The CBU has been recognized as a centre of excellence under the Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence Project (ACE II), which is an initiative of the World Bank in collaboration with the Governments of Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The aim of this project is to establish and strengthen specialization and collaboration among a network of selected higher education institutions across the sub-region. These institutions are designated as African Centres of Excellence (ACEs). The CBU has been selected by the World Bank to be the Africa Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Mining (CBU ACESM). CBU ACESM will focus on delivering excellence in education, training, and research in five thematic areas identified as strategic to improving the sustainability of the mining industry in Zambia and beyond. CBU also leads a consortium involved in training of tutors in astronomy, commonly known as AstroLab, which aims to build capacity for emerging universities in the introduction of astronomy teaching and research under the funding from the International Astronomical Union (IAU) through the Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD). Another related project is the Development of Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) project involving SKA Africa partner countries which aims to build capacity in SKA Africa partner countries in readiness for the implementation of the SKA project. It involves basic training in radio astronomy as well as advanced training in astrophysics and big data. The Copperbelt is now participating actively in the PAPSSN Project. 
The Department of Physics at CBU offers a 2-year MSc programme with taught and research components, one year apiece and a 3-year PhD by research with specializations that include astronomy/astrophysics, computational physics, theoretical physics, nuclear physics, condensed mater physics. The Department has recently proposed a new MSc in Astrophysics which will have online resources developed in partnership with the International Virtual Observatory Alliance (IVOA) and the Office of Astronomy for Development. This MSc programme shall be available to universities in the region for adapting into their offerings.

Role in the project
WP4: CBU staff will contribute in all the activities of the WP.
WP5: CBU will participate in the organization of the mobility programme bringing the experience from PAPSSN mobility.
WP7: CBU will be the main beneficiary of the WP7 activities, capitalizing on the large network in PSST the team will lead the activities in T7.1 and 7.2 in collaboration with local experts in the other countries and institutions including the IAU-ODA and Southern African Region Office of Astronomy for Development. CBU will be assisted in this by colleagues from other institutions and specially experts from SANSA.