Historically Black Institution xperience

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

Research shows that collaborations between Historically Black Institutions in the U.S. and South Africa account for .09% of global research output—a critical gap that demands attention.

-(Heleta, Jithoo, Brown-Grier, n.d.)

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, this program aims to bridge academic and cultural divides through student-faculty exchanges, community-based research projects, and collaborative learning.

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

  • Tourism/Culinary Arts*

    *Community College/TVET College

Benefits

  • Strengthened Research Collaboration

  • Increased Global Exposure

  • Enhanced Student Learning and Development

  • Community-Based Impact

  • Institutional Capacity Building

  • Internationalization of HBIs and HBUs

  • Long-Term Global Networks

  • Promotion of Diversity and Inclusion

Impact

  • Cross-Cultural and Academic Collaboration

  • Research on Equity and Social Justice

  • Student and Faculty Development

  • Strengthened Global Networks

  • Community-Based Research and Solutions

  • Increase Institutional Research Profile

Sustainability

  • Diversified Funding Sources

  • Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration

  • Programmatic Growth and Innovation

  • Capacity Building and Leadership Development

  • Measurable Impact and Accountability

  • Branding and Marketing

  • community Building

HBIx

  • To be Updated!

  • To be Updated!

  • To Be Update!

“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.”