Researchers, industry experts and government officials have gathered at the University of Oxford for a symposium aimed at advancing clean energy innovation and tackling climate challenges.
Convened by the UK Government’s Ayrton Fund, the Africa-Oxford Initiative (AfOx), the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Transforming Energy Access Learning Partnership (TEA LP) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) – the Ayrton-Oxford Academic Symposium will explore how stronger global learning partnerships generating evidence, insights, and innovations can drive sustainable economic growth, strengthen climate resilience and expand access to affordable, reliable energy.
The meeting also seeks to foster partnerships and examine how universities, innovators, policymakers and investors in the UK and overseas can work more effectively together to address shared challenges, maximise impact and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive energy future.
To date, Ayrton-supported innovations have improved access to clean energy for 46 million people across emerging economies, leveraged more than £3 billion in public and private finance and supported more than 256,000 green jobs.
The collaborations have generated 191 technology patent applications and contributed to more than 2,400 research papers, helping transform scientific knowledge into practical solutions with real-world impact.
Professor Sir John Edmunds, Chief Scientific Adviser at the FCDO will give the keynote address, highlighting how the Ayrton Fund has fostered a growing network of research partnerships that combine UK expertise with locally-led knowledge, innovation and experience to deliver lasting impact.
He is also expected to emphasise the importance of further strengthening international collaboration to generate the evidence, insights and partnerships needed to support equitable energy transitions, accelerate innovation and build the institutional capacity required for long-term, sustainable change.
The wider Ayrton network now spans 100 countries and includes 78 universities, alongside more than 840 innovators, academics and delivery partners working to accelerate clean energy progress worldwide.
For instance, through the Transforming Energy Access-Learning Partnership (TEA-LP), more than 30 universities across Africa, Asia and the Pacific Islands are helping to develop the next generation of clean energy leaders, strengthening research capability and expanding opportunities for international knowledge exchange.
The Faraday Institution also supports international research in energy storage and has a Battery Ambassadors network covering seven African countries.
Other Ayrton-funded programmes include Climate Compatible Growth, Energy Catalyst and ZE-Gen, which support research, data development and the commercialisation of clean energy technologies.
Caroline Ward, Senior International Funds Manager at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said the Symposium provides an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration between universities, innovators, funders and policymakers across the UK and partner countries.
“By bringing together global experts, the symposium will help build equitable partnerships, attract investment and accelerate the development of clean energy solutions that support economic growth and climate resilience.” She stated.
Professor Kevin Marsh, Director of the Africa Oxford Initiative, said: African researchers will play a critical role in developing solutions that tackle global challenges such as energy access and green transitions.
Prof Misbahu Mohammed from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), Nigeria, involved with TEA-LP hailed the partnership, noting that it had helped strengthen the university’s MSc Renewable Energy Programme by introducing courses focused on local energy solutions and off-grid communities.
“Personally, the partnership has expanded my research networks, enhanced my capacity to secure funding, and positioned me as a contributor to regional energy access. I am truly grateful for TEA-LP’s vision in recognising that African universities must be active partners – not just recipients – in shaping energy education, and this grant has empowered us to tailor our curriculum to Nigeria’s unique off-grid realities,” he noted.
