Virtual 12^th Regional Workshop Highlights Progress and Sustainability

The virtual 12th Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) Regional Workshop on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, marked a decisive milestone in the ACE Impact project’s mission to transform African higher education.  Convening over 200 stakeholders, including the 54 ACE centers, international experts, and key partners from the World Bank, French Development Agency (AFD), and the Association of African Universities (AAU), the workshop served as a pivotal forum to assess the progress, address ongoing challenges, and strategize for the project’s final phase as it approaches its scheduled conclusion in June 2025.

Opening remarks from AAU’s Secretary General – Professor Olusola Oyewole, the World Bank’s Task Team leader – Dr. Namrata Tognatta, and AFD’s Regional Education Manager – Mr. Wassim Hadj Ali, set a decisive tone, emphasizing higher education’s critical role in Africa’s socio-economic development. Each speaker highlighted the ACE Impact’s tangible achievements and stressed the importance of crafting sustainable models to ensure these centers continue their transformative work beyond the project’s lifespan. Notably, Dr. Tognatta commended the resilience of ACE Impact institutions, acknowledging their agility in adapting to pandemic-related challenges. Professor Oyewole called for robust partnerships with industry and government to secure ACE Impact’s legacy within African universities.

Project’s Progress updates from AAU’s Senior Program Manager responsible for the ACE Impact Project, Dr. Sylvia Mkandawire, showcased impressive strides in meeting ACE Impact’s ambitious targets, reporting overachievement in key metrics like internships (103%) and near-completion in student enrolment (99%), program accreditation (95%), research publications (88%), and external revenue (86%). Proposing ways to navigate the few governance, procurement, safeguards, and communication challenges, she was upbeat that the ACE Impact project could attain a 100% achievement rate before closure in June 2025. While the project is progressing toward a 100% achievement rate, Mrs. Adeline Addy, AAU’s Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, urged lower-performing centers to intensify their efforts. Notably, out of the $305 million allocated, $259 million has been disbursed, with further releases expected to reach $291 million by early 2025. Even though the project has so far disbursed approximately 259 million dollars to the 54 centers of excellence, the centers were reported to have utilized only 157 million dollars, representing 61% of the total disbursements. This relatively low average utilization rate was mainly attributed to procurement challenges and expenditure delays. Acknowledging these challenges, World Bank’s Education Consultant, Ms. Wura Mosuro, especially encouraged the low fund-utilizing centers to leverage the technical and financial support available to overcome these challenges and maximize their fund utilization and overall impact. Rounding off the project updates, financial contributions by AFD were detailed by Mr. Hadj Ali, who emphasized development finance’s critical role in sustaining project momentum.

Another key highlight of the workshop was the presentation on verification exercises, with a specific session focusing on recent reviews and outcomes. Mrs. Adeline Addy outlined the rigorous verification processes conducted alongside the World Bank, reporting over $22.6 million earned by centers from June to October 2024. Indicators such as student enrollment and research publications were tracked, revealing that some countries still have 6% to 35% of funds yet to be earned. Mrs. Addy also announced three upcoming verification rounds from November 2024 through April 2025, encouraging centers to maximize their earnings while addressing specific challenges. Ms. Veerle Bastiaanssen of Technopolis concluded with a review of submitted research publications, confirming that out of 471 submissions, 438 were eligible, and 270 were SCOPUS-indexed. She shared positive survey findings on ACE Impact graduates, showcasing their skill relevance, research impact, and high employment potential.

With the ACE Impact project’s closure on the horizon, Dr. Mkandawire charted a roadmap for the final months, underscoring priorities such as verification exercises, closeout activities, and comprehensive reporting.

The workshop concluded with insightful closing remarks from Drs. Xiaonan Cao and Namrata Tognatta of the World Bank. Both speakers commended the ACE Impact centers for their dedication and resilience throughout the project. Dr. Cao was particularly enthused about the capacities that the centers of excellence had developed to take off, highlighting the critical need for continued collaboration among themselves and with development partners and regional governments to sustain the gains made through the ACE Impact project. In her final words, Dr. Namrata Tognatta, encouraging the ACE Impact centers to maintain their momentum as they work towards the final stages of the project, advised them to continue to comply with safeguard and fiduciary requirements and attend implementation support meetings. She reiterated the World Bank’s commitment to supporting the ACE Impact centers in their mission to enhance higher education and research in Africa to ensure a long-lasting transformative project impact.

