African higher education leaders have called for a common vision to transform universities into stronger drivers of human capital development, innovation, research and economic growth across the continent.
The call was made at the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra, hosted by the Mastercard Foundation under the theme, “Reimagining Higher Education for Africa’s Human Capital Development.”
The meeting brought together universities, the African Union, government ministries, financial institutions, industry, development partners and young people to discuss reforms aimed at making higher education more responsive to Africa’s development needs.
Universities Must Meet Economic Needs
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mastercard Foundation, Sewit Ahderom, said transforming higher education required universities to align their curricula with the needs of employers and national economies.
She said institutions must equip graduates with relevant skills, develop credentials that reflect competencies and prepare young Africans to lead in emerging technologies.
Ms Ahderom also called for stronger collaboration among universities, industry and governments to ensure that academic research moves beyond campuses to support enterprise development, job creation and community development.
Dr John Nkengasong, Executive Director of Higher Education and Strategic Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation, described Africa’s growing youth population as an opportunity that required universities to develop and retain talent.
He said transforming higher education should be treated as an economic imperative requiring cooperation among governments, universities, businesses, investors and development partners.
AU Pushes Continental Collaboration
Professor Saidou Madougou, Director of the African Union Department of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, said the AU’s Decade of Education and Skills Development, 2025–2034, required stronger education systems and skills aligned with Africa’s development priorities.
He called for increased collaboration among African universities, greater faculty and student mobility and systems that allow knowledge, talent and innovation to move more easily across borders.
KNUST Among Five Universities Honoured
The convening also featured the inaugural Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, which recognised five institutions for sustained transformation in teaching, research, innovation and graduate employment.
Ghana’s Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) was named among the inaugural laureates alongside Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering in Burkina Faso, Muni University in Uganda and the University of Rwanda.
Backed by a US$500 million commitment, the initiative is expected to recognise at least 150 African institutions over the next decade, with each winning institution receiving US$3 million to expand its transformation initiatives.
Participants ultimately called for the commitments made at the gathering to be translated into practical action, particularly by strengthening the links between education, employment, research and investment.
