Nairobi, Kenya · 15 June 2021 — Around 2021, science communication capacity building in Africa experienced a notable shift from fragmented, donor-driven workshops toward sustainable, institutionalised frameworks — a transition marked by the emergence of academic programmes, integrated institutional strategies, and a deliberate turn toward Afrocentric models grounded in the continent's cultural and linguistic realities.
For years, science communication training in Africa had been characterised by a structural weakness: many initiatives were one-off events tailored to Western donor agendas, delivered without continuity or institutional anchoring. Researchers studying the field identified this fragmentation as a key barrier to building lasting capacity. The developments of 2021 signalled a maturation of the field, with several initiatives pointing toward more durable frameworks.
University of Limpopo Postgraduate Diploma
A significant development in 2021 was the South African Department of Science and Innovation's finalisation of plans to develop a postgraduate diploma in science communication at the University of Limpopo. The programme was notable for being unique in the Southern African — and potentially pan-African — context due to its emphasis on Indigenous Knowledge and the historical marginalisation of local cultures in scientific discourse.
This was a deliberate departure from the models imported from the Global North, which typically framed science communication as a one-way transmission of facts from experts to a knowledge-deficient public. The Limpopo programme instead positioned Indigenous Knowledge systems as a legitimate epistemological framework, recognising that effective science communication in African contexts must engage with — rather than dismiss — the knowledge traditions of the communities being addressed.
The diploma aimed to equip graduates with the skills to bridge scientific research and public understanding while navigating the complex cultural landscapes in which African science operates. By embedding the programme within a university rather than running it as a standalone training project, the initiative sought to create a sustainable pipeline of trained science communicators.
SciDev.Net's Script Programme
Throughout this period, the Script programme, an initiative by SciDev.Net — the world's leading source of news and analysis about science and technology for global development — continued to provide specialised training for African researchers.
Script focused on practical skills that researchers need to communicate their findings beyond academic circles:
- Simplifying complex information — translating technical research into accessible language without sacrificing accuracy
- Media engagement — working with journalists to ensure accurate coverage of scientific findings
- Writing policy briefs — producing concise, actionable documents that connect research evidence to policy decisions
- Digital communication — using social media, blogs, and other digital platforms to reach broader audiences
The programme was delivered through a combination of online courses, in-person workshops, and mentorship, and was designed to be scalable across different African contexts. By training researchers directly, Script addressed a key bottleneck: the reliance on intermediaries (journalists, communication officers) who may lack the scientific literacy to accurately convey research findings.
AIMS Institutional Strategy
The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) integrated science communication into its 2021 Institutional Strategy, reinforcing its commitment to public engagement and postgraduate training as part of its core mission.
AIMS, which operates centres in South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, and Rwanda, had long been a leader in mathematical sciences training on the continent. By formally embedding science communication into its institutional strategy, AIMS signalled that the ability to communicate research was not an optional add-on but an integral part of scientific training — on par with mathematical rigour and research methodology.
This integration meant that AIMS graduates — many of whom go on to pursue doctoral degrees and academic careers across Africa and globally — would enter their professional lives with both the analytical skills to conduct research and the communication skills to ensure that research reached the audiences who could use it.
Beyond Deficit Models: A Participatory Turn
A common thread across these 2021 developments was a deliberate shift away from "deficit-based" models of science communication — which assume the public simply needs to be "told" facts — toward "participatory" and "asset-based" approaches.
Programmes increasingly emphasised that research cannot achieve its full potential until it is visible, accessible, and connected to the communities that can use it for change. This meant engaging with audiences not as passive recipients of information but as active participants in the scientific process — bringing their own knowledge, questions, and priorities to the conversation.
A Multidisciplinary Ecosystem
Capacity building in 2021 also expanded beyond individual scientists to include a broader ecosystem of actors. The Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa) led training programmes that equipped not only researchers but also science commissions, national research officers, and policymakers with tools for impactful communication and policy influence.
This multididisciplinary approach recognised that effective science communication requires a coordinated ecosystem — not just trained scientists, but also informed policymakers, capable science journalists, and engaged institutions. Programmes like the East Africa Regional Capacity Building Training Workshop on Science Diplomacy, hosted at Maseno University in Kenya, brought together researchers and policymakers to build shared understanding and communication channels.
Language, Culture, and Context
A defining feature of the Afrocentric turn in science communication was the recognition that effective communication must be grounded in the linguistic and cultural realities of the continent. Africa's linguistic diversity — with over 2,000 languages spoken across the continent — presents both a challenge and an opportunity for science communication.
Programmes emerging around 2021 began to address this directly, exploring how scientific concepts could be communicated in local languages and how cultural frameworks could be leveraged rather than overcome. The University of Limpopo diploma's emphasis on Indigenous Knowledge was emblematic of this broader trend.
The Road Ahead
The momentum gathered in 2021 helped pave the way for subsequent developments in African science communication. TCC Africa continued to expand its workshop offerings, the Science for Africa Foundation incorporated science communication into its grant-making portfolio, and institutions across the continent increasingly recognised communication as a core professional competency for researchers.
Sources
- Oxford University Press, research on science communication in Africa — oup.com
- Taylor & Francis, studies on science communication capacity building — tandfonline.com
- CABI, Script training delivered to talented African researchers — cabi.org/news-article/script-training-delivered-to-talented-african-researchers/
- Training Centre in Communication (TCC Africa) — tcc-africa.org
- Maseno University, East Africa Regional Capacity Building Training Workshop — maseno.ac.ke
- Science for Africa Foundation, science communication programmes — scienceforafrica.foundation
- Stellenbosch University, science communication training series — su.ac.za
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