International Science Programme

13/10/2026

Warm congratuatulations to Mary Chuong from Cambodia 🇰🇭 who successfully defended her PhD thesis “Methylmercury dynamics in contrasting wetlands: biogeochemical patterns and controls” at Umeå University 🇸🇪 on 25 September.

Dr Chuong was a PhD student in the Sida - Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete bilateral research programme at RUPP - Royal University of Phnom Penh, but when the programme ended in December 2024 ISP took over the responsibility for the remaining PhD students.

12/10/2026

On October 19-30, the ISP-supported physics network AFSIN will arrange an international workshop on “Photonic Sensing and Characterization of Biotargets" at Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire (CSRS), Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

AFSIN (African Spectral Imaging Network) is a collaboration between physicists in eight African countries and one Asian country:
- Burkina Faso 🇧🇫
- Cameroon 🇨🇲
- Ghana 🇬🇭
- Ivory Coast 🇨🇮
- Kenya 🇰🇪
- Mali 🇲🇱
- Senegal 🇸🇳
- Sri Lanka 🇱🇰
- Togo 🇹🇬

The overall goal of the network is to contribute to the benefit of the laboratories in the member countries, to the development of research activities of international standard in the fields of applied spectroscopy and spectral imaging.

The network also builds instruments for realistic diagnostic tools related to tropical diseases such as malaria, to monitor pollution affecting agriculture and environment, and to use optical diagnostics for quality control and improved crop yield.

🌍 𝐂𝐒𝐑𝐒 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐅𝐒𝐈𝐍 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 !

From 19–30 October 2026, the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire (CSRS) will host the international workshop “Photonic Sensing and Characterization of Biotargets.”

The programme will feature invited lectures, hands-on laboratory sessions, data analysis, student talks, posters and collaborative projects.

📍 CSRS, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

An international gathering dedicated to science, innovation and knowledge sharing.

12/10/2026

Apply for CoRE-Math fellowships in mathematics at University of KwaZulu-Natal South Africa 🇿🇦!

The Africa-Europe Cluster of Research Excellence in Mathematics (CoRE-Math), with Uppsala University 🇸🇪 as The Guild Co-lead and Makerere University 🇺🇬 as the ARUA Co-lead, is offering 4 fellowships for PhD students, postdocs, and senior researchers to spend up to 3 months at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2027.

Research Areas
• Algebra: Graph theory
• Analysis: Lie analysis of differential equations (with applications in mathematical biology & mathematical physics); λ-symmetry classification of PDEs; fixed point theory; optimization
• Computational Mathematics: Wave modelling; climate change; decision support systems; risk assessment predictions
• Differential Geometry: Contact and symplectic geometries and their topologies
• Fluid Dynamics: Computational fluid dynamics; theoretical fluid dynamics; boundary layer theory; heat & mass transfer; stability analysis
• Mathematical Physics: General relativity; modified theories of gravity; cosmology; mathematical astrophysics
• Numerical Analysis: Optimization and control theory
• Topology: General topology; point-free topology; topological data analysis

Applicants should indicate which areas they are interested in in their applications.

Fellowship Benefits
• Monthly stipend
• Accommodation and return ticket
• Full medical insurance
• Visa costs
• Research collaboration with faculty in the Discipline of Mathematics, University of KwaZulu-Natal

The University of KwaZulu-Natal will support the fellows with all practicalities related to the visits.

Eligibility Requirements
PhD students, postdocs, who obtained their PhD degree no earlier than 2021, and well-established senior researchers from one of the African CoRE-Math universities. All applicants are expected to demonstrate an active research programme. Successful applicants will be required to schedule their fellowships between March 2027 and June 2027, depending on the host's decision on the timing's suitability.

Application Deadline
31 October 2026.

Shortlisted applicants will be notified a few weeks after the deadline and invited to prepare a detailed proposal jointly with their prospective host researchers. The successful fellows will be chosen from these proposals.

Required Documents
- Motivational letter
- CV (up to 6 pages)
- Description of current research
- Description of what you want to do during the visit and with whom you would like to collaborate
- List of publications (up to 10 publications including DOI)
- Support letter from the PhD supervisor (for PhD students) or Head of Department (for postdocs and senior researchers)

Submit your application in a zipped file marked with your name in a letter with the subject “CoRE-Math Fellowships” to: [email protected]

28/09/2026

As you might remember, ISP was part of the Erasmus+ Capacity Building project PEP together with universities in Ireland, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Mali. The project has now ended, and got excellent reviews by the external evaluators.

