The 19th Africa Young Graduates and Scholars (AYGS) Conference, co-organized by the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre (FEAHLC); the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, the Partnership for African Social and Governance Research (PASGR), and other key partners, took place at University of Mpumalanga, South Africa from 4 to 6 March 2025. This conference served as a critical platform for young scholars, policymakers, and practitioners to exchange research-based insights on Africa’s development challenges and opportunities. Aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the conference explored pathways for achieving inclusive growth and sustainable development across the continent.

As part of the SRI Africa Satellite Event, the Future Earth Africa Hub and its Leadership Centre hosted a one-day Consultative meeting to engage diverse research and innovation partners.

The Sustainability Science Partners Forum, which was held in Pretoria, South Africa, 3 December 2024, focused on the unique challenges faced by the Global South and highlighted the transformative potential of South-South and Triangular Cooperation in driving impactful solutions. The Forum was co-organized by the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation under the auspices of UNESCO, the National Research Foundation South Africa, Future Earth Africa Hub, and the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre.

The Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre (FEAHLC) actively participated in the Science Forum South Africa (SFSA2024), a premier platform for dialogue and collaboration on science, innovation, and sustainability. As part of its commitment to advancing sustainability science in Africa, the FEAHLC organised two sessions during the forum. These sessions aimed to highlight the role of the FEAHLC and its Sustainability Science Clusters in addressing continental challenges and fostering transdisciplinary research.

The Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre organised a science clusters workshop that was held at the University of Pretoria Future Africa Campus, on 27 and 28 November 2023.

Representatives from the National Research Foundation of South Africa, the Future Earth Africa Hub, and the Leadership Centre visited the Future Earth Japan Hub from 27 to 29 November 2024. The visit marked a significant milestone in fostering international collaboration and advancing sustainability science between the two Hubs. It underscored the shared commitment of both Hubs to addressing global sustainability challenges through coordinated efforts, knowledge exchange, and capacity building.

The Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre and the National Research Foundation of South Africa undertook a strategic and productive visit to the Future Earth US Hub from 28 to 30 October 2024. The delegation engaged in a series of meetings with key stakeholders, including the Future Earth US Hub at George Mason University, the National Science Foundation, and the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP). This visit was aimed at fostering international collaboration, advancing global sustainability initiatives, and strengthening partnerships between Africa Hub and the US Hub.

The training workshop took place in Pretoria, South Africa on 14-16 October 2024.

Members of the ISER led Science Cluster on Land and Investments in Africa (SCOLIA) visited the Eastern Cape province for the first time on the week of the 8th September 2024. This was the first meeting of the cluster, which is funded under the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre (FEAHLC) at Rhodes University and University of Pretoria.

The recent visit to the Future Earth Sweden Hub by Future Earth Africa Hub, the Leadership Centre and the National Research Foundation of South Africa representatives, marked a significant step toward fostering a robust, long-term partnership between the two Hubs. The visit, which took place in Stockholm on 7-9 October 2024, aimed to explore strategic collaborations that utilise sustainability science initiatives, share resources, and build capacity to tackle urgent global and regional environmental challenges.

The Future Earth Africa Hub Regional Nodes Induction Workshop, held at Rhodes University on 1-3 October 2024, represented a pivotal moment in advancing collaborative efforts towards sustainability and resilience across the African continent. This landmark event brought together 36 participants, including Future Earth Africa Hub Regional Nodes Directors, Future Earth Africa Hub Leaderships Centre Sustainability Science Cluster leads and their representatives, Consortium partners, and postdoctoral fellows, fostering a vibrant and inclusive platform for knowledge sharing, strategic dialogue, knowledge exchange and strategic planning.

The workshop will be held at Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa on 1 – 3 October 2024.

The Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress 2024 (SRI2024), held from June 10 to June 14, 2024 in Helsinki, Finland, was a significant gathering for those dedicated to advancing sustainability research and innovation.

The Sustainability and Innovation Congress Africa Satellite Event held 21 – 24 May 2024 was a pivotal gathering that showcases the wealth of African perspectives in sustainability science and innovation.

The Future Earth Africa Hub Regional Nodes on 22 May 2024, marked an important milestone towards the operationalisation of the Africa Hub.

The Future Earth Africa Hub and Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre Consultative Meeting was successfully held on 20 May 2024 in Durban, South Africa, as a pre-event to the SRI2024 Africa Satellite Event. This strategic gathering brought together key stakeholders, including Steering Committee Members, Regional Nodes Directors, and representatives from the Sustainability Science Clusters, to deliberate on the progress, challenges, and future direction of the Africa Hub and the Leadership Centre.

The Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre (FEAHLC) What is it and where is it located physically? The FEAHLC is a Future Earth’s Science Leadership Centre in Africa. The leadership and administration staff of the centre are located at two universities, namely, Rhodes University and the University of Pretoria.

Rhodes University in collaboration with the University of Pretoria will host the Future Earth Africa Hub Leadership Centre from 2023 to 2026. This will be the first hub for the continent and one of a few in the world under Future Earth, a global initiative focused on advancing sustainability science.