Preceding the 12^th Reginal workshop, the Project Steering Committee Meeting on October 21, 2024, identified strategic solutions to project bottlenecks. This workshop also sets the stage for a series of participating Country Roundtable and Implementation Support Meetings on November 11 -25^th, 2024, aiming to offer targeted assistance in financial management, procurement, and evaluation as the ACE Impact centers enter the final stretch of this transformative project.

The ACE Programme hosted its maiden Africa Centres of Excellence International Partnership Workshop in May 2024 in Mauritius. A key event on the final day, May 10th, 2024, was a pivotal side meeting attended by nearly 40 university presidents hosting various Africa Centers of Excellence in the programme’s key thematic areas. The discussions, facilitated by Dr. Roberta Malee Bassett, Global Lead for Tertiary Education at The World Bank, underscored the critical importance of international and regional partnerships, examining both the challenges and potential benefits of these collaborations. 

Feedback from University Presidents 

To foster growth and development, it was highlighted that universities need exposure to diverse perspectives to achieve global relevance and cultural intelligence. Currently, internationalization remains a core focus for many African universities, with most establishing dedicated international offices. International partnerships, such as those with cluster universities in Belgium and agricultural programs with German universities, also emerged as being crucial as it provides students with world-class lab experiences and practical learning opportunities on farms. 

The university presidents indicated that long-term collaborations tend to be more effective, with a preference for two-way partnerships. While most current collaborations focus on student exchanges, there is a desire for more faculty involvement. It was indicated that meaningful partnerships should lead to local capacity building while acknowledging the existing skills within partner organizations.

Case Studies of Successful Collaborations
 

• Harvard University Collaboration: Through a research growth collaboration with Havard University, one university indicated it has developed a strong team of researchers and changed the research culture in its medical school.
    
• University of Benin: Some institutions such as the University of Benin in Nigeria mentioned benefiting from acquiring simulation labs through their partnership with Havard University. The University President said that this partnership had strengthened their research teams and empowered staff. The University of Benin wants to collaborate around equity / women empowerment and to be capacitated to tell their stories in terms of numbers. 
• Haramaya University: The University President noted that most international partnerships in his institution were realized through the personal engagements of staff or through conference contacts. The University had since worked towards institutionalizing partnerships through the establishment of an international office and recruitment of a Fulbright fellow to manage it.
   
• Leveraging Staff Connections/Networks:  Some universities reported establishing partnerships with leading global universities through the connections of their academic staff. The excellent performance of some staff in specific projects, had led to the expansion of some initiatives. It was also indicated that effective partnerships require close engagements and for the university leadership to be involved in the framing of the research questions and the determination of the partnership agenda. 

Contribution of the ACE Program in Facilitating Partnerships

The University Presidents cited several global universities that they were collaborating with and underscored the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) Program as being instrumental in branding African universities, making them attractive for global partnerships. Aside from this, the ACE programme has various initiatives at the project to promote partnerships between the centres and among them and other institutions. The inter-ACE Networks, for instance, is a shining example of such strategies. The university presidents also expressed concerns about sustaining ACE activities, citing the need for advanced labs, physical infrastructure, and the development of soft skills of researchers. 

Internationalization and Strategic Planning 

The University of Mauritius agreed that internationalization was very important and constituted a top priority in their latest strategic plan. They reported having an increased international visibility partly due to the various ranking schemes. Mauritius has a unique case of a decreasing population – leading to a need to attract international students for the local universities to remain viable. The President was concerned about the limited long-term funding to sustain collaborations.  

