In September, the Royal Academy of Engineering launched GCRF Africa Catalyst, a programme which offered funding for projects that support the engineering profession in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative is under the Academy’s remit as a delivery partner for the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), a £1.5 billion fund announced by government in 2015 to support research that addresses challenges faced by developing countries.

GCRF Africa Catalyst offered grants of £40,000 to organisations to support a wide range of short pilot projects running between mid-December 2016 and the middle of June 2017, and will evaluate the results of different interventions. Lessons learnt and successful models will help to shape the future of the programme. The Academy strongly encouraged models where those organisations are working in partnership with the engineering research, policy and business communities in the UK and sub-Saharan Africa. Follow the link to read more about the Africa Catalyst project.  

The Global Challenges Research Fund, administered by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), counts towards the UK’s 0.7% of GDP commitment to overseas development. Africa Catalyst is a ring-fenced programme for capacity building, which in engineering can include strengthening regulatory capacity.