On October 28, 2024, Loughborough University made history by hosting its first-ever African Summit, an event that marked a significant milestone in the university’s global engagement efforts. Under the theme “Resilience and Adaptability for Climate Change: Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa,” the Summit brought together experts, academics and community leaders from Africa and strategic stakeholders with interests tied to the continent to explore strategies for addressing the world’s most pressing challenges through innovation, collaboration, and inclusion.

 The summit was a strategic commitment to highlight Sub-Saharan Africa’s unique contributions and transferable lessons to tackling climate change and other critical issues such as health, development, and community-building. It was also a testament to Loughborough University’s dedication to building enduring partnerships and fostering meaningful dialogue between the U.K. and Africa.

Why the Summit?

The urgency of the Summit could not have been clearer. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, climate change has manifested in prolonged droughts, resource scarcity, and habitat loss, severely impacting communities. Yet, despite these adversities, the region has consistently demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability, from pioneering sustainable water harvesting techniques to cultivating drought-resistant crops.

 These strategies are not just survival mechanisms; there are lessons the world, including the UK, can learn from. As climate extremes become a shared reality, evidenced by the UK’s hottest year on record in 2022, the need to reverse traditional flows of knowledge and draw from Africa’s frontline experiences has never been more pressing.

A Shared Vision for Global Engagement

As part of our role as the University International Envoy to Sub-Saharan Africa, the Summit was guided by one of our twofold vision: “LU in Africa and Africa in LU.” This reflects the university’s commitment to:

1. Making Sub-Saharan Africa a central focus of Loughborough’s global engagement.
2. Enhancing the visibility and representation of Black and African researchers, who remain underrepresented in many academic spaces.

A Platform for Change

The Summit’s thematic focus extended beyond climate resilience to include discussions on sports, health, and community development. Coincidentally aligning with Black History Month’s theme, “Reclaiming Narratives,” the summit showcased Africa’s indigenous, proactive approaches to climate resilience—bringing attention to the solutions, and strengths but also challenges to resilience, challenges to inclusive communities often overlooked in global climate dialogues Our goal was to move beyond traditional narratives, shining a light on African contributions to sustainability and framing these narratives around leadership/innovation and strengths rather than victimhood. We were intentional in inviting leading experts, including those from the African continent who could speak across three thematic areas: sports, health and well-being, climate change and net zero, and vibrant and inclusive communities. Their deep contextual understanding has provided valuable insights into what truly works on the ground—and what does not.

As Special Envoys to the region, we approached the Summit with two core objectives: first, establish a unique platform for knowledge exchange and second, foster meaningful collaboration and networking opportunities. Participant feedback overwhelmingly affirmed that both objectives were successfully realised, leaving a lasting impact on all involved.

By exploring insights from Africa’s lived experiences, the Summit has inspired actionable strategies for sustainability and equity. It has also showcased the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration to address climate change and the broader developmental challenges of our time.

A Collaborative Triumph

This Summit’s success was the result of extraordinary teamwork and dedication. Special thanks go to the Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) team – Professor Ksenia Chmutina, Laura Dale, Connor Higgins, and Kieran Teasdale for their exceptional coordination. A heartfelt acknowledgment also goes to the university’s leadership for entrusting the special envoy team with the mandate to realise this critical engagement. The summit would not have been possible without our distinguished guests and colleagues, who left the comfort of their homes and beautiful, sunny weather to join us here in Loughborough. To Professors Sam Cudjoe and Cheryl Potegeizer, thank you for your time and dedication, especially given the challenges of navigating the visa process from Ghana. To Dr Janet Adeyemi, Dr Lin Cherurbai Sambili-Gicheha, Dr Janneth Mghamba, Nana Badu, Dr Lombé Mwambwa, John Olaleye, Peter Musembe, and Professor Matthew Leach, thank you for honouring our invitation, We would also like to acknowledge fellow LU academic colleagues who supported this summit: Prof Paula Griffiths, Prof Richard Giulianotti, Prof Amon Chizema, Prof Richard, Dr Oli Hooper, Dr Jessica Noske-Turner, Dr Rachel Sandford, Dr Helen Osiolo and Dr Yasmeen Khalifa.

Looking Forward: Africa Summit 2.0

The success of this maiden Summit has set the stage for future summits to sustain strategic engagements with the African continent in line with our global engagement and 2030 vision of creating better futures together. As we move forward, the focus will remain on building bridges between knowledge and practice, fostering transformative dialogue, and cultivating enduring partnerships. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this landmark event. Together, we’ve laid the foundation for impactful collaborations that will shape a better, more resilient future for all.