# Black academic and STEM support initiatives > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/black-academic-and-stem-support-initiatives > Updated: 2026-08-10T20:11:50.000Z. Sources: 24. Developments: 3. Educational and scientific initiatives supporting Black students and research have been established through various partnerships. A scientific cooperation project titled “Futuros Ubuntu” has been approved as a partnership between Brazil's São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp) and South Africa's National Research Foundation (NRF). Coordinated by Professor Giselly Barros from the Instituto Federal de São Paulo (IFSP), the R$ 1.1 million project will study connections between ancestrality, memory, ecological knowledge, and cognitive justice in Black territories across both nations. The three-year initiative involves a partnership with Professor Nthabiseng Motsemme from the University of Johannesburg and includes field studies in São Paulo’s Brasilândia neighborhood, quilombola communities in Vale do Ribeira, and various South African townships and traditional communities. Collaborating institutions include Unifesp, Unila, UFBA, and USP. The funding is designated to support field research, international exchanges, academic training, and the production of scientific and educational materials, building upon previous academic cooperation such as a 2024 exchange program involving Mozambique. Simultaneously, the Fundo Baobá has launched the Black STEM program to support racial equity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The program has awarded R$ 42,000 each to three Black Brazilian students—Caio Ramos, Quezia Fernanda, and João Vitor—to support their living expenses while studying abroad. Scheduled to depart in September, the recipients will pursue studies in Design at the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation (UAE), Electrical Engineering at the University of Jaén (Spain), and Computer Science at Northwestern University (USA). Beyond financial aid, the Fundo Baobá initiative aims to overcome barriers to international education by providing mentorship, psychological monitoring, and connections with Black leadership. ## Claims - The project “Futuros Ubuntu: Connections between ancestries, memories, ecological knowledge and cognitive justice in Black Territories of South Africa and Brazil” was approved in the FAPESP–NRF call. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The project will receive approximately R$1.1 million in funding from FAPESP and South Africa's NRF for three years. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The project is coordinated by professor Giselly Barros of IFSP's São Paulo campus. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The project partners with professor Nthabiseng Motsemme of the University of Johannesburg. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Researchers from IFSP, Unifesp, Unila, UFBA and USP will participate in the project. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The research will study Black territories in Brazil (Brasilândia, Vale do Ribeira quilombola communities) and South Africa (traditional townships). (corroborated by 3 sources) - The project aims to produce scientific articles and educational materials such as a website, e‑book, documentary, theatrical play, pedagogical booklets and an online educational game. (corroborated by 3 sources) - A live presentation of the project will be streamed on IFSP's YouTube channel on 4 September at 17:00. (corroborated by 3 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-10: IFSP research project on Black territories approved for Brazil-South Africa cooperation The “Futuros Ubuntu” project will receive R$ 1.1 million to research ancestral knowledge and ecological justice in Black territories across Brazil and South Africa through a Fapesp-NRF partnership. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ifsp-research-project-on-black-territories-approved-for-brazil-south-africa-cooperation ### 2026-08-09: Fundo Baobá awards scholarships to Black students for study abroad Fundo Baobá’s Black STEM program has awarded R$ 42,000 scholarships to three Black Brazilian students for undergraduate studies in the UAE, Spain, and the US. 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fundo-baob-awards-stem-scholarships-to-black-brazilian-students ### 2026-08-07: IFSP research project on Black territories approved for Brazil-South Africa cooperation Brazil and South Africa launch a R$ 1.1 million joint research project on Black territories, while the Black STEM program awards scholarships to Brazilian students studying abroad. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/futuros-ubuntu-project-awarded-r11-million-for-brazilsouth-africa-study --- Cite as: Black academic and STEM support initiatives. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/black-academic-and-stem-support-initiatives