The Association of African Universities (AAU) Secretariat partnered with ten (10) Educational Technology Companies to host the inaugural Executive Educational Technology Forum (Executive EduTech Forum) in Accra Ghana from 21-22 November 2017. The ten Educational Technology Companies had a keen interest to showcase some of their products and services to African Universities. A call was previously issued inviting Educational Technology providers with solutions and products relevant to the African Education sector to come forward and showcase their products.

The purpose of the Executive EduTech Forum was to provide a platform for African Universities to interact with Educational Technology Providers – and possibly agree on ways to partner for the purpose of improving the intended higher education outcomes.

In his welcoming remarks the AAU Secretary General, Professor Etienne Ehouan Ehile, said that: “This Executive EduTech Forum is our response as an Association to the call for African Universities to work more closely with the Private Sector. As an Association we are creating this platform purely for networking – with the hope that Universities and the concerned companies will work out ways that they can work together”. He also called on the Educational Technology Providers to take time to understand the needs of African Universities – then tailor their solutions to address real and proven needs. Professor Ehile also appealed to the University Leaders to be at the fore-front in championing the Educational Technology Agenda in their institutions.

The event was attended by 100 participants that included Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Presidents, Principals, Chief Executives and representatives of Educational Technology Companies, Exhibitors from Educational Technology Companies, Deans of Faculties, Directors of University Departments, Librarians, Lecturers, Technical Staff, Students and AAU Staff.

The Executive EduTech Forum also included field visits to Accra Institute of Technology and Laweh Open University. The purpose of the field visits was to educate the stakeholders about the teaching and learning models used by these institutions. Participants gained the understanding of how other universities have integrated technology for improving the learning outcomes. The participants testified that the forum has contributed towards empowering them to make well-information educational technology-related decisions.

This EduTech Forum is one of the exciting events that was lined up as part of the African Universities Week Celebrations being held at the AAU Secretariat in Ghana from 21-24 November 2017. Other events coming on this week are the main Africa University Celebration (23 November 2017) and the International Leadership Conference for Women in Higher Education (24 November 2017)

Please CLICK HERE to read more about the 10 Educational Technology Companies that AAU partnered with.