A New “Africa Strategy”: eight objectives to expand the University of Padua’s presence in Africa
22.12.2025
In 2025, the University worked on defining a new Africa Strategy, which for the first time provides a unified and cross-cutting institutional framework for the many initiatives already underway—and those the University intends to develop—in the fields of teaching, research, and third mission activities.
The document is based on an in-depth analysis of existing collaborations with African institutions, mobility flows, and the opportunities offered by major European and national programmes. On the basis of this evidence, the strategy outlines clear and coordinated lines of development for the coming years. The University of Padua’s engagement in Africa represents a strategic investment aimed at building more equitable academic relationships, generating new knowledge, and contributing to sustainable development in a region that is central to the global future.
The strategy is structured around eight objectives that cover the full spectrum of the University’s mission: from student recruitment to mobility, from the creation of new partnerships to the promotion of joint research, and extending to development cooperation and third mission activities. Key objectives include increasing the number of international students from African countries, strengthening reciprocal mobility, launching projects with selected partners, and initiating training and mentoring programmes for early-career African researchers.
The year 2026 will mark the start of the implementation phase, during which the contribution of staff and students will be essential.
For more information: https://ari.unipd.it/regional-strategies (SSO access required).
