AJ CORE

The NRF, in partnership with the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), has expanded the South Africa-Japan bilateral research programme into a regional initiative known as AJ-CORE (Africa-Japan Collaborative Research). This programme supports joint R&I projects in Environmental Science involving Japan, South Africa, and 19 African countries participating in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI). AJ-CORE seeks to foster long-term collaboration between African and Japanese researchers, enhance human capacity in science, technology, and innovation (STI), and contribute to the SDGs. Officially launched at TICAD VII in Yokohama, Japan in August 2019, AJ-CORE has issued five collaborative research calls to date. The upcoming researcher’s workshop at the SRI2026 Africa Regional Conference will serve as kick-off for Call 5, mid-term review for Call 4, and closing for Call 3.