The new Secretary General of the Association of African Universities (AAU), Prof. Olusola Bandele Oyewole assumed office today, Friday October 1, 2021.

He takes over the mantle of leading Africa’s apex continental higher education body, the AAU, from Prof. Etienne Ehilé, who served as the Association’s Secretary General for the last nine years (August 2012 – September 2021).

Prof. Oyewole was appointed the Secretary General following a competitive selection process which had several high-profile applicants participating.  The announcement of his appointment was first made at the Extra-ordinary General Conference organized by the Association on August 9, 2021.

Broadly, Prof. Oyewole’s top 10 focus areas are as follows – 1)  To demonstrate the value of AAU to its existing Members 2) To increase the AAU’s Membership 3)  To promote intellectual engagement  to position AAU as the true voice for higher education in Africa 4)  To contribute towards building the next generation of academics 5) To consolidate the regional offices and work closely with them for the benefit of stakeholders in those regions  6) To continue strengthening linkages with the diaspora 7) To strengthen  partnerships and collaborations between other institutions and the AAU 8) To continue the execution of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa 9) To cultivate new relationships with other development partners  and 10)  To sustain the Association  for the benefit of its members and stakeholders.

Meeting staff of the AAU Secretariat today, Prof. Oyewole appreciated their commitment and hard work which have contributed to the Association’s status. He called on them to cooperate with him, and together collaborate with member institutions and stakeholders to move the Association to the next level.

He assured the meeting of his commitment to creating a conducive environment, promoting a culture of openness, teamwork and excellence, to raise the image of the Association.

On their part, staff of the AAU Secretariat assured the new Secretary General of their commitment and dedication towards realizing his vision of proving to the world that an African Institution can be different and provide excellent leadership to transform the African higher education space.

Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole is a Nigerian professor of Food Science and Technology, specifically Food Microbiology and Biotechnology. He is not new to the Association, having served as a staff, and subsequently as a Board Member and President of the Association in the past. He is the former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria and has also worked as a Senior Expert in Higher Education at the African Union Commission in Ethiopia. Professor Oyewole’s work experience at the national, regional, and continental levels have endowed him with a wealth of knowledge in coordinating multinational research and development programs. He therefore comes to the AAU fully equipped for the job ahead of him.

Professor Olusola Oyewole’s full profile can be accessed here – https://blog.aau.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/New-SG-Prof.-Olusola-Oyewole-CV.pdf