The African Training School on Green Chemistry and Environmental Sustainability (GreenChemAfrica) is a unique, week-long training school that takes place every spring at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Benguerir, Morocco. It offers participants from across the African continent a world-class educational experience designed to stay up to date with the latest advances in green chemistry and environmental sustainability.
The program welcomes passionate students, early-career researchers, and professionals from diverse African countries. Throughout the week, selected participants engage in lectures delivered by world-renowned scientists and industry experts, alongside interactive hands-on projects. The courses cover a wide range of topics in sustainable chemistry, including the use of renewable feedstocks and recycling, strategies for greening organic and inorganic synthesis, green processes and media, and the fundamentals of Life Cycle Assessment.
Beyond the scientific program, GreenChemAfrica fosters collaboration and community building. Participants have the opportunity to share their research, discuss real-life challenges related to chemistry, and engage in open sessions that encourage dialogue and networking. This immersive experience plays a pivotal role in nurturing life-long green chemistry champions dedicated to advancing sustainable practices across Africa.
Empowering Sustainable Chemistry Leaders
The objectives of the GreenChemAfrica are centered on cultivating a deep understanding and commitment to green chemistry among early career scientists and industrial professionals. The program aims to:
Learning Content
The courses at 3rd GreenChemAfrica 2026 encompass a broad range of topics in green chemistry, aimed at promoting sustainable practices in chemical sciences. Key areas include:
Introduction to Green Chemistry
Learning the fundamentals of green chemistry including the 12 guiding principles and their applications. The integration of green chemistry in innovation management and industrial settings will be overviewed with a focus on the concept of good environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.
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Renewable feedstock and recycling
Learning the potential of secondary resources as feedstock and deepening knowledge about to current practices of upcycling, downcycling, and reclaiming different types of biomasses and wastes into drop-in chemicals and building blocks.
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Greening organic synthesis
Learning the basics for sustainable organic synthesis pathways including use of benign catalysts, photochemistry, reactive and continuous polymer synthesis, supramolecular design and non-covalent divergent and convergent assembly.
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Greening inorganic synthesis
Getting insights and inventory of inorganic elements at risk and learning about the emerging technologies applied in sustainable inorganic chemistry spanning from sol-gel process, organic templating, chemical vapor deposition, low-temperature solid phase reactions, etc.
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Greening solvents and media
Learning the tools and metrics for solvent selection, and alternative green media such as bioderived solvents, ionic liquids, subcritical & supercritical fluids, etc., and their integration in clean processes and (bio)chemical pathways.
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Greening Processes
Learning the necessary skills, equipment, and techniques to analyze, measure, and optimize the design of clean (bio)chemical processes and potential alternatives including solvent-free processes, flow chemistry, intensification technologies, etc., toward integration in sustainable industrial settings.
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Life Cycle, Sustainability Assessments and modeling
Obtaining basic insights into Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) and Circular Economy such as the definition of relevant indicators, their collection, modeling, and processing for green chemical pathways from cradle to cradle.
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