The Education Collaborative, an initiative started by Ashesi University in Ghana in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is one of the African continent’s biggest platforms of higher education stakeholders.

Since 2017, the Collaborative has led a new model for collaboration in African higher education that is helping to grow the strength of the ecosystem, with an estimated 195,900 students having seen improved learning outcomes based on the collective work of the network.

University leaders, professionals and stakeholders convened in Accra, Ghana, in June this year to explore new ideas and strategies for strengthening African higher education. The four-day Education Collaborative convening, hosted by Ashesi University in Ghana each year in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is one of the continent’s largest gatherings of higher education stakeholders.

This year’s event was jointly organised with the University of Cape Coast (Ghana), Pan-Atlantic University (Nigeria), United States International University Africa (Kenya) and Cavendish University Uganda (Uganda).

Discussions ranged across critical issues facing higher education in Africa today, with key areas being career preparation and student employability, entrepreneurship, ethics and leadership, and faculty development and research.

Marking a milestone

Based on the theme “Consolidating Learnings: Building the capacity of institutions to improve African higher education outcomes”, the 2023 June Convening marked the culmination of the pilot phase of the Education Collaborative’s 10-year plan which aims to transform educational outcomes for over one million students across Africa by 2030.

“Many universities and tertiary institutions have and continue to participate in efforts to build coalitions and partnerships that combine the different strengths of several,” shared Rose Dodd, executive director of the Education Collaborative.

“However, the Collaborative is attempting to build a coalition at a scale not yet seen in Africa. We aim to grow to about 140 members, influencing hundreds more and collectively driving successful learning outcomes for at least one million students by 2030. As ambitious as our goals are, each year we gather we see more evidence that it is completely within our reach as African institutions.”

Shared learning opportunities

This year’s convening was the Collaborative’s largest gathering yet, welcoming participants from 90 institutions across 17 countries. (See June Convening infographic).

“This has been an exciting opportunity to connect with colleagues from other institutions who share the same mindset as we do and are excited about seeing progress on the continent,” said Dr Adaora Onaga, director of the Institute of Humanities, Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria.

“Over the last couple of days, we have touched on several areas, including initiatives for pushing ethical leadership in Africa, faculty development, and research. We have also talked about how we can enhance innovation and creativity in how we continue to build our respective programmes. Overall, it is always a pleasant opportunity to meet new people and engage them in our shared focus on improving education in Africa,” Onaga added.

“What I find most exciting about the convening is the opportunity to share experiences in a comfortable environment,” shared Dr Priya Iyer, pro vice-chancellor, Botho University, Botswana. “It is the understanding that no one is perfect, and by working together we can support one another to identify gaps and learn from others’ experiences. This kind of openness and honesty makes the June Convening a valuable space for learning.”

Engaging leaders and colleagues

The Convening featured a stakeholder symposium tailored to university leaders for insightful discussions and experience sharing, and a guest lecture by Professor Patrick Lumumba on ‘The Value of Pan-Africanism in Developing Leaders in African Higher Education’.

“We must create an African who is educated and whose true north is the love for Africa,” he shared in his address. “The decolonisation of our education system means that we must revolutionise our curriculum, starting by revamping our institutions.

“And I’m happy Ashesi University [and the Education Collaborative] is in that space, catalysing the entire re-examination process. We are at a crossroads because Africa is now on the cusp of something. However, the question is where we choose to go.”

Since its inception in 2017, the Education Collaborative has impacted 195,900 students, over 400 institutions and over 380 educators and administrators through direct engagement, mentorship and a mix of programmes and events, including the flagship June Convening, that are tailored to cater to unique needs.



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