The Kyoto University Africa Office was established in 2017 in collaboration with the Research Unit for Interdisciplinary African Studies – Africa Unit -, which consists ten faculties within the university. It functions as a base for research, education, and outreach activities in Africa, public relations, and serving as a contact point for international students. From FY2024, Center for African Area Studies has managed and operated this KU Africa Office in collaboration with the Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies (ASAFAS), Kyoto University.

The role of the Africa Office

Education/Japanese course/Support for fieldwork/Support for joint research projects in collaboration with counterpart institutions /Support for the collaboration with business sectors/Joint researches/Training for students and staff in KU Africa Office/Student counseling services /Research Personnel Recruitment/Support for studying in Africa for Japanese students/Support for the Aluminum network / Collecting information on study abroad & researches in Africa/ International public relation / Strengthen collaborations with counterparts institutions

Kick-off Symposium for Japanese Course Launch (2018, Addis Ababa）
Workshop of Launching Japanese Course Launch (2018, Addis Ababa）
Addis Ababa Science and Technology University Seminar （2019, Addis Ababa）
Addis Ababa University-Kyoto University Seminar （2019, Addis Ababa）
Africa Women Students Meeting （2017, Kyoto）
Young Asian Africanist Camp （2022, Kyoto）

Counterpart institutions

Addis Ababa University/ Addis Ababa Science and Technology University/ Arbaminch University/ Jinka University South Omo Research Center

Activities based at the Africa Office

Collaborative activities (AY2018-)

JICA Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (University Cooperation Program)

Educational Networking Programs (AY2018-)

・Innovative Africa: Educational Networking Programs for Human Resource Development in Africa’s SDGs（AY2020-AY2024）
https://iafp.africa.kyoto-u.ac.jp/

・Inter-Graduate School Program for Sustainable Development and Survivable Societies（AY2011-AY2022）
http://www.gss.kyoto-u.ac.jp/

Joint Research Projects (AY2018-)

・Geo-electromagnetic investigations of tectonic features at the divergent plate boundary area, Afar Depression, Ethiopia (Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (International Collaborative Research) [AY2024-AY2027], PI: Naoto Ishikawa (University of Toyama), Co-I: Ryokei Yoshimura）

・On-land investigation of sea-floor spreading through aero-geomagnetic surveys with unmanned airplanes in Afar region, Ethiopia (Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (B))[AY2020-AY2023], PI: Naoto Ishikawa (University of Toyama), Co-I: Ryokei Yoshimura）

・Geomagnetic anomaly analysis around the axis of the divergent plate boundary at Afar Depression in Ethiopia by using unmanned small airplane (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), AY2017-AY2019, PI: Naoto Ishikawa, Co-I: Ryokei Yoshimura）

・Development and Operation Model of Plant-derived Soil Additives for Road Disaster Reduction on Problematic Soil (SATREPS, AY2019-AY2024, PI: Makoto Kimura, Co-I: Masayoshi Shigeta, Morie Kaneko）

・Anthropological study on the acquisition of skills, improving proficiency and sharing of tacit knowledge (Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A), AY2020-AY2024, PI: Morie Kaneko)

・Geomagnetic anomaly analysis around the axis of the divergent plate boundary at Afar Depression in Ethiopia by using unmanned small airplane (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A), AY2017-AY2019, PI: Naoto Ishikawa, Co-I: Ryokei Yoshimura）

・Comparative studies on gender-based local knowledge in modern Africa (Fostering Joint International Research, [AY2017-AY2019], PI: Morie Kaneko)

＊Unless an affiliation is indicated in brackets after a name, the person’s affiliation is Kyoto University.