Future-Proofing Africa: The Role of Universities in Sustainable Development Beyond 2030

During one of the sessions on the closing day of the Times Higher Education (THE) Africa Universities Summit in Kigali on March 20, 2025, a panel of distinguished leaders from academia and international organizations explored how African universities can drive sustainable development beyond 2030 and into the long-term goals of Agenda 2063. The discussion revolved around the challenges and opportunities for universities in adapting to an unpredictable future, fostering innovation, and aligning with global and continental strategic goals.

Didas Kayihura Muganga, Acting Vice-Chancellor at the University of Rwanda, emphasized the need for universities to remain relevant by continuously adapting curricula to meet future demands. “We are all struggling to make ourselves relevant, looking at or revisiting our curriculum to see whether they are fitting or not. The most challenging thing today is that the needs of tomorrow are unpredictable, and the needs of our learners today are completely different from what we expected some years back,” he stated.

He illustrated this with the case of a student who struggled with traditional academic pathways but excelled in innovation. Originally trained in carpentry but unable to qualify for higher TVET institutions, the student joined an innovation hub at the university and developed expertise in virtual reality. “We have now agreed with our Higher Education Council to design a program that fits him because what he is doing does not align with any of our existing programs,” Muganga said. He stressed the importance of a flexible education model, allowing students to contribute to their own learning while being guided by professors.

Muganga also highlighted the university’s efforts to align academic programs with Rwanda’s national vision, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Each program must prove that it aligns with these strategic frameworks before it is approved for accreditation,” he noted. Furthermore, he addressed the need to increase access to higher education, as only 9% of Africa’s population currently attends university. “We are not only looking at producing highly qualified researchers but also at expanding access to education, which is crucial for sustainability,” he said.

Arash Rashidian, Director of Science, Information, and Dissemination at the World Health Organization (WHO), reflected on the sustainability of academic partnerships. Drawing from his experience in academia, he underscored the importance of recognizing and incentivizing collaboration among faculty. “Most of the time, promotion structures in universities do not reward partnerships because collaboration can delay individual academic output. This needs to change,” he argued. He recalled a project involving ten institutions that took five years to yield its first major publication. “If done independently, it would have taken a much shorter time, but the value of collective research is greater,” he said.

Rashidian also stressed the role of public investment in academia, citing disparities in government support across different regions. “The lack of adequate public funding for academia in many low- and middle-income countries is a major challenge,” he said. He also pointed to inefficiencies in research, highlighting the COVID-19 pandemic as an example. “While two major trials provided useful insights, hundreds of randomized controlled trials added little value,” he noted. For African universities to thrive, Rashidian argued, they must retain top talent and create an environment that attracts scholars back to their institutions.

Clare Turner, Associate Director at Imperial Global Ghana, Imperial College London, spoke about fostering academic collaboration. “At Imperial, we often talk about our academic community as a loose federation. Collaboration must be driven from the bottom up by the academics themselves,” she explained. However, she acknowledged the role of institutional leadership in coordinating partnerships across departments.

Turner cited the African Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) as an example of a successful long-term collaboration. “We realized that many departments were working with AIMS independently, so we formalized the relationship by making it a strategic partnership,” she said. This approach provided seed funding for initiatives such as PhD collaborations, research conferences, and AI projects. “It takes time to build trust, but once established, these partnerships become self-sustaining,” she said.

Discussing curriculum design, Turner highlighted the importance of industry collaboration. “At Imperial, our education and curriculum design teams often work closely with industry rather than relying solely on academic researchers. For instance, our design engineering department was developed in collaboration with Dyson,” she explained. She suggested that African universities could benefit from a similar approach.

Margee Ensign, President of the American University in Bulgaria, shared insights from her experience in institutional strategy and partnerships. “For the last few years, we have focused on our mission to educate democratic and ethical leaders. This has led us to develop partnerships with new organizations, including the Open Society Network and various foundations,” she said.

She highlighted an innovative project where faculty and students collaborated with an AI company in Sofia to analyze disinformation originating from Russia and Eastern Europe. “This work involves fact-checking and research publications, providing a new way for universities to contribute to societal challenges,” she said.

Ensign also called for reforms in accreditation systems, which she described as outdated. “Many accreditation processes are rigid and do not reflect the changing landscape of education. We need accrediting bodies to adopt a broader worldview and recognize the evolving needs of universities,” she argued. She emphasized the importance of collaboration in driving these changes. “No single university can overhaul accreditation alone. We need collective efforts to push for reforms that support innovation in higher education,” she concluded.

The panelists’ insights underscored a shared commitment to making African universities more adaptable, inclusive, and impactful in driving sustainable development. Their discussions highlighted the need for curriculum flexibility, increased public investment, cross-sector partnerships, and institutional reforms to align with the continent’s long-term development goals.