The WAFIRA programme is designed to enhance the skills, knowledge, networks, and information systems, of African women academics and researchers, at the early, emerging and middle career levels through mentoring programmes; international exchange programmes; successful research funding application techniques and methodologies; strategic career planning; and a whole other plethora of evidence-based good practice tools and instruments for their advancement in academia and research.

The critical outcomes envisaged for WAFIRA participants is that the programme will enable them to fully harness the progressive opportunities encapsulated in the transformations in the global development agendas and scenarios of the 21 st century, in strategic platforms such as sustainable development and cross-disciplinary research and knowledge co-generation; knowledge-based economies and societies, and the myriad career development and research advancement opportunities that can be leveraged through international exchanges, studies and research collaborations.