The African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, has strengthened its efforts to expand research funding opportunities and international collaborations through an EU-funded grant writing and proposal development coaching session focused on European funding programmes and Africa–Europe research partnerships.

The session featured Dr Erol Kulahci, Lead Expert, who provided guidance on accessing European research funding opportunities, developing competitive grant proposals and building effective international research consortia. Discussions covered Erasmus+, Horizon Europe, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and the EuroAccess platform, with practical demonstrations on identifying relevant research grants, fellowships and academic mobility opportunities.

A major focus was the development of an Africa–Europe artificial intelligence (AI) research proposal involving three proposed AI solutions, with the ambition of advancing their Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) from 5 to 7. Participants were encouraged to develop a balanced consortium of approximately 10–12 African and European partners, clearly define institutional responsibilities, demonstrate access to local data and establish measurable project outcomes.

The coaching also highlighted the importance of strengthening proposal impact, aligning projects with funding priorities, addressing intellectual property considerations and incorporating relevant industry and non-academic partners. Erasmus+ capacity-building opportunities were identified as a potential complement to Horizon Europe funding.

In his remarks, the President of AUST, Distinguished Professor Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, FAS, expressed appreciation to the European Commission for its support towards strengthening the University’s research and grant-writing capacity. He emphasised the importance of translating such training into practical research initiatives, institutional development and successful grant applications.

Professor Onwualu encouraged academic staff to take greater responsibility for research leadership, pursue funding opportunities and build multidisciplinary partnerships involving universities, industry, government and other relevant organisations. He also highlighted the importance of understanding funders’ priorities, meeting eligibility requirements and developing strong proposals that address national and institutional development needs.

The Acting Director of the Research and Innovation Directorate, Dr Eunice Ngozi Akpala-Okoroafor, further encouraged participants to pursue proposal development, assuring them of the University’s support with relevant institutional approvals and research-related processes.

The session forms part of AUST’s broader commitment to strengthening research excellence, promoting innovation and expanding international partnerships. With several research proposals already under development, the University aims to translate the knowledge gained into competitive applications and impactful research collaborations across Africa and Europe.