General

On 28 October 2025, Her Excellency the Ambassador of the United Kingdom paid an official visit to the University of Kinshasa and the Congo Basin Water Resources Research Center (CRREBaC). Accompanied by the UK Climate Adviser in Congo, the Ambassador met with the university’s academic authorities and toured several laboratories and faculties, including those dedicated to science and technology, agronomy, environment, medicine, and pharmacy. The visit concluded at CRREBaC, where she engaged with the CBSI secretariat and met the newly … Read more

Join us at COP30 CBSI members are speaking at the following events: Date and Time Event Title Join Speakers / Panellists Thursday 13 November 14:00 – 15:30 (time in Brazil), 17:00 (UK time) The Lungs of Africa – The Congo Basin and why it matters In person: UK Pavilion Online: https://www.youtube.com/live/5exwLSNB_qo Prof Raphael TshimangaProf Simon LewisProf Virginia ZaunbrecherMinister Marie Nyange Ndambo Dr Aurélie Flore Koumba Pambo Date and Time Event Title Join Speakers / Panellists Friday 14 November 12:45 – 13:45 … Read more

In April 2025, Mohamed and Génie, were among thirty three exceptional scientists from central Africa to be awarded a CBSI scholarship through the Congo Rainforest Alliance for Forest Training for Sustainable Development (CRAFT) programme. CRAFT is the first major CBSI programme, funded for five years from 2025 with £9.1m from UK International Development. CRAFT aims to transform scientific research and environmental stewardship across the Congo Basin by building world-class scientific capacity within Central Africa, enabling homegrown research to drive policy … Read more

CBSI Director of Science: A new job offer is available to become part of our team!  The CBSI Director of Science will provide scientific leadership and coordination across CBSI’s activities, support the academic and professional development of students, oversee research integration and synthesis, and help manage scientific outputs and visibility. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in ensuring the quality and coherence of CBSI’s research agenda, training programmes, and engagement with the broader scientific community. The position will … Read more

A new field course for early-career African researchers The Tropical Biology Association and the British Ecological Society are teaming up for a new field course, specifically for early-career African researchers. This exciting 10-day course provides practical training on how to design projects in the field, and is a valuable foundation for building a career in ecology and conservation. Set in the heart of the Kenyan savannah, the course combines field based learning with group projects and world class teaching.  How … Read more

As the largest green lung on the planet after the Amazon, the Congo Basin (CB) has exceptional natural assets that make it a key resource in global efforts to combat climate change. But to turn this potential into reality, one crucial factor must be strengthened: education of the region’s future generations. by Gode Bola, CBSI Secretariat, U of Kinshasa On Thursday 29 May 2025, the British Embassy in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) hosted a Congo Basin Evening, attended … Read more

📌 Register for an online information session about CBSI Scholarships to begin in September 2025 The event will be led by co-chairs of the Congo Basin Science Initiative, Profs Raphael Tshimanga (University of Kinshasa, DRC) and Simon Lewis (University of Leeds, UCL, UK). 📅 Thursday 30 January 14:00-15:30 (West Africa time) The session will take place online via Zoom. Zoom link: https://universityofleeds.zoom.us/j/83118206665?pwd=Lgnbk0MqZhbPprDshxIzr4p8gPAfQ2.1 Registration: https://bit.ly/4jphwKY More information on the scholarships: https://congobasinscience.net/scholarships/

On Monday 9 December, the Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI) supported a Congo Basin Science Fair at the British Embassy, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This saw students from the University of Kinshasa give a series of poster presentations, raising awareness of emerging science. The event was an opportunity to celebrate the recent £9.1m UK funding announcement to CBSI under the new Congo Basin Forest Action (CBFA) Programme. CBSI funding will support scientists across Central Africa to lead on critical … Read more

The UK government has announced £9.1 million ($11.7 million) in funding to scientists to provide the data and knowledge needed for policies to protect the world’s second largest area of tropical rainforest. The Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, announced the funding in a speech at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The grant will be used to investigate the value and vulnerability of the Congo Basin rainforest and translate this new knowledge into policy action to protect forests, improve livelihoods, and support sustainable … Read more