Embracing Excellence and Empowering African Higher Education: Association of African Universities (AAU) Reflects on 2024 with Appreciation to Stakeholders

Dear Esteemed Members, Development Partners, and Stakeholders,

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, we take a moment to reflect on the transformative power of partnerships and collaboration. The AAU extends its heartfelt appreciation to all our stakeholders for your tireless support and unwavering commitment to our shared vision of empowering African higher education. Together, we achieved significant milestones in 2024, driving meaningful impact and progress. Our accomplishments would not have been possible without your dedication and contributions. With renewed energy and purpose, we look forward to building on our successes in the years to come. Our efforts will continue to focus on advancing the AAU’s new Strategic Plan (2024-2030), the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16–25), Agenda 2063, and the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among other key targets. We are deeply grateful for your immense contributions, which have been instrumental in our successes throughout 2024.

Looking ahead to 2025, we are thrilled to invite you to the AAU’s General Conference, scheduled to take place in July 2025 in Morocco. This premier gathering of higher education stakeholders in Africa promises to be an impactful and unforgettable experience. We encourage you to mark your calendars and join us to connect, share knowledge, and chart the course for the future of African higher education together.

In the spirit of the holiday season, we wish you joy, peace, and happiness. Please receive our Season’s Greetings Card  (French, English, Arabic & Portuguese) and Video, accompanied by a summary of our notable accomplishments in 2024, outlined below:

Key Highlights of 2024 

1. Thirteen Higher Education Institutions Successfully Joined AAU’s Membership in 2024: Between November 2023 and May 2024, the Secretariat received several applications through its online submission form. Following the review of these applications, and in line with the AAU’s Constitution, a total of 13 Universities were admitted as Full and Associate Members by the AAU’s governing structures. Furthermore, in line with our membership benefits commitments, the AAU organized a face-to-face capacity-building workshop targeting university Librarians.  This event was hosted at the AAU’s Secretariat in Accra, Ghana, from 28th –31st May 2024 and brought together several of our members across the continent.  Another capacity building activity focusing on Fostering International Partnerships in Higher Education Institutions in Africa, was organised jointly with the Women’s University in Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe from 24th – 26th September 2024. Other capacity building efforts for AAU members focussed on ICT Directors, Social Media Officers, Legal Officers in universities and Quality Assurance Units.
2. Toluca Cape Town Declaration on Diamond Open Access, 13 December 2024: The AAU Secretary General, Professor Olusola Oyewole led a large delegation of the African Research & Education community from the AAU member institutions and the secretariat to participate in various activities associated with Open Science in the South and Diamond Open Access hosted by the University of Cape Town (UCT) in Cape Town, South Africa from 8-14 December 2024. The Toluca Cape Town Declaration on Diamond Open Access was made – with the participants affirming that sharing knowledge was a human right. “As such scholarly knowledge must be a public good. It must be accessible to all communities, including readers and authors, without barriers and paywalls. Participation in knowledge production and communication must be free of prejudice and bias. Social justice, equity and inclusivity are fundamental to Diamond Open Access, enabling it to be a driver of decolonization and demarginalization”. The AAU is grateful for this partnership championed by the University of Cape Town (a proud member of the AAU). The AAU and UCT are also jointly supporting the growth of open science in Africa in several ways – one of which is through the African Online Platform that consists of open access journals and open access monographs and textbooks – aimed at supporting open scholarship and infuse quality control measures into the publishing processes of African higher education institutions and help establish world class HEI journals across the continent. As part of the events in Cape Town, the AAU also partnered with COPIM to host the  Open Monograph Publishing workshop from 9-10 Dec 2024 and Professor Oyewole used this opportunity to underscore several activities that the Association is involved in to support Open Science, including partnerships with SCOSS, TCC Africa and PLOS.
3. The AAU Governing Board Meeting was hosted by Badr University, Egypt, June 2024: Badr University (BUC), a proud member of the Association of African Universities (AAU), successfully hosted the 83rd AAU Governing Board Meeting from June 24–26, 2024, at its campus in eastern Cairo, Egypt. The Governing Board, a key organ of the AAU, is tasked with implementing decisions from the General Conference and reporting on its activities. This body convenes at least once annually for an ordinary session, with the date and venue determined by its members. The Directorate of International Affairs at Badr University spearheaded the organization of the event, managing all aspects of logistics and on-site coordination.

