2020 Annual Report

2020 was the first year of operation for the Institute for the Future of Knowledge (IFK).
This was not an easy year in which to open a new institute. Yet the events that shook
the world spoke to the reasons for establishing the IFK. 2020 highlighted the
mismatch between our accumulating knowledge and our persistent failure to be
ready for future events, even when they are not only predictable, but predicted. The
IFK found itself internationally prominent for asking whether the consequences of
measures designed in the Global North would be fair and effective in Africa. In
between these moments of exposure, we reflected on how to refine our broad
mandate. This led to the Vision and Mission in this Report, and to the formulation of
five research groups, around which the work if the IFK has coalesced.