January 2026
Designing FutureReady Universities: Sub-Saharan Africa
Forward At the University Design Institute (UDI), we believe deeply in the potential of universities when they are closely connected to the social and economic needs of the communities they serve and confident in their role in shaping the future. Across Africa, universities are not only centers of learning and research; they are employers, conveners, cultural stewards, and anchors of opportunity. They also stand at a pivotal moment in the continent’s higher education journey. The scale of demographic change, the pace of technological disruption, and the urgency of social, economic, and climate transformation are converging in ways that call for more than incremental reform. At UDI, we see this as a “yes, and” moment. Yes, universities across the continent must continue to address long-standing challenges related to access and quality, and they are also being invited to help shape the future of work, knowledge, and society itself. There is tremendous possibility in this moment, alongside real pressure, because how African universities respond will matter not only for their students and surrounding communities, but for the continent and the world. But what does this look like in practice? It cannot rely on models of the past. Legacy frameworks and structures are not designed for the forces reshaping African societies and economies today. Nor can transformation depend on adapting models developed elsewhere without regard for local context. A thriving African higher education system must be rooted in local values, histories, and purpose; responsive to global trends while leading from its own realities, strengths, and aspirations. The Future Ready Universities Report that follows is informed by a series of UDI-led design conversations convened to surface shared questions, emerging patterns, and areas of opportunity across African higher education. Rather than offering a single blueprint for change, this report invites reflection and collective action. Our approach - Reimagining, Redesigning, and Rebuilding - centers on co-design, experimentation, learning, and scaling, so institutions are supported in charting their own paths forward. We hope this report is both grounding and generative, and that it sparks dialogue, partnership, and shared ownership of transformation that advances African higher education systems rooted in dignity, resilience, and possibility.
About this Engagement In September 2025, UDI, on behalf of Arizona State University, convened expert partners at the ASU Barrett O’Connor Center in Washington, D.C. to explore innovative and scalable approaches to strengthening access, quality, and relevance in African higher education. Through a series of design working sessions, participants examined opportunities across workforce development, partnership models, AI and digital transformation, access and inclusion, and leadership development. In October 2025, UDI brought together a broader group of higher education stakeholders - including university leaders, government representatives, funders, community partners, NGOs, and associations - for in-person and virtual design sessions in Accra, Ghana. These dialogues focused on advancing future-ready African universities through collaboration, innovation, and context-driven transformation. Three insights emerged across these engagements: African universities are already building strong foundations for change; collaboration across institutions and sectors is essential for progress; and the most resilient futures will be shaped by universities that are African-led, locally grounded, and globally connected. 1
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
— African Proverb
Introduction Globally, higher education is facing immense pressure to evolve into more innovative, adaptable, resilient and relevant models that better serve learners, communities and workforce needs. Nowhere is the urgency to transform more acute - or the opportunity to do so more alive - than in Africa. The continent is brimming with youthful energy, digital ingenuity, cultural vibrancy and a deep well of human resilience. Yet the continent is also carrying a heavy load: a rapidly approaching youth bulge; connectivity gaps widening and further exasperating inequality gaps; persistent concerns about the ability of the system to expand and scale pathways into higher education and prepare agile graduates for the future workforce. And last but certainly not least, there is a growing expectation that African young people will shoulder the responsibility of solving complex global challenges, from climate change to food sustainability to future pandemics. Amid these healthy tensions sits a defining question: Can Africa’s universities redesign themselves fast enough to prepare not just graduates for the future, but the people who will be asked to shape it? Incremental change will not be sufficient. Africa’s higher-education transformation demands adaptive, complex systems change. A reimagining of how universities operate, who they serve, and what role they play in building innovative, adaptable, resilient, and inclusive societies. It calls for all of us - universities, policy makers, funders, industry, students - to shift from inspiring aspirations and isolated initiatives to intentional alignment and collaborative ownership. The gravity and incredible possibility of this moment led the University Design Institute, on behalf of Arizona State University, to convene stakeholders from the African diaspora and across the continent to explore what future ready universities in Sub-Saharan Africa could look like. Across these convenings, a powerful consensus emerged: Africa is ready to lead its own higher-education future - one that is authentically African, globally connected, and anchored in service to society. The groundwork for transformation already exists and now it’s time for us to build together.