   Ahead of the official sessions on Monday, June 24, 2024, a special meeting was held between the AAU Governing Board and Badr University’s leadership, chaired by the university’s president, Prof. Dr. Ashraf Mohamed El-Shihy. During the meeting, Prof. El-Shihy expressed pride in BUC’s membership in the AAU and emphasized the university’s commitment to strengthening cooperation with African universities. Following the board meeting in Egypt, the AAU President Professor Bakri Osman Saeed and the Secretary General Professor Olusola Oyewole travelled to Morocco at the invitation of the Ministry of Higher Education and Research. In Morocco, they engaged with Vice Chancellors of public universities to explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration with African universities. Discussions also included plans for Morocco to host the 2025 AAU General Conference.

4. Collaboration with the African Union Commission: The AAU is recognized as the technical implementation arm of the African Union Commission for strategies and programs concerning higher education in Africa. The AAU leads the Higher Education Cluster responsible for implementing Strategic Objective 9, which focuses on revitalizing and expanding tertiary education under the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25). The AAU also chairs the Knowledge Generation Working Group of the African Union CESA Early Childhood Education Development Cluster. During 2024 the AAU played a key role in guiding African higher education institutions to actively contribute to the development of the new African Union Commission strategies – the CESA 26-35; the STISA 2034 (Science Technology Innovation Strategy for Africa) and the TVET 25-34 (Continental Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training) strategy. This guidance was provided through organizing virtual meetings and ensuring the participation of the African higher education stakeholders, as well as facilitating the completion of relevant surveys.
   The AAU also collaborated with the AUC as part of the implementation of the HAQAA3 project, and participation in various strategic events organized by the AUC in collaboration with diverse partners.
5. We inaugurated three regional offices, expanding the AAU’s global presence and strengthening ties with international partners. The Europe Regional Office (ERO), hosted by the University of Nottingham, was inaugurated on March 6, 2024, with key officials from the AAU and European higher education bodies in attendance. The ERO has already begun implementing impactful higher education initiatives. The Latin America Regional Office (LARO), hosted by the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), was officially inaugurated on April 25, 2024. This launch also led to the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the AAU and the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) to enhance collaboration in agricultural development. The Southern Africa Regional Office (SARO) was inaugurated on September 27, 2024, following a 3-day workshop at the Women’s University in Africa (WUA) in Zimbabwe. This event brought together heads and officials from higher education institutions across Africa to share best practices and address common challenges.

6. Celebration of Africa Universities’ Day 2024 and AAU at 57 Years: The Association of African Universities (AAU) proudly commemorated the 2024 Africa Universities’ Day, marking its 57th anniversary. This year’s theme, “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa,” aligned with the recognition of the year 2024 as the African Year of Education. A week-long celebration took place from November 11 to 15, 2024, featuring various activities that highlighted the contributions of higher education institutions to Africa’s development. The event brought together academic leaders, policymakers, students, and industry experts to discuss key challenges and opportunities facing African universities.

7. Significant Milestones Recorded by The Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) Project:  This year marks a significant milestone for the Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE) Project—10 years of transformative impact in higher education across Africa. Over the past decade, the project has consistently advanced higher education, making tangible contributions in research, societal impact, and sectoral development. It has expanded partnerships to a global scale, strengthened university-private sector collaborations, and established bold strategies for sustainability. As part of this journey of excellence, the ACE Impact project held its Second International Partnership Meeting from May 8–10, 2024, in Mauritius. This event, aligned with the AU-EU Innovation Agenda, provided a peer-learning platform for centers to explore common interests in key priority research areas and identified potential collaborations in research and innovation.  Additionally, the project hosted the 12th Virtual Regional Workshop 21st – 22nd October 2024 to consolidate achievements and address outstanding challenges. This workshop focused on ensuring the timely completion of critical activities and achieving project objectives as the initiative approaches closure.

   A significant highlight of the year was the completion and validation of the Nimble Evaluation Impact Assessment, which provided valuable insights into the project’s impact at all levels. Additionally, the Graduate Tracer Study was concluded, offering comprehensive data on program and job relevance, and placement over the past decade. An assessment of the ACE Impact thematic networks further underscored their meaningful contributions to regional development. Notably, six Centers of Digital Competence have been piloted and fully equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, marking a significant milestone in innovation and capacity building. In relation to the project’s development objectives, performance across key indicators showed remarkable improvement over the year. Targets for 10 out of the 15 indicators were not only achieved but exceeded. Indicators related to PhD Enrolment, International Program Accreditation, Regional Strategy, Research Publications, and External Revenue are also progressing well, with performance levels ranging between 86% and 99%. For more detailed information and updates, please visit the project website for more information.

