The African Studies Center (ASC) brings together University of Michigan faculty and scholars in the social sciences, humanities, applied sciences, medicine, engineering, education, and other fields, from different departments, schools, and colleges across the university. ASC fosters an interdisciplinary community committed to African-focused research, teaching, and engagement, and to building enduring partnerships with scholars and institutions across Africa.
ASC provides various forms of support to faculty through three core initiatives:
African Heritage and Humanities Initiative (AHHI) – Encourages collaborative research with African colleagues to explore the ways cultures and histories are created, contested, and transformed.
African Social Research Initiative (ASRI) – Advances social science research through international partnerships, multi-method approaches, and thematic work on politics, economics, and the intersections of gender, health, and development.
STEM-Africa – Promotes research collaborations in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, supporting early-career African scientists and addressing global challenges.
To further strengthen these partnerships, ASC offers Seed Grants for ASC Associates—annual competitions for joint research projects between a U-M faculty member and colleagues at an African university, aligned with one of the three initiatives. These grants provide a framework for developing long-term scholarly relationships and are designed to help projects grow into larger, externally funded collaborations