2
The State of Sub-Saharan African Higher Education African universities carry the untapped potential — and responsibility — to shape the world’s future workforce, yet they operate within systems that are not serving the needs of today’s populations let alone prepared for the demographic realities ahead. Despite a rapid expansion in the number of institutions — from 1,225 in 2020 to more than 2,000 in 2023 —higher education remains accessible to only a sliver of the population. Tertiary enrollment in Sub-Saharan Africa has significantly lower tertiary enrollment rates than the global average of 39 percent and and only 6 percent of tertiary-age youth complete a degree, according to UNESCO. Meanwhile, demographic pressures are intensifying. More than 60 percent of Africans are under 25, and the population will reach 2.5 billion by 2050. By 2035, more young Africans will enter the workforce each year than in the rest of the world combined. If universities cannot absorb and prepare this generation, the demographic dividend risks becoming a demographic fracture. But the challenge extends beyond access. The rapid expansion of higher education institutions without sufficient resources and human capital has led to sub-optimal quality. Too few graduates are ready for secure, meaningful work, and too little university research addresses local or regional priorities. University-industry collaboration remains weak, depriving economies of the innovation, problemsolving, and talent pipelines they urgently need. And while technology offers opportunities to serve new populations and further personalize learning, it also runs the risk of deepening inequalities, accelerating a system where only the digitally connected benefit and everyone else falls further behind. This is not only Africa’s challenge; it is the world’s. The future global workforce will be overwhelmingly African. Unlocking the potential of African universities — through systems that scale and align with the economic and social needs of their communities — is essential for shared global prosperity.
9 percent of African youth enroll in higher education, compared to global average of 39 percent. (UNESCO 2024 Research)
3
11 million
youth entering labor market annually but over 40 percent lack skills required for employment (UNESCO 2024 Research)
39 percent
71.7 percent
0 countries
of Sub-Saharan Africans have reliable Internet access
of young adult workers are in a form of work deemed “insecure” (WEF 2023)
in Africa score above 50% on university-industry collaboration (WEF 2023 Research)
Why Transformation Stalls:
Perspectives from Higher Education leaders across Africa There are obstacles slowing systemic change. The barriers are familiar yet persistent and signal the need for deeper redesign. Perspectives on several of these barriers were shared throughout conversations with African higher education constituents and partners. Policy misalignment “Some of the best universities on our continent can’t even change a single module descriptor without sending it back to the regulator … We still have regulators counting textbooks on shelves while we’re trying to offer programs online.” National frameworks rarely keep pace with institutional innovation. This friction creates a persistent drag on reform-minded institutions. Others described the need for regulators to shift from punitive to developmental roles, enabling universities to experiment, adapt, and respond to rapidly changing labor market and technological needs. Digital inequity “We talk about digital transformation, but some institutions can’t afford stable power, let alone proper connectivity.” Connectivity gaps, unreliable power, and the high cost of devices continue to restrict participation for rural and marginalized learners. Even where infrastructure exists, digital literacy and localized content often lag behind, creating a digital divide within the digital divide and limiting equitable access to opportunity.
Weak university–industry–government linkages “How can universities participate in the growth of industry in Africa - not just partner on the supply side?” Institutions often lack tested models for codeveloping curricula and talent pipelines with employers and policymakers. Too many partnerships remain episodic, transactional, or dependent on external factors rather than co-owned and sustained. Without deeper, long-term collaboration, universities struggle to align programs with evolving labor markets or create the experiential learning opportunities that make graduates truly “future-fit.” Fragmentation and competition “We always aspire to work with others … but when we get back to base, something changes. We can be a little bit territorial. The real, genuine, impactful collaboration — something gets stuck there.” A “territorial instinct” often pits institutions against one another when collaboration could yield far greater impact. The absence of shared platforms, joint programs, and coordinated policy advocacy weakens collective influence across the sector and slows the pace at which promising innovations can scale.
Cultural inertia “The traditional ‘business as usual’ approach to higher education is no longer sufficient… yet we keep returning to it.”
Chronic underfunding “So much of what we do depends on donor cycles. When the funding ends, the innovation ends. It’s not sustainable.”
Entrenched norms and reward systems discourage innovation, applied research, and community engagement. Promotion pathways still privilege publication over problem-solving, reinforcing distance between universities and societal needs. Even when new models are piloted, institutions still slip back into familiar patterns, making it difficult to sustain momentum for change at scale.
