African leaders, higher education institutions, governments, industry, and development partners have called for significant reforms in the continent's higher education system. The call was made in Accra, Ghana, during the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening hosted by the Mastercard Foundation. The gathering brought together representatives of higher education institutions, the African Union, government ministries, financial institutions, industry, and young people to discuss ways to unlock Africa's human capital and economic potential.
Participants identified several key areas that require change, including curriculum reform, stronger private-sector partnerships, development of skills for emerging technologies, improved research capacity, and greater mobility of students and academics across borders. They emphasized that African universities must evolve beyond their traditional roles to become stronger drivers of research, innovation, employment, and economic development. This transformation is critical to equip more young Africans to learn, earn, and lead.
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mastercard Foundation, Sewit Ahderom, highlighted the need for higher education transformation to be measured by its wider impact on young people and the economy. She emphasized that curricula should be developed in collaboration with employers to ensure that what students learn reflects labour-market needs. Qualifications should demonstrate what graduates can do rather than simply how long they spend in school.
The discussions also focused on directing research, innovation, and skills development towards areas where Africa has strategic comparative advantage and the greatest potential for impact. Participants stressed the need to strengthen partnerships between universities and the private sector to align talent development and applied research with changing workforce requirements. They also called for the experiences and aspirations of young people to be incorporated into decisions affecting education, employment, and opportunities.
Executive Director of Higher Education and Strategic Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation, Dr. John Nkengasong, described higher education transformation as an economic imperative requiring governments, universities, industry, investors, and development partners to work together. He emphasized that no one institution can achieve this transformation alone, but through partnerships, it is achievable. The discussions are aligned with the African Union's Decade of Education and Skills Development (2025-2034).
The African Union's Director of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Saidou Madougou, noted that Africa's higher education spending averages less than 0.8 per cent of GDP, while research and development receives less than 0.5 per cent of national budgets. He called for stronger collaboration among African universities, greater faculty and student mobility, and systems that would allow talent, knowledge, and innovation to move more freely across borders.
The inaugural Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize was awarded to five institutions for their efforts in transforming teaching and learning, research and innovation, student transitions to employment, and health outcomes. The 2026 laureates are Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE), Burkina Faso; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana; Muni University, Uganda; and University of Rwanda. Each winning institution will receive $3 million to scale initiatives aimed at expanding education opportunities for young people across the continent.
Key points
- African leaders call for far-reaching reforms in the continent's higher education system to unlock Africa's human capital and economic potential.
- The Mastercard Foundation's $500 million commitment aims to recognise at least 150 institutions across Africa over the next decade.
- The AHEFT Prize awarded five institutions for their efforts in transforming teaching and learning, research and innovation, student transitions to employment, and health outcomes.
