Breakthrough solutions which meet the needs of the developing world
With an emphasis on in-country capacity building, we serve as a regional hub for international scholars working in the Congo Basin region providing world-class research and training.
By 2050, over 9 billion people are projected to compete for scarce resources on a planet experiencing severe climate change. Our goal is to create a network of multi-disciplinary enterprises focused on innovative solutions to critical challenges. The first is the Congo Basin Institute in Cameroon, Africa, dedicated to finding solutions to climate change, human disease, food and water security, and loss of biodiversity.
With our globally recognized partners, we leverage the diverse resources of universities, industry, government, and development organizations. We’re expanding the existing campus of CBI co-founder International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Yaoundé to include additional research and learning space.
The Congo Basin Institute is a joint initiative of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and UCLA. IITA and UCLA are leading a multi-institutional initiative to develop the Congo Basin Institute to be a model for how universities, NGOs, and private businesses can partner in international development.
Higher education in Central Africa faces numerous challenges. Limited resources and infrastructure mean the brightest students leave their home countries to study or work abroad. This brain drain means those best skilled to solve problems are not in the region.
Accommodations for researchers and students in Yaoundé and at the research field station in the Dja Faunal Reserve can be organized. Learn about labs, field stations, accommodations, and securing research permits.