Dependence on external donors and limited domestic investment leave institutions vulnerable and reactive rather than strategic. Without predictable, diversified funding models, universities struggle to plan long term, sustain research, or invest in the digital and physical infrastructure needed to serve rapidly growing student populations. 4
African universities not universities in Africa
5
A Shared Vision for the Future Throughout our convenings, an idea echoed louder than all others: African universities must evolve from being universities in Africa to African universities shaping the world. This distinction was exciting and profound. Future-ready African universities will be confident in their identity, rooted in African values such as Ubuntu — “I am because we are” — and guided by a conviction that knowledge must serve human dignity and community well-being. These aspirations are not theoretical or abstract. They are grounded in very real ambitions. The emerging portrait is of a university ecosystem that is relevant, networked, inclusive, entrepreneurial and distinctly African.
Self-determination and ownership of knowledge African universities will innovate, produce research and develop content grounded in their own realities, advancing intellectual and scientific sovereignty rather than replicating external models.
Collaboration and student mobility The next frontier for Africa universities lies in joint degrees, shared accreditation, student / faculty mobility and inter-university networks that drive unity and shared purpose.
Relevance and employability Future-ready African universities will link learning more tightly to labor markets and foster work-based, entrepreneurial, and hybrid pathways that equip graduates to adapt across careers.
Universities as community anchors Future-ready African universities will act as civic and innovation hubs: spaces where families, small businesses, and governments come together to solve community problems.
Technology and inclusion Digitally-enabled, modular and AI-informed ecosystems will expand access for all learners, especially those historically excluded including women, rural populations, displaced learners and differently-abled students.
Youth as co-designers of Africa’s future Africa’s growing youth population is the continent’s greatest advantage. Futureready African universities will nurture creativity, soft skills, and lifelong learning as the currency of employability.
6
Emerging ecosystems: African higher education Africa’s higher education ecosystem is not starting from zero. Pilots are underway, prototypes are emerging, and pockets of innovation are taking root in nearly every region, demonstrating the continent’s readiness to move from isolated experimentation to shared systems of excellence. These models are already emerging in universities from Rwanda to South Africa to Ghana and in many more across the continent. The opportunity in front of us is to understand, learn from and weave these local innovations together so they can be deployed in contextualized, scalable ways that enable learners and communities to thrive.
7
Models to watch and design to scale: Academic pathways from secondary schools to TVETs, universities and the workforce that increase access and student success.
Stackable, modular credentials that allow learners to enter, pause, and re-enter education throughout life.
Industry-linked programming and apprenticeships that make learning directly relevant to employment.
Open, interoperable digital ecosystems that allow content, credentials, and analytics to be shared across institutions.
Soft-skills embedded in every university learning program to strengthen communication, creativity, teamwork, and adaptability.
Universities as community innovation hubs, where research translates into local impact —helping small enterprises, public agencies, and civic organizations solve real problems.
8
Transformation Questions for Consideration Transformation starts not with technical solutions such as new plans or platforms, but with new ways of seeing ourselves and the systems in which we operate. Too often, higher education transformation is framed through the language of business optimization: scaling faster, managing risk, maximizing returns. While these considerations are important, they ignore a fundamental truth: universities are living systems. Planting seeds of change in higher education is quite similar to planting seeds in a garden - growth depends far more on the environment in which seeds are planted rather than the seeds themselves. In the African higher education context, universities are deeply embedded in local realities and social contracts. Nurturing and cultivating meaningful change is therefore more likely to succeed when leaders begin with grounding questions about resilience and renewal. These questions invite those leading higher education change initiatives to move beyond designing for business optimization and instead design for change that can take root and thrive within the system. These prompts encourage reflection not only on what must change, but also on where change will take root, who must tend to it and how the system can adapt to shifting conditions while remaining anchored in shared purpose. They are intended not as a checklist but as starting points for ongoing dialogue, learning and collaboration considerations as African higher education is reimagined, redesigned and rebuilt toward a futureready state.
“We can't impose our will on a system. We can listen to what the system tells us, and discover how its properties and our values can work together to bring forth something much better than could ever be produced by our will alone.” ― Donella H. Meadows, Thinking In Systems: A Primer
9
What is the soil like where the change will grow?
Context is everything. Africa’s higher-education systems exist within dynamic political, economic, and cultural environments across the continent and within each country. Policies that succeed in Kenya may fail in Ghana if they ignore local governance realities or student demographics. There must be awareness of and respect for the cultural differences and contextual nuances that must be attended to, allowing the system to bend to innovations of policy and practice rather than break under it. As the African proverb says, “The wind does not break a tree that bends.”
What seeds do we hold that could take root in this soil?
As universities are pressured to be more externally driven, aligning programming with workforce and national economic priorities, they cannot forget to also look inward and recognize their own assets, limitations, and distinctive roles. Every institution has unique forms of capital: local trust, alumni networks, convening power, or deep disciplinary expertise. Understanding and mobilizing these strengths builds resilience and agency. As one African rector put it, “Transformation starts the moment we stop waiting for permission.”
