Pamoja
The Pamoja Initiative was launched as a university-wide effort at the University of Notre Dame, based on a commitment to deepen its engagement with the African continent through collaborative research, teaching, innovation, and policy outreach. Emerging from the Office of the Provost’s Moment to See Courage to Act Initiative, Pamoja was conceived as a cross-disciplinary platform that would build partnerships with institutions, researchers and policymakers in Africa to strengthen African-led research and address pressing societal challenges.
From its inception, the initiative was guided by faculty co-chairs Ellis Adams and Jaimie Bleck, working alongside a dedicated steering committee that helped shape Pamoja’s vision, principles, and collaborative framework. The development of Pamoja also drew on close collaboration with key Notre Dame partners, including the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, Notre Dame Global, and Notre Dame Research, ensuring that the initiative reflected the breadth of the University’s academic expertise and global engagement.
These efforts were the beginning of what has become the Pamoja Network, a growing consortium of African universities and partners committed to equitable collaboration, shared leadership, and research that is locally grounded and globally connected.
Advancing Engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa
In 2023, the initiative led to the first Pamoja Summit, at Strathmore University, in Nairobi, Kenya. The Pamoja Summit is a gathering of the Pamoja Network, a collaborative network of African universities, research institutions and Notre Dame, designed to strengthen equitable, Africa-led research that addresses critical societal challenges. The 2023 summit gathered representatives from 20 African universities and institutions of higher learning to discuss potential synergies and collaboration.
2027 Pamoja Summit
Building on the inaugural Summit in 2023, the 2027 Summit will bring together university leaders, faculty, researchers, postdoctoral scholars, and students to advance collaborative research, share knowledge, and develop partnerships across the network. Learn more about the 2027 Summit.