The ELEPHANT (Empowering universities’ Learning and rEsearch caPacities in the one Health Approach for the maNagement of animals at the wildlife, livestock and human interface in SouTh Africa), which is part of the wider context “one-Health”, has been launched in Pretoria. It is a collaboration between the University of Bologna, six South African institutions (University of Venda, University of Limpopo, University of Mpumalanga, University of Pretoria, Southern African Wildlife College, University of Fort Hare) and the Utrecht University.
One-Health is an important sector for Italian scientific collaborations in Africa, being also part of the activities of the ERFAN project (Enhancing Research for Africa Network – http://www.izs.it/IZS/Cooperation_1/IZSAM_in_Africa/Progetto_ERFAN) . ERFAN is funded by the World Organization for Animal Health and coordinated by the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Abruzzo and Molise. Four other Italian Zooprophylactic Institutes and twenty-four African institutions are involved in the project, including the South African Agricultural Research Council and the University of Pretoria itself.
The ELEPHANT project therefore represents a further opportunity to strengthen the numerous collaborations already in place between Italian and South African institutions and universities, increasing the exchange of knowledge, joint training and the mobility of students, researchers and teachers.