Which other growers must join us to cultivate a stronger, more resilient garden?
Complex challenges cannot be solved by universities alone. Governments, funders, entrepreneurs, industry and youth must co-own transformation. Systems thinking can help us identify the leverage points that require collective energy, such as policy incentives, public-private partnerships, and cross-institutional alliances. The Swahili term of Harambee — pulling together for shared gain — is an important reminder of the ripple effects we can prompt across the catalyze and sustain change.
How do we help the garden adapt to changing seasons and unexpected weather?
Transformation is iterative. Universities must be learning organizations themselves, not just institutions of learning for others. They must build the muscle and the culture for testing, reflecting, and refining strategies. Adaptive leadership means celebrating small wins, sharing failures as learning opportunities, and continuously reflecting on and updating assumptions. As identified by one African vice chancellor, “My contribution is to provide a still-open-to-change framework that others can adapt and re-use.”
Are the hands tending the garden prepared to cultivate its future?
Systems don’t change; people do. Faculty, students, and administrators are the living infrastructure of the current system and the seeds of transformation. New frameworks, technological innovations and policy reforms matter, but sustainability begins with people who can imagine new concepts, catalyze ideas and form new solutions, guided by principles that create positive change on the continent. This is the human heartbeat of system change.
10
Designing the African University of tomorrow Africa’s higher-education transformation depends on collaboration, contextual relevance, and courageous redesign — leveraging talent, trust, and technology to move from fragmented initiatives to systemic, scalable innovation. As the proverb reminds us, “a single bracelet does not jingle.” Transformation requires many hands moving together. It must be co-designed and co-owned by the actors who hold vital roles in accelerating and sustaining new models for innovative, adaptable and resilient African universities: • Governments must create policy environments that reward innovation and inclusivity. • Universities must model transparency, agility, and collaboration. • Industry partners must engage in curriculum design, internships, and applied research. • Funders and multilaterals must support experimentation and knowledge sharing, not just infrastructure. • Students and communities must be seen as co-creators of knowledge, not passive recipients. The sentiment we have heard from these stakeholders over the past year blends optimism and realism. They can see the clear paths forward but transformative systems change is ambitious and complicated. However their collective ability to influence change is clear, as recognized in the Ethiopian proverb:
“When spiders unite, they can tie up a lion.” When — not if — Africa succeeds in reimagining its universities, it will not only expand access, increase employment or improve communities. It will redefine what higher education means for the world: learning that is inclusive, adaptive, and anchored in humanity. 11
Moving from Reimagining to Rebuilding Six priority areas central to thriving, future-ready African universities emerged consistently across key stakeholder groups. African universities and the systems in which they sit are at various stages of reimagining, redesigning and rebuilding themselves. Six priority areas have repeatedly emerged as these universities shift away from being ivory towers and towards living learning systems that are adaptive, interconnected and deeply human.
Access and Inclusion
Partnership Models
Workforce Development
Data and Research
AI and Digital Transformation
Higher Education Leadership Development
12
Access and Inclusion How can future-ready African universities better support the communities it serves by addressing the systematic barriers that limit participation, particularly for marginalized and underserved populations? Expanding access to higher education requires innovative models that increase capacity, ensure quality, and promote equity so that every learner —regardless of geography, gender, ability or income — has the opportunity to learn, earn and add value to their community. Spotlight: Across the continent, growing attention to higher education is creating new space to rethink how access and inclusion are defined and pursued. In many contexts, governments are not only expanding participation, but also reexamining how universities can contribute more directly to community well-being, employability, and locally grounded innovation. This shift reflects a broader move away from insular academic models toward universities that are more responsive to the societies they serve. Efforts such as the African Union’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa are helping create shared reference points for quality, mobility, and skills development. A country-level example is the Kresge Foundation’s Siyaphumelela (“We Succeed”) Initiative that aims to broaden evidence-based postsecondary student success strategies throughout South Africa.. By encouraging alignment around inclusive policy frameworks, evidence-informed reform, and regional collaboration, these initiatives support institutions and governments in expanding access while strengthening relevance and trust across 13 systems.
Universities leading in this space are tackling systemic barriers to participation and ensuring equitable expansion of higher education.
• • • •
There is momentum to expand access and diversify participation in higher education.
• •
•
There is an urgency to scale access while maintaining quality and equity.
•
• •
Look for opportunities that expand reach and equity in higher education.
