Governance

Workplan

The aim of IPORA is to build a network capable of:

  • analysing the multidimensional transformations underway in Africa;
  • identifying the questions raised by these transformations and their implications for public policies;
  • co-constructing interdisciplinary studies to address these questions;
  • strengthening interdisciplinary research and training capacities across partner institutions.

IPORA is organised around thematic research areas and cross-cutting Work Packages.

The thematic research areas bring together interdisciplinary teams working on key issues for contemporary Africa, including health inequalities, food security, pollution, social equity and informality, and epistemology.

The cross-cutting Work Packages support the development, coordination and implementation of the network:

  • WP1 – Coordination
  • WP2 – Outreach, communication and dissemination
  • WP3 – Interdisciplinary research
  • WP4 – Training through research
  • WP5 – Data sharing

Each Work Package is coordinated by several members from different partner countries and institutions, with attention to disciplinary, geographical and gender balance. The Work Package coordinators contribute to the overall implementation of IPORA activities and take part in the network’s executive coordination.

General Assembly

The General Assembly Meeting is the strategic and budgetary decision-making body. It is responsible for discussing and approving (on the proposal of the Executive Committee) actions taken and planned, as well as financial and scientific reports. It meets once a year .

The General Assembly is made up of one representative from each research team involved in the IPORA project, and from each of the network’s founding academic institutions. It is chaired by two co-presidents , elected for two years.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is the international executive coordination body for IPORA actions. It is made up of all Work Package Coordinators and Country Coordinators. It is co-chaired by the Work Package 1 coordinators. It meets once every two months.

National Coordination Committees

The National Coordination Committees are the executive coordination bodies for IPORA actions in each country where the number of partner teams and research projects carried out by IPORA justifies scientific and technical coordination. They are made up of all IPORA members present in the country. They are chaired by Country Coordinators.