You find the report on the PEP website under “Results” 👇🏼.

PEP also developed a PEP Teacher Handbook, please see👇🏼

Many thanks to all colleagues at
Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo🇧🇫
Université N**i Boni 🇧🇫
USTTB 🇲🇱
Université Yambo Ouologuem de Bamako (former ULSHB) 🇲🇱
Université Polytechnique de San Pedro 🇨🇮
INP - HB 🇨🇮
University of Galway 🇮🇪

The PEP project combined teacher training and exchanges of good practices in language teaching with piloting new courses and strategic discussions for implementing Professional English Programs.

23/09/2026

In June, the University of Glasgow 🇬🇧 welcomed around 250 academics, support staff and university leaders from more than 120 institutions across 44 countries for the 2nd Africa-Europe Clusters of Research Excellence (CoRE) Conference. CoRE-Math is jointly coordinated by ISP and Makerere University, so ISP’s Bengt Ove Turesson and Barbara Brena as well as MAK’s John Mango were there!

Read more about the conference on https://www.the-guild.eu/africa-europe-core/the-2nd-africa-europe-clusters-of-research-excelle.html

Photo 1: From left:
- Prof Fhatuwani Nixwell Mudau, DVC and Head of College of Agriculture, Engineering & Science, of KwaZulu-Natal 🇿🇦
- Prof Alex Behakanira Tumwesi, Makerere University 🇺🇬
- Prof Gareth Amery, Astrophysics Research Centre at University of KwaZulu-Natal 🇿🇦
- Prof John Mango, Makerere University 🇺🇬
- Prof Anders Hagfelt, VC, Uppsala University 🇸🇪, Chair of The Guild
- Prof Sibusiso Moyo, DVC Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Stellenbosch University 🇿🇦
- Prof John Gyapong, Secretary General African Research Universities Alliance

Photo 2: Prof Anders Hagfeldt (VC of Uppsala University) and Prof Sizwe Mabizela (VC of Rhodes University)

22/09/2026

👀 Did you know that ISP Mathematics (IPMS) has a funding datebase where you might find useful information? 👀

For full details and application procedures, please see the websites using the links under Programme.

Please notice that some programmes appear more than once when they have multiple calls or deadlines during the year.

21/09/2026

PhD students, hurry up and apply to the CERN-STFC Non-Member State Doctoral Student Programme!

The program is open to students from South Africa 🇿🇦, Kenya 🇰🇪, Tanzania 🇹🇿, Ghana 🇬🇭, Rwanda 🇷🇼 , or Uganda 🇺🇬.

Deadline: 24 September.

CERN

Company Description: At CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, physicists and engineers are probing the fundamental structure of the universe. Using the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments, they study the basic constituents of matter - fundamental particles that ar...

02/09/2026

Since August 1, ISP got a new Director: Professor Carla Puglia!

She will present ISP and the results for a broader audience on 24 September at 16.00 CEST, via the online Colloquium series of American Physical Society.

Please register at https://engage.aps.org/fip/blogs/ericka-donielle-stansbury/2026/08/18/save-the-date-sep-24-international-science-program

Please feel free to share the link with colleagues and students.

The International Science Programme (ISP) at Uppsala University, Sweden, supports the strengthening of higher education and research capacity in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in low- and lower-middle-income countries (www.isp.uu.se). Since its establishment in 1961 by Nobel Laureate Kai Siegba...

01/09/2026

Seed-funding opportunity: SASUF+ Beyond Borders

There is now an opportunity for researchers in Sweden, South Africa as well as 19 other African sub-Saharan countries to participate in SASUF+ Beyond Borders!

SASUF+ Beyond Borders is a new international collaboration initiative that will help identifying research partners from South African SASUF universities, Swedish SASUF universities, and 19 other African countries in preparation for the upcoming SASUF–NRF Seed Grants for Intra-African Collaborative Research.

Read more about SASUF+ on its website: https://www.sasuf.org/ and South Africa- Sweden University Forum - SASUF

As part of SASUF+ Beyond Borders, there is an AI-powered Matchmaking Platform which connects researchers across the network, explores common research interests, and develops international partnerships ahead of the funding call.