• • •
Expanding physical capacity by adding classrooms, living spaces, and faculty pipelines. Exploring public–private partnerships and subsidizing private universities to rapidly scale access. Adapting successful global models to build local capacity. Including quality assurance mechanisms to maintain workforce readiness while scaling enrollment. Building on demographic shifts and the growing demand for education in countries like Nigeria and South Africa. Drawing lessons from global models - such as Brazil’s rapid PhD expansion and Turkey’s scholarship programs - to inform scalable solutions. Harnessing public interest in equity and inclusion to advocate for policies that expand physical capacity and faculty pipelines.
Expanding physical infrastructure, faculty pipelines, student housing and digital learning opportunities to scale access and meet the demands of population growth. Incentivizing private sector participation and partnerships to quickly increase capacity. Embedding equity goals to ensure women and underrepresented groups are fully included in leadership and decision-making roles. Partnering with private organizations and investors to rapidly scale teaching capacity. Working with governments to develop scholarship programs and faculty pipelines that improve representation and participation. Collaborating with global organizations to adapt proven models for expanding access.
14
Workforce Development How might future-ready African universities nurture student success throughout the lifelong educational journey by better aligning higher education with the evolving demands of local and global labor markets? Universities must align with workforce needs, remove barriers to student success and deliver locally relevant, adaptive education models.
Spotlight: Workforce-aligned education models are showing how higher education can better support student success by connecting learning more directly to employment and community needs. Kepler College offers one such example through its competency-based programs, bridge pathways, and strong partnerships with local employers. By emphasizing transferable skills, professional competencies, and project-based learning grounded in real workplace challenges, Kepler supports learners in transitioning from secondary education into meaningful work while remaining responsive to local labor market realities. This approach illustrates how flexible pathways and employer-informed design can strengthen employability, character, and long-term adaptability for graduates.
15
A more student-centered approach could increase pathways into universities and onto employment.
• • •
There is a growing awareness that university curriculum must be better aligned with workforce demands.
• • •
•
Universities must produce graduates better aligned with national economic priorities and labor market needs.
• • •
•
Connecting universities with employers, professional networks and government are an important place to start.
• •
• •
Developing financial models that make education more accessible and improve completion rates. Using real-time data and evaluation to monitor student progress and adjust programs before completion. Strengthening university career services that link students with industry needs through advising, internships, and stronger employer partnerships. Drawing on TVET systems and professional programs (e.g., law, business, medicine) as models for producing skilled graduates. Engaging industry and professional societies to shape curricula and create stronger ties between education and labor markets. Embedding multidisciplinary, project-based learning that addresses local community challenges and fosters applied problem-solving skills. Developing micro-credentials and non-credit programming to upskill and reskill learners. Ensuring university strategic plans and investments address national economic development needs. Using an “outside in” approach to establishing new academic programs, partnerships, and marketrelevant research priorities. Building collaborative engagement models for TVETs, universities, industry and government to identify and address evolving labor market demands. Evolving quality assurance systems to focus on student outcomes. Engaging employers and professional societies to co-design curricula and ensure programs prepare students for real labor market demands. Creating college or discipline-specific advisory groups to ensure outside-in perspectives are readily available to shape learning and research priorities. Building relationships with policymakers to influence national workforce strategies and align higher education outputs with economic priorities. Advancing professional development programs in line with requirements from professional associations for their members to maintain active status. 16
AI and Digital Transformation How might future-ready African universities leverage technology innovations to expand access, enhance teaching and learning, streamline administration and connect institutions across geographies? Digital transformation must be intentionally designed and led by universities to build capacity, expand inclusion and ensure technology serves as a catalyst for equitable growth. Spotlight: Digital momentum is creating new possibilities for how universities expand access and strengthen resilience. While the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated adoption of online and hybrid learning, the more enduring progress has come from initiatives that focus on building long-term institutional resilience rather than short-term solutions. Collaborative efforts such as the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Network e-Learning Initiative illustrate how codesigned, multi-institution approaches can support universities to develop enabling policies, shared practices, and foundational infrastructure for scalable and sustainable online education. By centering local leadership, strengthening trust in digital learning, and investing in the conditions that allow institutions to learn and work together, these efforts are helping digital transformation take root in ways that are inclusive, durable, and responsive to diverse contexts. 17
AI and digital tools are transforming education, research and administration.
• • • • •
Policy must be addressed at multiple levels to ensure principled use of technology.
• • •
It is critical to accelerate digital adoption and AI integration across education systems.