8. Enhancement of Quality Assurance in African Higher Education through the HAQAA3 Initiative: In 2024, the Harmonisation, Accreditation, and Quality Assurance in African Higher Education Initiative (HAQAA3) marked significant milestones in its third phase. The initiative facilitated workshops and training programs across Africa, bolstering the internal and external quality assurance capabilities of higher education institutions.

   HAQAA3 advanced the African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ASG-QA) by coordinating reviews and integrating feedback from diverse stakeholders, enhancing harmonization across the continent. The initiative also made progress in implementing the African Credit Transfer System (ACTS), which aims to facilitate student mobility and academic recognition between institutions across Africa. Furthermore, HAQAA3 explored mechanisms for establishing the Pan-African Quality Assurance and Accreditation Agency (PAQAA), laying the groundwork for improved regional integration. Additionally, the initiative played an active role in hosting regional focus group discussions, focusing strengthening on the role of data in transforming African higher education and strengthening cross-regional partnerships. The 4th HAQAA3 Steering Committee meeting was hosted by the DAAD Brussels office on the 12th November 2024 to review project implementation updates and provide necessary guidance. Visit the project website for more information.

9. Research Collaborations Deepened through the University Experts Initiative: The Association of African Universities (AAU) has been promoting research partnerships among universities and thematic experts under the African Research, Innovation and Development (AfRID) Network. In July 2024, the AAU launched its first thematic university experts’ networks, aiming to accelerate research collaborations among African researchers. Two networks were established: the Agro-Processing and Food Network, and the African Universities Experts in Climate Resilience, Oceans, Sustainable Water Use, Marine Resources, and Fisheries network. These networks facilitate joint research, proposal writing, student and staff mobility, and other activities that elevate the interests of the network.
10. Research and Innovation Management Strengthened through the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI): 

    The AAU received an 18-month grant from the IDRC and FCDO to strengthen Africa’s Science Granting Councils in research and grants management. This grant supports the development of digitized online grant management systems, training in research excellence, emerging scientific practices, financial management, and the integration of gender equality and inclusivity considerations in all aspects of research and grants management. . Under the Research and Innovation Management project (RIM), the AAU impacted research and education stakeholders in 17 countries across Eastern, Southern, and Western Africa. The RIM project is funding 81 research and innovation projects in areas such as agriculture, circular economy, renewable energy, emerging technologies, and health.

    Additionally, under the SGCI project titled ‘Supporting African Science Granting Councils (SGCs) to Develop Policy Frameworks and Enabling Structures for Public – Private Partnerships in Research and Innovation’, the AAU collaborated with the Scinnovent Centre and the Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) to hold two capacity building workshops. These focused on Research Infrastructure Management and were held in Kampala, Uganda and Lilongwe, Malawi in August 2024. A research infrastructure sharing platform called ‘Technomart’ being championed by the AAU and the UNCST was also launched in 2024 and is being positioned for adoption by the 17 participating countries of the SGCI.

11.  Highlights of the SEADE Project’s 2024 Impacts: This year’s milestones highlight the commitment of the project to enabling digital transformative collaborations that prioritize human-centered approaches, policy alignment, and market-ready innovation. Through an extensive actor mapping and needs assessment, we engaged stakeholders across Ghana and Kenya, identifying critical barriers within the Research and Innovation in Digital Ecosystems. This analysis provided actionable insights for shaping policies that respond to the needs of diverse actors, setting a robust foundation for ecosystem resilience and growth.

    By collecting and analysing AU-EU R&I and digital policies and strategies, we uncovered key gaps and opportunities, ensuring alignment with the Global Gateway principles. These insights not only support sustainable partnerships but also position stakeholders to harness transformative opportunities across both continents. With impactful programs like the Learning Expeditions from 1st – 5th October 2024, the Research “Route-to-Market” Webinar on 23rd October 2024, and the Piloting of the Enrich in Africa (EiA) Digital platform (tools and services) on 12th November 2024 and 25th November 2024 in Ghana and Kenya respectively, we introduced the SEADE Project’s tools, services, and pilot region ecosystems (Ghana, and Kenya) to hundreds of stakeholders. These initiatives bridged knowledge gaps, inspired international cooperation, and equipped participants with the skills to expand their innovations to new markets. The SEADE R&I Summit 2024 in Cape Town on 3rd December 2024, crowned the year by awarding five outstanding EU-AU R&I success stories. This event not only celebrated impactful collaborations but also distilled invaluable lessons and recommendations, serving as a beacon for future EU-AU R&I Cooperation. Through dedicated content creation and dissemination by the AAU TV, we amplified the SEADE Project’s activities, reaching a wider audience and elevating awareness about the transformative potential of AU-EU R&I collaboration.

