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By Valens Muvunankiko
The Africa Universities Summit 2025, hosted by Times Higher Education (THE), in Kigali, brings together over 350 delegates, including university leaders, policymakers, and education experts. The three-day summit at the Kigali Convention Centre is themed “United Leadership: Harnessing African Education for Sustainable Growth.”
During the opening session, keynote speakers emphasized the urgent need for reforms, partnerships, and digital transformation in Africa’s higher education sector. The British High Commissioner to Rwanda and regional education leaders highlighted the importance of equitable collaboration between African universities and global institutions.
“African universities must not only be recipients of knowledge but active contributors to global research,” Alison Thorpe said, underlining the need to bridge the gap between academia and industry to enhance employability among graduates.
Phil Cotton, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Global Health Equity, stated that the summit taking place in Kigali is of great significance to Rwanda and the African continent as it brings together various universities both long established and newly founded, private and public institutions. Its goal is to explore how universities can contribute to community development and elevate the standard of education in Africa.
He added: “Africa has many innovations emerging from university research, making it essential to support students so they can play a role in driving positive change, the main issue is recognizing the potential of young people and understanding that they hold the future of their countries and universities should be places of learning not only for students but also for leaders themselves, preparing students for a bright future”
Professor Angela Owusu-Ansah, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Ashesi University in Ghana, states that the time has come for Africans to find solutions for themselves, using Rwanda as an example.
She says, “I know that Rwanda has found a good way to solve problems by relying on its solutions, such as caring for orphans through families. These are some of the solutions I am referring to, where we look at our native values and use them to solve the problems we face. Let us look at what happening in America, some aid is disappearing, and other issues. We cannot always rely on aid from elsewhere. For example, in my university, we do not have a medical department, we do not have a health services department, nor do we have any department related to health. However, we carry out medical activities through our experts in engineering and computer science. This means that even when you don’t have specific resources, you can use what you have to find a solution.”
In his opening speech at the summit, Minister of Education Joseph Nsengimana stated that African universities operate in an economy that is growing, but there is still much work to be done, including addressing the issue of graduates struggling to find employment.
He said, “Africa has a rapidly growing economy, but we face the challenge of unemployment among educated youth. There is a gap between what students are taught and what the job market requires. This issue must be addressed urgently. Universities must collaborate with industries and businesses to develop programs that align with labor market needs, enhance students’ employability, and foster innovation in key sectors.”
This is the seventh edition of the Times Higher Education (THE) Africa Universities Summit 2025, which will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from March 18 to March 20, 2025.
