Building on PolyCIVIS Insights: Enhancing African-European Cooperation in Research and Evidence-Based Policy
Panel Discussion
Location: Room 1 : Salle Fatema Mernissi - 25/03/2026, 11:00 - 25/03/2026, 12:30 (CET) (1 hour 30 minutes)

Click here to join the session online!


Session chair:  Sebastian Seiffert, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles (Belgium)


Collective contribution 

Dr. Olfa Ammar, University of Sfax (Tunisia) online

PhD candidate  Sarah Hassnaoui - Aix-Marseille University, Marseille (France)

Dr. Noor Jehan Gulamussen -  Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo ( Mozambique )

Prof. Malte Brosig - University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg (South Africa)

Building on PolyCIVIS Insights: Enhancing African-European Cooperation in Research and Evidence-Based Policy 


Following the signature of Memoranda of Understanding between the European and African CIVIS partners in 2022, PolyCIVIS became the first major externally funded project that allowed to advance intercontinental cooperation, starting in October 2023. As the current funding phase of PolyCIVIS will approach its conclusion, the CIVIS Forum provides a timely opportunity to reflect on the achievements,challenges, and future prospects of the project. 

Although PolyCIVIS was initially conceived independently from CIVIS Hubs, several of its research questions closely align with current Hub priorities, as referenced in the call. The PolyCIVIS mid-term conference in April 2025 culminated in the Dakar Communiqué, which offers policy recommendations on climate and energy issues, and highlights asymmetric climate vulnerabilities (Hub 1). 
Additionally, a policypaper published by colleagues from Universidade Eduardo Mondlane in autumn 2025 examines sustainable water management in both rural and urban settings from African and European perspectives (Hub4).


Questions for the audience


  • Which aspects of the PolyCIVIS implementation have been particularly successful? 
  • Which aspects developed below expectations and why? 
  • What preliminary insights have emerged from the edited volume process - the first peer-reviewed publication jointly developed by African and European CIVIS partners? 
  • How has the project refined the analyticalunderstanding of the notion of polycrisis, applied it tocase studies, and succeeded in conveying its insights to policy-making? 
  • What strategies are being explored to ensure the network's long-term sustainability? How could these strategies be applied by CIVIS Alliance to further strengthen its collaboration with African universities? 

Africa Charter for Transformative 
Research Collaboration