•
• •
Partnerships that build capacity for digital adoption and innovation are a useful place to start.
• • • •
Growing use of online platforms, hybrid models, and e-learning to expand reach and flexibility for diverse learners. Integrating digital literacy into undergraduate education and enabling research-level AI applications. Training faculty and students to use AI responsibly and effectively. Collaborating with global experts to review and modernize curricula. Leveraging interest in GenAI as a starting point for structured, system-wide adoption. Developing national and institutional policies for data governance, privacy, and AI ethics. Creating university policies that address trust, privacy, and data governance while supporting offline AI solutions. Establishing policy guidance for faculty and students to ensure technology and AI is used to improve teaching and learning. Investing in foundational digital infrastructure— power, connectivity, and affordable access—while fostering offline and locally relevant solutions that broaden reach in low-connectivity settings. Positioning universities as hubs for digital capacity building, supporting both higher education and secondary school ecosystems. Strengthening the enabling environment for digital and AI innovation by accelerating institutional readiness, rebuilding trust through academicintegrity safeguards, and improving procurement, funding, and talent pathways so locally built EdTech solutions can scale. Collaborating with governments to shape national policies on data governance, privacy, and AI ethics. Partnering with global technology providers and research institutions to bring cutting-edge digital tools to African universities. Connecting to established local and regional EdTech ecosystems to ensure solutions address Africa-specific needs. Engaging local communities and secondary schools to ensure digital literacy and AI adoption are inclusive and sustainable. 18
Partnership Models How might future-ready African universities utilize and benefit from partnerships and collaboration models to amplify institutional impact and resilience? Strong partnerships drive institutional impact by aligning goals, fostering shared ownership and connecting local and global expertise.
Spotlight: Across the continent, collaborative networks are demonstrating how shared ownership and collective action can strengthen universities in ways no single institution could achieve alone. Alliances such as ARUA, ADEA, CARTA, the Education Collaborative at Ashesi University, and the Alliance for African Partnership show how trust-based collaboration can support joint research, faculty development, shared infrastructure, and cross-institutional learning. These models emphasize reciprocity, experimentation, and long-term relationship-building, creating space for institutions to learn from one another, pool resources, and grow capacity together while remaining grounded in local priorities.
19
Partnerships that are flexible, inclusive and sustainable are important.
• • •
There is a desire to create stronger collaboration and a willingness to engage across sectors.
• • • • •
There are opportunities to deepen and diversify partnerships for greater impact.
• •
•
Start with what is working.
•
•
•
Listening to partners and adapting approaches to create mutually beneficial relationships. Establishing shared governance structures, clear commitments, and exit strategies to ensure continuity and avoid dependency. Connecting local and global expertise to reduce costs and expand access through open-source and community-based models. Building on existing networks that already connect universities, governments, and industry partners. Using open-source and community-based partnership models that value diverse expertise. Leveraging networks to convene stakeholders and co-create shared value. Strengthening networks and regional hubs that enable joint degrees, shared degrees and academic mobility. Creating the conditions that turn competition into collaboration, resulting in shared learning and scaling excellence, is a critical role particularly for national and regional vice chancellors. Using “sandbox” pilots to test collaboration before scaling, building trust and alignment. Creating governance structures and shared investment strategies that ensure long-term sustainability and independence from single donors. Engaging adjunct or visiting faculty from industry to enhance real-world learning, deepen industry partnerships, and expand pathways to internships and employment. Performing an inventory of existing partners and assessing which are flourishing provides important insights into where and with whom impact is being realized. Identifying opportunities to more deeply engage with existing networks and collaborators can accelerate impact while limiting new resource investment. Building university infrastructure to support strategic partnership management can amplify efforts with existing partners and identify opportunities to engage new ones. 20
Data and Research How might future-ready African universities better utilize data and collaboration models with universities and across industries to do use-inspired research that address critical national, continental and global challenges? Strengthening data and research ecosystems is essential for African universities to become engines of innovation and problem solving. Spotlight: Rwanda offers an emerging example of how higher education data can be used to strengthen quality, accountability, and system learning. Through the Higher Education Council, Rwanda has developed shared data systems that support accreditation, institutional self-assessment, and continuous quality improvement across universities. Rather than relying on one-time evaluations, institutions use standardized data on programs, faculty, student outcomes, and research activity to reflect on performance and identify areas for support and development. This approach demonstrates how transparent, interoperable data systems - paired with peer review and capacity-building - can help universities align academic quality with labor market needs and national development goals while fostering a culture of evidence-informed improvement. 21
Effective approaches for building impactful data and research ecosystems exist.
