©IDOS
Shaping Futures Network
A network for knowledge cooperation
The Shaping Futures Network builds and maintains strong social relations across Africa and Europe through knowledge cooperation, i.e. exchanging and co-creating (science-based and policy-relevant) knowledge at the intersection of development and sustainability.
Academy as basis for the network
The Shaping Futures Academy establishes the foundation for the network by annually bringing together 25 early-to-mid-career professionals (and their organisations) from selected countries in Africa and Europe who engage in a collective learning and development programme.
The Shaping Futures Network builds on this by exchanging and co-creating knowledge, thereby sustaining, expanding and mobilizing social relations for sustainable development. We do so by engaging in high-level policy dialogues or conferences and through joint publications.
Network features
Currently, the network counts some 100 alumni and more than 50 partner organisations from Shaping Futures’ partner countries across Africa and Europe. The network’s governance includes an executive committee and comprises four regional blocs that coordinate their network activities on a regional level.
Key objectives
The Shaping Futures Network aims to:
- Engage in and strengthen knowledge cooperation in pursuit of a socially just, climate-stabilising and ecologically sustainable development in and between Africa and Europe;
- Provide policy advice through their engagements and output;
- Strengthen and expand the network as a means to effective and lasting knowledge cooperation and policy engagements.
Events 2025/2026
With representation of or (co-)organized by the Shaping Futures Network:
11th Africa Regional Forum for Sustainable Development
Participation in knowledge/ exhibition fair
9 – 11 April 2025
Kampala, Uganda
East Africa alumni meetup + visit to African Union Headquarters
14 & 15 April 2025
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
European Association of Service Providers for People with Disabilities (EASPD) training course on inclusive education: Building an Inclusive School for All 2025
27 April – 2 May 2025
Coimbra, Portugal
Zambia alumni meetup
12/ 13 June 2025
Lusaka, Zambia
On Think Tanks Conference + T20 midterm conference
16 – 19 June 2025
Johannesburg, South Africa
10th European Conference on African Studies (ECAS)
25 – 28 June 2025
Prague, Czech Republic
West Africa alumni meetup
End October 2025
Accra, Ghana
Simulation game (together with MGG and PGP)
4 – 6 November 2025
Bonn, Germany
Global Network Conference
Late June 2026
Bonn, Germany
Publications
Youth perspectives and engagement on sustainability
Grimm, Sven / Reon van der Merwe / Nitish Barole / Isaac Atchikiti / Esinam Attipoe / Olfa Chebaane / Mamadou Djigo / Tuhinsubhra Giri / Si Peng / Danai J Tembo (2024)
Policy Brief (33/2024)
Artificial intelligence: From massive energy consumer to problem-solving?
Atchikiti, Kodjo Isaac / Difer, Yonas Gebremichael (2024)
published on blogs.die-gdi.de 26 November 2024
Youth, employment, and the future of work: a call for action
Djigo, Mamadou (2024)
published on blogs.die-gdi.de 4 October 2024
Lokal verankerte Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung zwischen Partnerschaft und Machtungleichgewicht
Ruppel, Samantha (2023)
Wiesbaden: Springer VS Wiesbaden
United Nations Youth Day
Eberz, Isabelle / Samantha Ruppel / Neringa Tumėnaitė (2023)
The Current Column of 7 August 2023
Knowledge cooperation and capacity development for transnational cooperation
Grimm, Sven / Samantha Ruppel
in: Annual Report 2021-2022 - German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), 34-38
Knowledge cooperation between Africa and Europe: the power of engagement and changing perspectives
Morare, Ditebogo Modiegi / Sven Grimm / Isabelle Eberz (2021)
published on blogs.die-gdi.de 20 May 2021
