The University of Rwanda is among five African universities and higher education institutions selected as inaugural recipients of a new continental prize aimed at supporting institutional transformation and strengthening the link between education, research and employment. The recognition was announced this week in Accra, Ghana, during the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening, which brought together universities, African Union officials, governments, financial institutions, private sector representatives and young people. ALSO READ: With 10,000 foreign students, Rwanda seeks to become hub for university education Hosted by the Mastercard Foundation, the gathering marked the inaugural Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize award ceremony, recognizing institutions advancing sustained, institution wide transformation. The University of Rwanda was named alongside Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering in Burkina Faso, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, and Muni University in Uganda. Each institution will receive $3 million under the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize to expand initiatives aimed at improving education opportunities for young people. The programme backed by a $500 million commitment is expected to recognise at least 150 African institutions over the next decade. ALSO READ: UGHE, University of Rwanda ranked in 10 top varsities in Sub-Saharan Africa For Rwanda, the recognition comes as higher education institutions across the continent face growing pressure to demonstrate that university education can respond more directly to labour market needs, technological change and national development priorities. Prof Didas Kayihura, Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda, said the recognition would support the university's efforts to strengthen health education, research and innovation. He added that this recognition affirms the University of Rwanda’s commitment to developing a health workforce that responds to the needs of our country and communities. “With the support of the Mastercard Foundation, we will build on the progress already made in health education, research and innovation, while strengthening our capacity to translate knowledge and research into meaningful impact for communities,” he said. Rethinking the role of universities A central message from the Accra meeting was that African universities must increasingly be judged not only by the qualifications they award, but also by their contribution to employment, innovation and economic development. Participants called for close collaboration between universities and employers in designing curricula, stronger systems for recognising graduates' practical skills, and greater investment in emerging technologies. They also stressed the need for university research to move beyond academic institutions and contribute more directly to industry, government and communities. Sewit Ahderom, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation, said higher education transformation should ultimately enable universities to have a wider economic impact. She pointed to employer-informed curricula, portable skills credentials, stronger technological capabilities and research that translates into enterprise and employment as some of the areas that require attention. These issues are particularly relevant for countries such as Rwanda, where universities are increasingly expected to produce graduates who can respond to changing skills demands while also contributing to research, innovation and national development. The discussions also highlighted the importance of concentrating research and skills development in areas where African countries have strategic advantages, while strengthening partnerships with the private sector to ensure that training keeps pace with workforce needs. Participants argued that reforming higher education should not be treated solely as an education-sector concern. Dr John Nkengasong, Executive Director for Higher Education and Strategic Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation, described higher education transformation as an “economic imperative,” saying governments, universities, industry and investors need to work together to create stronger pathways from education to employment. The meeting also took place against the backdrop of the African Union's Decade of Education and Skills Development, running from 2025 to 2034.