• • • •
Universities and partners across the continent bring notable assets to this work.
• • • •
There is strong momentum to build more coherent, impactful research and data ecosystems.
• • • •
Universities, governments and partners can take practical early steps.
• • • • •
Using integrated data systems and dashboards to monitor student success, graduate outcomes, and program quality. Leveraging collaborative research networks (e.g., ARUA, CARTA, RSIF) to pool expertise and address shared challenges. Embedding interdisciplinary, community-engaged approaches that link research to real-world needs. Implementing responsible data governance frameworks that support privacy, comparability, and open access. Growing research networks, centres of excellence, and shared labs that connect institutions across countries. Increasing demand from governments and funders for evidence-based policy and data-driven planning. Faculty and student interest in producing research aligned with local development priorities. Early adoption of tools for outcome tracking, institutional data systems, and digital research platforms. Creating Afro-centric data systems that guide national policy, workforce planning, and equity efforts. Scaling interdisciplinary research on climate, health, agriculture, digital transformation, and governance. Strengthening South–South collaboration through shared research agendas and joint doctoral programs. Expanding research-to-policy pathways that turn evidence into action across ministries and industries. Building foundational data standards, governance policies, and interoperable student information systems. Joining or strengthening participation in existing African research networks and consortia. Co-creating research priorities with government, industry, and community partners. Incentivizing applied research, innovation, and community impact through updated recognition and promotion systems. Learning from others - such as the burgeoning Africa fintech industry - to examine how others have increased access at scale. 22
Higher Education Leadership Development How might future-ready African universities build capacity and foster a culture that empowers administrative and academic leaders to make decisions and influence change? Transforming higher education leadership requires flexible mindsets, distributed change strategies, and visible examples of innovation.
Spotlight: Across the continent, leadership development initiatives are helping universities build the collective capacity needed to navigate complexity and drive change from within. Programs such as regional leadership fellowships, executive education partnerships, and peer learning networks create space for vice-chancellors, deans, and emerging leaders to share experiences, test new approaches, and learn from institutional reform efforts across contexts. One example is South Africa’s Higher Education Leadership and Management (HELM) Programme, implemented by Universities South Africa as part of the University Capacity Development Programme, which has evolved from a focus on senior executives to supporting leadership and management development across multiple levels of the university system. Together, these efforts emphasize leadership as a shared and learnable capability— strengthening adaptability, trust, and decision-making— rather than as the responsibility of a single role.
23
Leadership capacity is critical for driving institutional transformation.
•
• •
Institutions should consider leadership development as a critical driver of institutional transformation.
•
• •
Cross-institutional and crosssector collaboration are particularly important.
• • •
Leverage existing partners and your people to catalyze change.
• • •
Combining top-down, bottom-up, and middle-out strategies to catalyze institutional transformation, and recognizing the unique challenges that exist when university leaders are political appointees. Fostering openness and flexibility among leaders to embrace innovation and change. Using internal leadership development programs and pilot projects to showcase and replicate successful models. Creating emerging leader and university executive development programs focused on innovation, change management, and future-focused governance. Showcasing successful institutional transformations to inspire peer institutions and catalyze bottom-up and middle-out change. Including university boards and government leaders in leadership development initiatives to build shared mindsets and accelerate systemwide cultural and governance shifts. Partnering with donors and international organizations to fund leadership development initiatives. Creating regional peer networks where higher education leaders can share experiences and mentor one another. Working with executive education providers to co-design programs that prepare leaders for governance, innovation, and institutional transformation. Using pilot initiatives and new models as springboards for demonstrating what transformation can look like. Leveraging donors’ and partners’ interest in leadership capacity-building programs. Sharing institutional success stories to inspire peer learning and encourage adoption of innovative practices.
24
Conclusion African higher education operates within a complex environment, shaped by regulation, limited resources, and long-standing structural challenges. Yet across the continent, there is clear momentum. Universities are experimenting with new models, collaborating across institutions and sectors, and embracing digital and pedagogical innovation. These signals suggest not only progress, but a growing readiness for deeper, system-level redesign for resilience. Transformation, however, must be cultivated with care. Persistent barriers - including cultural inertia, policy lags, and inequities in access - continue to affect how quickly new ideas can take root. Without contextualized solutions and sustained investment in infrastructure, affordability, leadership capacity, and long-term viability, even the most promising innovations risk remaining isolated pilots rather than becoming shared, scalable systems of practice. Despite these realities, there is strong determination and momentum among African university leaders to nurture change together. There is a shared conviction that Africa needs African universities: institutions that are self-determined, locally grounded, and globally connected. African universities that share resources, learn from one another and invest in leadership, data, and adaptive capacity create fertile ground for innovation that endures. This strengthens learner employability, expands pathways into meaningful work, and supports inclusive economic growth. The seeds of transformation have already been planted, from employability pathways and digital learning models to leadership networks and regional research collaborations. The work ahead is to tend these efforts collectively, allowing them to grow, adapt, and scale in ways that reflect local contexts and shared purpose. The good news is this work has already begun.
