Paper short abstract:

As a CIRCLE Programme participant and Commonwealth Scholarship alumnus, Dr Antwi-Agyei, now a leading climate change researcher, will reflect on his experiences with such programmes, and provide recommendations for future programmes which aim to produce research leaders.

Paper long abstract:

Since 2014, the Climate Impacts Research Leadership and Capacity Enhancement (CIRCLE) Programme has worked with African climate change researchers and their home institutions to help address the low contribution of global climate change publications produced by African academics, and to support the next generation of climate change research leaders.

As a participant of the programme, Dr Philip Antwi-Agyei conducted a one-year Fellowship at the University of Ghana, and later contributed to the delivery of the Institutional Strengthening Programme at his home institution, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. Dr Antwi-Agyei is also a Commonwealth Scholarships alumnus, and an active participant in various training schemes and global leadership initiatives. Now a leading climate change researcher, and Lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 ◦C, Dr Antwi-Agyei can offer personal experiences of support he received, and perspectives on how he is developing into a global research leader. It will also be an opportunity to discuss any gaps in capacity which were not addressed via higher education programmes, where support was obtained from other sources, and how development needs have changed over time.