Historically Black Institution xperience

Increasing research collaborations and partnerships between HBCUs in the United States and HBUs in South Africa.

Purpose

The HBIx project bridges the research gap between HBIs in the U.S. and South Africa. Through student-faculty exchanges, participants will create community-based projects using digital humanities and storytelling, grounded in Pan-African and Indigenous Knowledge Systems. This initiative fosters lasting research opportunities and partnerships across diverse fields, including humanities, STEM, education, and environmental justice.

Program

Established through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Consulate Durban and funded by the U.S. Mission to South Africa’s Public Diplomacy Grant Program.

Objective and Scope

  • Six-week virtual course.

  • U.S. faculty-student exchange capstone, in South Africa.

  • Conference/symposium in Washington, D.C.

  • South African student-faculty HBCU site visit in Washington, D.C.

Areas of Focus

  • STEAM

  • Education

  • Environmental Science

  • Hospitality & Tourism/ Entrepreneurship

Impact

  • Cross-Cultural and Academic Collaboration

  • Community-Based Research and Solutions

  • Student and Faculty Development

  • Strengthened Global Networks

  • Increase Institutional Research Profile

Participating Institutions

Bennett College

Clark Atlanta University

Morehouse College

University of District of Columbia, Community College

Coastal KZN TVET College

Mangosuthu University of Technology

University of Zululand

University of KwaZulu-Natal

“Empowering the next generation of scholars to create lasting global impact through collaboration and shared knowledge, the HBIx program is a beacon of innovation and unity.”