Change is possible when we work together.
25
Acknowledgements UDI’s Future-Ready Universities work reaffirmed what we have believed from the start: change is possible when we work together. The commitment, optimism, and creativity shown by constituents across our Washington, DC and Accra, Ghana convenings, and by those who met with us outside these events give us every reason to believe that Africa’s universities can not only adapt to the future but define it. We are grateful to those who joined us for these inspiring and critical conversations. Agnes Sibanda, Lubner Family Foundation Alejandro Caballero, International Finance Corporation Albert Nsengiyumva, Executive Director, ADEA Andrew Nelson, Arizona State University Foundation Angela Owusu Ansah, Ashesi University Asrat Atsedeweyn, University of Gondar Bartholomew Lumbasi, Embassy of Kenya Baylie Damtie Yeshita, Kepler College Bill (William) Moses, Kresge Foundation Charles Ntageruka, Embassy of Rwanda Chris Howard, Arizona State University Courage Julius Logah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Craig Calhoun, Arizona State University Dan Gutwein, N50 and Arizona State University Diane Kouame, Mastercard Foundation Ekua Bentil, World Bank Elelwani Ramugondo, University of Cape Town Enoch Achigan-Dake,University of Abomey-Calavi Erika Amouako-Agyei, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, Ashesi University Euvin Naidoo, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University Faduma Mohamed, African Diaspora Network Helen Vaughan, Head of University Success, Africa, Dell Foundation Ihron Rensburg, Former Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of Johannesburg Jess Boyce, Endless Access Kim Kerr, Mastercard Foundation Kofi Owusu-Daaku, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kole Shettima, MacArthur Foundation Krista Johnson, Howard University Kristin Lord, Arizona State University Landry Signé, ASU Thunderbird Washington D.C. and Brookings Institution Lara-Konditi-Rabala, UFacilitate Lemma Senbet, University of Maryland Mauricio Arevalo, Endless Access
Mercy Erhiawarien, Halcyon Mike Hughes, Former Advisor Ministry of Education, Rwanda / PASET Molalign Beley, University of Gondar Monica Kerretts-Makau, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University Muluneh Atinaf, Ethiopia Ministry of Education, ICT and Digital Education Mwenda Ntarangwi, United States International University–Africa Ndidi Nwuneli, CEO, OneCampagin Nelly Carine Kelome-Ahouangnivo, University of Abomey-Calavi Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Howard University Pauline Essah, Chief Executive Officer, ESSA Peter Materu, Mastercard Foundation Phil Cotton, University of Global Health Equity Philip Thigo, Office of the President, Kenya Raymond Ndikumana, University of Rwanda Reuben Brigety, Busara Advisors Rose Dodd, The Education Collaborative at Ashesi University Sabrina Roshan, Partnership for Digital Access in Africa Sajitha Bashir, World Bank (retired) Salome Guchu, Inter-University Council for East Africa Samuel Kifle, Addis Ababa University Sandow Mark Yidana, University of Ghana Sunil Maharaj, University of Pretoria Sylvia Mwangi, Boston Consulting Group Tade Aina, Carnegie Corporation of New York Takara Lubner, Lubner Family Foundation, Afrika Tikkun Tiyani Mohlaba, Afrika Tikkun Victoria Ameyaw, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Ghana Wubishet Mammo, Wollo University Xiaonan Cao, World Bank Zelalem Assefa, Ethiopia Ministry of Education, ICT and Digital Education 26
Authors Minu Ipe Vice Chair and Managing Director Dawn Straw Executive Director, Design Services Additional Contributors and Support Joe Martin, Director, Content and Communications Maria Toshkova, Director, Global Partnerships Nicole K. Mayberry, Assistant Research Professor Tamara Christensen, Higher Education Design Facilitator Olivia Crose, Project Manager, Services Nathan Lyon, Content and Communications Assistant Smruthi Morapakula, Research and Content Aide Pranshi Vats, Research and Content Aide