When scientists with a passion for making a difference and a commitment to partnership engage, the outcome is awesome! This was the case at Future Africa during the first week of June when Dean Kim Kidwell led a delegation of 11 University of Illinois researchers from the University of Pretoria to explore synergies and identify areas of collaboration as part of the University of Illinois Academy for Global Engagement. It was evident from the Welcoming presentation by Prof Stephanie Burton, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Postgraduate Studies that the goals of the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) matched those of the University’s flagship transdisciplinary programmes such as Future Africa and the Institutional Theme for Food, Nutrition and Well-being.

The Academy for Global Engagement (Global Academy) is a flagship training program of the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences (ACES) Office of International Programs. This unique, year-long programme helps College of ACES staff to build international collaborations that enhance the impact of their work. Through the program, the College aims to facilitate strong and lasting partnerships with strategically selected international research centres and academic institutions. Over the years, the Global Academy has established a robust network of vital, strategic, global partnerships pursuing solutions for the Grand Challenges facing humanity across the world.

The visit to the University of Pretoria in June 2019 sought to connect Global Academy staff from the University of Illinois with communities of researchers at UP. Through a process of careful match-making of colleagues from each institution during exchange visits by Prof Alex Winter-Nelson, College of ACES Associate Dean for International Programs and Professor Sheryl Hendriks, Head of Department for Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development.

The programme included visits by the Illinois colleagues to research groups on the Hatfield Campus where seminars and discussions were held, followed by a day of brainstorming on synergies and opportunities. The outcomes of the engagement include four blue-sky ideas that take the existing research by the partners to a far more ambitious level of aspiration. The saying “together we can go further’ certainly plays out in the planned partnerships, exchanges and search for funding opportunities.

ACES Dean, Kim Kidwell’s inspiring opening address set the stage for joint innovation, with her saying that: “All good ideas should be funded and if we can fund it, we can do it!” The partners are now looking for opportunities to pitch the ideas to potential funders interested in sharing the teams’ passion for making a difference in the lives of people in Africa through innovative and sound research.