12. Cultivating a Culture of Data-Driven Faculty Planning in the East African Community: The Demographics of African Faculty—East African Community (DAF EAC) Project, Phase 2, made significant progress in 2024. Implemented by a consortium consisting of the Association of African Universities, Inter-University Council for East Africa, Education Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Population Reference Bureau, the project is focusing on cultivating a culture of data collection, analysis, and management for faculty planning in the East African Community. A consultative co-creation workshop in Nairobi, Kenya, gathered insights for developing harmonized higher education data collection and management guidelines. The AAU further engaged by working to set up a technical data working group, comprising experts from across Africa, to provide a continental perspective. Additionally, the project released policy briefs highlighting key statistics and recommendations to address critical faculty challenges, including gender parity, staffing, and funding in higher education.

13. Implementation of the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism: The AAU, in collaboration with the China Association of Higher Education (CAHE), successfully began implementing activities under the Exchange Mechanism Between Chinese and African Universities, earlier launched at the AAU’s COREVIP in 2023. This initiative aims to foster partnerships between 50 African and 50 Chinese universities, promoting collaborations in higher education. A major milestone was achieved with the inauguration of the annual conference of the China-Africa Consortium of Universities Exchange Mechanism in Beijing, China, on September 5, 2024. The conference brought together representatives from 35 African and over 50 Chinese universities, resulting in the signing of 14 China-Africa educational cooperation projects and the launch of the Digital Cooperation Platform.

14. Enhancing Internet Inclusivity and Accessibility through the Universal Acceptance (UA) Project: As part of the ongoing Universal Acceptance (UA) project, a significant milestone was achieved through a pilot study involving 23 member universities. Through a collaborative effort with Automattic, the parent company of WordPress, and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), 23 AAU member universities piloted the Universal Acceptance (UA) configuration steps for WordPress websites. The institutions provided valuable feedback, informing Automattic’s efforts to ensure future WordPress configurations are UA-compliant by default. This enhancement will make the platform more inclusive and accessible worldwide. By participating in the pilot, AAU member universities contributed to the global movement for internet inclusivity, paving the way for improved WordPress compatibility and functionality. The pilot’s success will yield seamless user experiences, promoting broader adoption of non-Latin and internationalized domain names (IDNs) across the web.

    Additionally, the Universal Acceptance project made significant strides in integrating UA principles into academic curricula. Participating universities’ computer science departments were engaged to embed UA education into their programs, ensuring future graduates possess the necessary skills to develop and maintain UA-compliant digital platforms. This initiative addresses a critical need for professionals who can design systems that accommodate diverse scripts and languages, ultimately supporting a global internet where language barriers are minimized.

15. Advancing Online Education in Africa via the AAU-eLearnAfricaLMS Project: The AAU-eLearnAfricaLMS project successfully organized two flagship events: the e-Learning Summit 2024, which fostered discussions on advancing online education, and the Academic Leadership Summit (ALS) 2024, which explored strategies for transforming higher education through digital innovation. The project also expanded its portfolio of online degree programs, including an Online Master of Business Administration (MBA) program developed with Rhodes Business School and Njala University, a Master of Public Administration (MPA) program developed with the University of Nigeria, and a Master of Public Health (MPH) program developed with Nexus International University. Furthermore, the project commenced the onboarding process for various qualified applicants across the online MBA programs, demonstrating its commitment to delivering innovative, flexible, and accessible higher education solutions.

As we reflect on the accomplishments of 2024, we are reminded that our collective efforts have brought us closer to achieving our vision for African higher education. We extend our deepest gratitude to all stakeholders, partners, and team members who have contributed to the AAU’s success this year. Together, we will continue to drive innovation, excellence, and inclusivity in African higher education. THANK YOU ALL!

Yours in the Service of Higher Education in Africa

Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole 

SECRETARY GENERAL 
Association of African Universities

AAU – The Voice of Higher Education in Africa!