Uppsala School for Africa Studies
The Uppsala School for Africa Studies is a framework for bringing together and creating synergies between programs, projects, and clusters of Uppsala University’s engagements in and with Africa. The School is a central pillar of Uppsala University’s Forum for Africa Studies’ strategic work regarding higher education and research training.
The School brings together PhD students and postdocs working in and on Africa, see a list of the 2025-26 Cohort. Simultaneously, the School constituties a more general educational platform for courses with an African focus at Basic and Advanced levels at UU. Yet the School is not a degree-awarding entity but a platform for cross-, inter- and transdisciplinary encounters, themes, and approaches. It adds value to existing UU programs pertaining to Africa.
The School will actively work for Africa Studies to strengthen individual researchers’ profiles. Students and researchers enrolled in the Uppsala School for Africa Studies will get their respective degrees from specific programs while obtaining a certificate for participation in the School.
The first iteration of Uppsala School for Africa Studies started in the Fall of 2025 with a welcome week and seminar activities. See details below.
Please consult the programme pdf, 639 kB. of the Africa Days at Uppsala University on the theme Strengthening Research Collaborations with Africa in Challenging Times
Program 2025-26
August Application and Admissions
September Welcome week
October Decolonizing Fieldwork Seminar week
13 Decolonizing Research Methodologies: A Practice Approach (hybrid)
17 Book Launch: Women in Politics: How to break the glass ceiling in Mali? (hybrid)
November
5 at 14.30 Intro to the Nordic Africa Library, Villavägen 6, Uppsala. Fika will be served!
7 at 11.30-12.00 CET Intro to the Nordic Africa Library (Zoom) https://uu-se.zoom.us/j/62237169461
February
9 15.15-17.00 CET Intro for the spring semester and academic publishing workshop. Hybrid
March
25 March 13.30-16.00 Promoting Academic Spaces, Launch of Sahel PAX network. Hybrid.
April
TBA Joined event with ASAU
May
TBA Mock presentations and feedback session
21-22 May, Africa Days in Uppsala, research presentations.
In addition, monthly Friday seminars in Africa Studies and social events throughout the year to get to know one another and Uppsala. See our Events page for open events.
Who is the school for?
The target group is Uppsala University’s PhD students and postdocs, the School also welcomes affiliated researchers, students at all levels, and encourages broad participation in public events, fostering an inclusive and stimulating academic environment – hybrid when needed.
How to Join
Enrollment is now closed and applications opens again in June 2026. The application involves an online application (Open beginning of June-end of Aug 2026), including a statement of motivation and link to CV. Upon active participation, PhD students and postdocs receive a certificate recognising their engagement and achievements within the School.