September 2004
Research

£1.75m Donation for African Peace Research

The University has been awarded £1.75m to establish a new Chair for African Peace and Conflict Studies.

Those involved in putting together the bid (left to right): Professor Malcolm Chalmers, Dr Donna Pankhurst, Dr David Francis, Professor Shaun Gregory, Professor Paul Rogers.

The funding - provided by a private trust - will be used to create the John Ferguson Chair, to be based within the Department of Peace Studies' Africa Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies.

John Ferguson was a key figure in the establishment of the Peace Studies Department in 1973/4, taking a lead in the development of the curricula. He subsequently served as the Department's first external examiner and was involved in many of its early activities including chairing the controversial Belgrano inquiry in the 1980s. John Ferguson developed his love of Africa while working for many years in Nigeria as a Professor of Classics, as well as holding numerous other university posts in Western Africa.

In addition to the appointment of the new Chair, the award will be used to appoint a project manager and a number of research fellows to work on cutting-edge education, research and policy programmes within Africa.

These will include:

• Rehabilitation of child soldiers
• Dealing with the impact of landmines on communities
• Transferring peace education and conflict resolution programmes in eleven countries across Africa n Post-war reconstruction and democratic governance in post-conflict societies
• Gender and peace studies

Head of Peace Studies Professor Shaun Gregory said: "John Ferguson's links with Africa and with Peace Studies make it especially fitting that this Chair is established here in Bradford and that it is committed to delivering such an important range of programmes. The funding will be spent where it is most needed, allowing important work to take place between the University and projects in Africa. We are absolutely thrilled with this award, which celebrates in an enduring way the special relationship between John Ferguson and the Department."

Director for the Africa Centre Dr David Francis said: "We are delighted by this award. This will have a profound impact within Africa and allow us to carry out a wide range of work with real meaning and significant implications for many of the poorest and least secure people on the continent."

28 September 2004

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