Three comprehensive bibliometric reports have been released by AfricaLics, providing a detailed assessment of scholarly productivity and collaborative networks across its flagship capacity-building programs from 2012 to 2024. Prepared by Dr. Sanni Maruf in collaboration with members of the former AfricaLics Secretariat, these reports evaluate the bibliometric impact of the AfricaLics PhD Academies, the biennual AfricaLics Research Conferences, and the AfricaLics Visiting Fellowship Programme (VFP). Collectively, the findings highlight the network’s success in nurturing a growing community of African researchers and bridging the gap between global expertise and local relevance in the field of innovation and development.
The report on the bibliometric impact of the AfricaLics PhD Academy Programme highlights its strategic role in training doctoral students, with 171 journal articles identified between 2012 and 2024. Notably, 91% of these publications were directly based on presentations made during the academies. The analysis shows that the programme has significantly enhanced the academic quality of research and embedded participants’ work within broader theoretical and policy discourses through intensive mentorship and training. Research clusters emerged around key themes such as innovation systems, sustainable development, and inclusive innovation, reflecting the programme’s alignment with African development priorities.Learn more.
The bibliometric analysis of scholarly works related to the AfricaLics Research Conferences (2015–2024) reveals a robust culture of research dissemination, with 176 authors producing a total of 411 articles. The 2019 conference in Dar es Salaam stood out as the peak year for productivity, recording 47 articles and the highest average output of 0.57 articles per author. These conferences have served as vital hubs for fostering intra-African and global partnerships, successfully catalyzing both South-South and South-North research linkages. Strong post-conference engagement was also noted for the 2015 and 2022 editions, underscoring the platform’s sustained role in showcasing cutting-edge African scholarship.
The AfricaLics Visiting Fellowship Programme (VFP) report emphasizes the program’s ability to provide in-depth support, supporting 39 scholars from its inception in 2015 to end of 2024. Students on the programme have published an average of 57 journal articles, with direct support from the VFP and achieved an average citation score of 1.46 articles per fellow, which is considered to be high for African PhD students. Earlier cohorts achieved even higher output, with the 2018 cohort peaking at an average of 2.5 articles per fellow. More recent cohorts are still working on getting their work published, and hence, output achievements are likely to improve in the next couple of years. VFP alumni achieved an average citation score of 13.17 citations per publication (with a cumulative total of 751 citations). The VFP has been instrumental in increasing the visibility of African innovation scholarship in global academic and policy spaces.
About 40% of the participants in the VFP are women and the participants come predominantly from lower-middle-income countries like Nigeria and Kenya (66%), but there is also significant representation from low-income countries like Ethiopia and Uganda (26%). This reflecs the network’s commitment to foster equity in access to high-quality mentoring in the field of Innovation and Development studies. Key research domains supported by the VFP include agricultural innovation, low-carbon development, and STI policy, which are crucial for the continent’s transformative innovation agenda.
Looking back over the past decade, these bibliometric findings offer a heartwarming reflection of what can be achieved when we invest in the potential of Africa’s young scholars. By gently guiding academic training and research conversations into meaningful published literature, the AfricaLics network has helped elevate the voices of early-career researchers and enriched the collective knowledge needed for the continent’s growth. Moving forward, these insights provide a robust empirical foundation to guide future funding, deepen regional collaborations, and ensure that African-led innovation research continues to address the continent’s most pressing sustainable development goals.
The three bibliometric reports provide important recommendations – for instance re: post-fellowship support and additional efforts to increase participation of female scholars – for future interventions by the network, which should be reflected on by the ASB and key actors engaged in the implementation of AfricaLics activities.