Thematic Areas
The concept of Regional “centers of excellence” offers an optimal and cost-effective way to build and sustain excellence in higher education in Africa because they foster regional specialization, concentrate limited top-level faculty, and generate knowledge spillovers. Below are the thematic areas funded under the ACE1 Project.
Agriculture
Africa has experienced strong economic growth despite recent global downturns, and there has been a resurgence of traditional sectors such as agriculture and the extractive industries. Highly skilled agricultural scientists and researchers to drive economic growth and tackle food security challenges are required.
These are the agricultural projects that have been competitively and transparently selected under the First Phase of the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) initiative:
| COUNTRY | NAMES OF UNIVERSITIES |
| Ghana | University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana |
| Nigeria* 3 ACEs are funded fully by the government of Nigeria | Bayero University, Benue State University, Federal University of Agriculture, |
| Togo | Université de Lomé, Togo |
Health
African economies urgently need highly skilled medical and health workers who will provide the healthcare that is critical to fuel development. The following projects in the Health discipline have been competitively and transparently selected under the First Phase of the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) initiative:
| COUNTRY | NAMES OF UNIVERSITIES |
| Ghana | University of Ghana, Legon |
| Nigeria* 3 ACEs are funded fully by the government of Nigeria | Redeemers University, University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, University of Jos, University of Benin |
| Senegal | Universite Cheikh Anta Diop |
Stem
Higher Education, particularly in science and technology, holds the potential to be absolutely transformative for Africa, because it can equip young people with critical knowledge and skills that are in short supply on the continent. The following Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) projects have been competitively and transparently selected under the First Phase of the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) initiative:
| COUNTRY | NAMES OF UNIVERSITIES |
| Benin | Université d’Abomey – Calavi (UAC) |
| Burkina Faso | Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE) |
| Cameroon | Université de Yaoundé I |
| Ghana | Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi |
| Nigeria* 3 ACEs are funded fully by the government of Nigeria | African University of Sciene and Technology, Abuja University of Port Harcourt, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife |
| Senegal | Universite Gaston Berger |
| Cote d’Ivoire | École national supérieure de statistique et d’économie appliquée (ENSEA), Université Félix Houphouët Boigny (UFHB), Institut National Polytechnique Houphouët Boigny (INP-HB) |