Why should you participate?
By creating a profile on the platform, you will be able to:
- Connect with researchers working in similar or complementary fields.
- Receive AI-powered matchmaking recommendations based on your research expertise, interests, projects, methodologies, and thematic focus areas.
- Discover collaboration opportunities with researchers from South Africa, Sweden, and 19 participating African countries.
- Build interdisciplinary research teams in preparation for the funding call.
- Arrange meetings with potential collaborators before and during the SASUF+ Beyond Borders Virtual Matchmaking Event.

Upcoming Opportunities
1. Register on the AI Matchmaking Platform
Complete your researcher profile and begin connecting with potential collaborators before September 6.
Register here: https://www.b2match.com/e/sasuf-beyond-borders

2. Join an Information Session
Learn how to use the platform, optimise your profile, and make the most of the AI-powered matchmaking functionality.
Information Sessions
2 September 2026: https://uu-se.zoom.us/j/69390636235
3 September 2026: https://uu-se.zoom.us/j/61612537820?from=addon

3. SASUF+ Beyond Borders Virtual Matchmaking Event 30 September – 1 October 2026
Meet with your AI-recommended matches, develop collaborative project ideas, expand your research network, and identify additional partners where needed.

4. SASUF–NRF Seed Grants for Intra-African Collaborative Research
Open: 5 August – 3 November 2026, https://www.sasuf.org/sasuf-nrf-seed-grants-for-intra-africa-collaborative-research-1
The funding call will support collaborative research projects involving:
· At least one South African SASUF university
· At least one Swedish SASUF university
· At least one university from another participating African country:
Angola 🇦🇴, Botswana 🇧🇼, Burkina Faso 🇧🇫, Côte d'Ivoire 🇨🇮, Ethiopia 🇪🇹, Ghana 🇬🇭, Kenya 🇰🇪, Malawi 🇲🇼, Mozambique 🇲🇿, Namibia 🇳🇦, Nigeria 🇳🇬, Rwanda 🇷🇼, Senegal🇸🇳, Sierra Leone 🇸🇱, Tanzania 🇹🇿, Togo 🇹🇬, Uganda 🇺🇬, Zambia 🇿🇲, Zimbabwe 🇿🇼.

For Swedish 🇸🇪 and South African 🇿🇦 SASUF partner universities, please see https://www.sasuf.org/partneruniversities

Connect with researchers and innovators from Sweden and South Africa. Join the SASUF+ community to foster binational partnerships and tackle global challenges.

31/08/2026

We have all seen and read the news about the devasting disaster in Nepal, which has affected so many people. ISP supports a physics research group at Tribhuvan University त्रिवि सूचनाा, and we are deeply concerned about our colleagues there, as well as their families, relatives, friends, and communities during this extremely difficult time.

Our colleague and research group leader, Dr Shriram Sharmaa, responded to our message and shared an account of the situation in the country. We publish his message for giving you a sense of the scale of the catastrophe that Nepal is experiencing right now:

“Thank you so much for your kind concern and for keeping Nepal and our people in your thoughts during this difficult time.

It has indeed been a devastating disaster, with the flash flood claiming many lives, sweeping away villages and critical infrastructure, including more than 20 bridges. - - - the country as a whole is deeply traumatized by the scale of the destruction and loss.

Nepal is also facing tremendous economic losses, with extensive damage to infrastructure, including major power facilities. At this point, it is difficult to estimate how long the recovery will take or the resources that will be required for rescue, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

The government has appealed to civil society, organizations, and well-wishers at home and abroad to extend financial support to assist with the ongoing rescue and relief efforts and, subsequently, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

If colleagues and friends from across the globe would like to support Nepal during this difficult period, I would be grateful if you could circulate the information among your networks. Contributions can be made through the official Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund using the following link: https://pmdrf.nchl.com.np

Every contribution, regardless of its size, can help support the affected communities as they begin the long road toward recovery.

Thank you once again for your concern, solidarity, and willingness to help. It means a great deal to us at this difficult time.”

ISP is deeply concerned and willing to support our colleagues and friends!

For contribution towards Nepal’s Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund through SWIFT Transfer from your bank, kindly use the below mentioned bank details. Details can be copied directly.