The Irish-African Partnership is a network of people from thirteen partner universities.

The IAP's main governance body is the Executive Committee on which all 13 universities are represented along with Universities Ireland/Centre for Cross Border Studies.  The co-chairs of the Executive Committee are Professor Ronnie Munck and Professor Eli Katunguka-Rwakishaya. There is also an International Advisory Board, chaired by the former Irish Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Dick Spring, which meets annually to give strategic guidance to the IAP. The project director is Dr Niamh Gaynor.