FAR-LeaF II (2025 – 2027)

The Future Africa Research Leadership Fellowship II (FAR-LeaF II) is a two-year research-oriented programme supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and hosted at Future Africa at the University of Pretoria. Building on the success of the first fellowship cycle, FAR-LeaF II continues to focus on future-looking science leadership and developing the next generation of African scientists and academics.

The programme seeks to build a network of emerging African scientists with the capacity to apply transformative research methods and approaches in addressing complex sustainability challenges. These include inter- and transdisciplinarity, systems thinking, and futures literacy. FAR-LeaF II provides multiple research and learning opportunities that cut across science and society, aiming to create sustainable solutions in real-world contexts, establish communities of practice, and advance research on sustainability, resilience, and social cohesion.

FAR-LeaF II extends and deepens the work of the first fellowship. It supports early-career researchers undertaking projects that respond to national and regional sustainable development priorities while promoting collaboration across institutions and disciplines.

The importance of sustainability science in Africa is underscored by the need to:

• Integrate the natural, social, and human sciences through cross-cutting research approaches.
• Generate actionable knowledge to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Articulate African perspectives and solutions to global and geopolitical challenges linked to sustainability.

Technology is embedded throughout the fellowship. Training ensures that fellows can use digital tools and platforms to drive scientific discovery and strengthen societal engagement. Research projects apply co-design and co-production methodologies to deliver inclusive and transformative outputs that reinforce scientific capacity and promote collaboration between science and society.