Our partnerships in Africa & The Middle East

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Federation of African Societies of Chemistry
GlaxoSmithKline
Procter & Gamble
Royal Society
South African Chemical Institute

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In 2015 we launched a new five year partnership with GSK to provide analytical training for 400 African-based scientists through the Pan African Chemistry Network (PACN).

This partnership builds on our experience of running Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) training courses in Africa over the last 10 years. Between 2006 and 2015 we trained over 100 chemists, who have gone on to publish more than 20 articles in scientific journals.

The expanded programme will build on existing knowledge and provide opportunities to develop specialist skills in widely accepted analytical techniques, giving scientists across Africa the chance to apply their expertise on a global scale.

This five-year partnership will enable us to:

• deliver analytical sciences training courses at our activity hubs in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria
• train over 400 scientists by 2020
• commission a tailored GC-MS textbook for all course participants
• help all of our PACN Hub universities to maintain their analytical facilities
• involve GSK expert staff as volunteer trainers
• develop at least 10 independent local trainers, creating a self-sustaining programme and a strong legacy.

One year in, the training is already making an impact.

Since December 2011, P&G have been working with the Pan Africa Chemistry Network (PACN) to develop talent in the chemical sciences. P&G have made a significant investment to develop skills and increase science capacity within Africa; collaborating with leading scientists and students to exchange knowledge and generate opportunities for innovation in the areas of hygiene, health and waste.

With P&G’s generous support we have established two new centres of excellence in analytical chemistry at the University of Lagos and the University of Ibadan. P&G donated equipment and provided experts who offer technical support and industrial experience to the centres.

In February 2016 we held the 4th joint Royal Society of Chemistry P&G Symposium returning to the inaugural host city of Lagos focusing on the importance of the Chemical Sciences and Technology for Growth in Africa. This series of symposia have provided an opportunity to build relationships between academia and industrial partners across the PACN, boosting knowledge and skills in research and publishing while empowering African students through opportunities such as internships.

P&G continue to work with the PACN through their collaboration laboratory at the University of Lagos in Nigeria and have supported a number of academic internships through this innovative model which provides collaborative industrial-academic research projects.

FASC was established in 2006, and aims to promote collaboration throughout the community of chemists and chemical scientists in Africa. We collaborate with FASC by participating in scientific meetings and supporting African scientists through the Pan African Chemistry Network (PACN).

In March 2007, we signed an international cooperation agreement with the SACI. Through the agreement we have co-organised symposia through the Pan African Chemistry Network (PACN). This agreement was re-signed in June 2012 and again in 2018.