report aimed at aligning CARTA’s governance with global best practices, ensuring the consortium’s long-term effectiveness and sustainability.

The week culminated in the 30th Board of Management (BoM) meeting on September 27, which focused on orienting new Board members, and consideration and approval of key outcomes from the engagements of the previous four days. At the BoM meeting, CARTA’s newly constituted Board held elections for a chairperson, which saw Christopher Joseph Odhiambo from Moi University elected to succeed Adamson Muula from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS). CARTA extends enormous gratitude to Adamson who has not only served diligently as CARTA’s Board Chair since 2023 but has also been one of the program’s long-serving focal persons.

CARTA remains committed to fostering transparency and continuous engagement with its partners and funders in shaping the program’s future. The newly constituted Board of Management, along with the selected fellows and collaborative strategic thinking, positions CARTA for another transformative phase of growth and impact in research and related capacity strengthening across the continent.