Building African-centred academic leadership in philanthropy one cohort and one research milestone at a time the Centre on African Philanthropy and Social Investment (CAPSI) continued to strengthen its academic presence as a continental hub for teaching and learning in philanthropy and social investment.
Teaching, Supervision, and Research Progression
Teaching activities progressed across the Master of Management in African Philanthropy, the Postgraduate Diploma in Philanthropy and Resource Mobilisation, and doctoral supervision programmes. These were complemented by structured PhD seminars and research workshops designed to support students through key academic milestones, including proposal development, panel reviews, and fieldwork preparation.
The academic community continued to grow steadily, with strong participation across Master’s, postgraduate, and PhD programmes. CAPSI maintained a deliberate emphasis on gender balance, student support, and research progression across all levels of study.
In 2025, 23 students successfully qualified for graduation across the postgraduate diploma, Master’s, and doctoral programmes. This achievement reflects the collective commitment of CAPSI’s academic staff, the programme support team, and the graduating students themselves.
Student Support and Inclusive Academic Excellence
CAPSI expanded its student support mechanisms across programmes, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive access, academic excellence, and African-led scholarship. A key initiative was the now well-established annual writing and methodology workshop, which provides hands-on coaching to students across the humanities.
Both Master’s and doctoral students benefited from tailored support delivered by leading academics from the university, strengthening research quality, confidence, and completion pathways.
Laying Foundations for Future Growth
Alongside teaching and supervision, the year focused on laying foundations for future academic growth. Progress was made on curriculum reviews, new thematic areas were scoped, and work began on strengthening:
· Teaching and learning resources
· Alumni engagement
· Cross-continental academic collaboration
These efforts aim to position CAPSI for sustained growth and broader continental impact.
What’s Next?
Looking ahead, CAPSI will advance curriculum reviews and develop new course offerings in areas such as:
· Women in African Philanthropy
· Climate philanthropy
· Artificial intelligence, ethics, and philanthropy
· Volunteering for development
These will be supported by new teaching cases, deeper alumni engagement, and expanded reach into currently underrepresented regions across Africa.
Learn More
To read more about CAPSI’s academic programmes or to apply, visit:
https://www.capsi.wits.ac.za/
and select “Academic Programmes.”
