France and Kenya want to strengthen their cooperation activities in higher education and research. On 5 May 2015, the two countries signed the ‘PAMOJA’ Hubert Curien partnership, which was renewed on 6 October 2021 to cover the period 2021-2026.
It is implemented in Kenya by the Ministry of Education through the National Research Fund (NRF), and in France by the Ministries of Europe and Foreign Affairs and Higher Education and Research. Calls for applications for this programme are issued every two years.

OBJECTIVES

• To support and encourage scientific and technological cooperation between French and Kenyan researchers within public institutions;
• To particularly encourage the establishment of new links and partnerships as well as the development of innovative ideas of excellence and capacity building among young researchers;
• Promote exchanges between researchers by encouraging mobility between the two countries;
• Develop synergies between the two scientific communities to create a sustainable network;
• Strengthen links between research and industry (public and private).

Research and innovation projects in the following areas are eligible:

• Matter sciences and nanotechnologies ;
• Engineering sciences and new production technologies;
• Biotechnologies and biological sciences (including health, agriculture and biomathematics);
• Space sciences and techniques;
• Energy technology training, engineering sciences and mathematics;
• Telecommunications, electronics and computer technologies;
• Techniques of indigenous knowledge and natural products;
• Environmental sciences;
• Social sciences, humanities and social sciences;
• Engineering sciences and the built environment.

ELIGIBILITY

Each project is carried out by two scientific teams, one in France and the other in Kenya. The projects are led by two coordinators (one from each country, belonging to a public scientific body), who are responsible for the scientific, technical and administrative coordination of the project and for drawing up the annual scientific and financial reports (see ‘Project monitoring’ section).

France: the French scientific team may be made up of researchers from research laboratories attached to higher education establishments, research organisations or companies.

Kenya: the Kenyan scientific team can be made up of researchers working and living in Kenya, attached to an institution authorised by the State to carry out higher education and research activities, including technical and vocational training institutions (TVET).

Only applications explicitly approved by the organisations responsible for the partner teams will be accepted.

Projects that have already received support under this programme are not eligible for a new application immediately after their completion. In all cases, priority will be given to new collaborations.

Only applications co-submitted by the partner researchers to the authorities responsible for the programme in their respective countries will be declared admissible. French researchers must check this with their Kenyan partner.

The duration of the projects is two years. The maximum amount of funding is €23,000 per project over two years.