From the discussions, it became clear that African Universities want to engage more closely with other universities and countries on the continent and beyond. As part of their strategies, some universities in Africa offer tuition differentials to attract regional students for other parts of Africa. The President of the University of Port Harcourt emphasized that African Universities needed to also look within Africa in terms of collaborations and partnerships. He reiterated the need for African Universities to highlight what they bring to the table when partnering with global universities. It was mentioned that The World Bank used to reward non-African partnerships, but this has since changed. 

Examples of Intra-African Collaborations 

The RUFORUM Graduate Training Assistantship (GTA) was highlighted as a good example of collaboration among African Universities. The RUFORUM GTA facilitates pairing of universities to train each other’s staff for free while leveraging the teaching skills of the staff being trained. Additionally, the university of Zambia advocated for collaborations guided by the African Union Agenda 2063 and regional agendas such as SADC, EAC, ECOWAS, and ECCAS.

Encouraging Institutional Engagement and Partnerships 

University presidents were encouraged to proactively seek partnerships rather than waiting for faculty to initiate them. For example, Mbarara University of Science & Technology in Uganda successfully secured a $10 million partnership with Virginia University to support faculty training. Additionally, collaborative proposals were noted to have a higher likelihood of securing funding, with younger universities advised to leverage the expertise of more established institutions. 

Covenant University highlighted the importance of promoting faculty mobility. Despite the risk of losing staff, the institution values the exposure faculty gain from such mobility. It also runs an International Visiting Scholars (IVS) program, which features international faculty teaching virtually as part of its engagement strategies. 

At Redeemer’s University, strategic recruitment is a key focus. The university has successfully recruited a renowned scientist from Harvard University, creating a stimulating work environment to attract post-docs from top universities globally.

Contributions to the Partnerships Discussions by Various Institutions 

Various participating institutions shared valuable insights and examples of successful collaborations that have significantly impacted their academic and research capabilities. 

Bayero University Kano highlighted its benefit from the WANIDA network, which helped them acquire a sequencing machine. University Presidents confessed that they are sometimes unaware of the equipment within their universities. They emphasized the importance of universities collaborating within a country and across Africa, despite the challenges in aligning goals with other institutions. 

The University of Oslo in Norway, a strong research-based university, indicated having grown through carefully cultivated partnerships and collaborations. The Rector stressed the importance of African universities collaborating with each other while also prioritizing linkages with universities in Europe, the Americas, Asia, China, and other continents. African universities were advised to own these collaborations and commit to investing resources. 

Gamal Abdel Nasser University of Conakry, which is sixty-two years old, was built largely on partnerships with Russia. They highlighted that staff exchanges should include administrative personnel as beneficiaries to strengthen their capacities. The university prioritizes partnerships to address national challenges. 

Covenant University in Nigeria encourages faculty mobility, despite the risk of losing staff. They recognize the immense value of exposure and run the International Visiting Scholars (IVS) program, where international faculty teach students virtually. The university has been intentional about collaborations, even though funding remains a challenge. 

The University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) urged universities not to be limited by language differences in Africa and to collaborate with their peers. They identified a gap related to the absence of a database showing universities’ strengths and interests. A Secretariat should be established to manage such a database. 

Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) in Malawi is celebrating 25 years of collaboration with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. This partnership has survived and grown due to political will from both countries and demonstrates that meaningful partnerships have long-term funding mechanisms. LUANAR is also training Gambian students at their AQUAFISH Center of Excellence. 

Redeemer’s University in Nigeria successfully recruited a renowned scientist from Harvard University, providing a stimulating work environment that attracts post-docs from top universities globally. The university has also established tenure track positions that are funded differently using grants they win. 

The President of the University of Malawi encouraged his colleagues to prioritize meeting and engaging with their African Vice Chancellor counterparts and not only respect colleagues from outside Africa. Universities were reminded that “funding is not a catalyst for good partnerships,” but good collaboration catalyzes funding. 

The Gambia is leveraging the capacities resident in Africa to train their future professors through partnerships with Nigeria and Ghana. A BSc in Engineering has been developed through these partnerships, with KNUST in Ghana assisting through the ACE Project to train their future academics. 

A representative from the Higher Education Commission of Mauritius provided information about opportunities offered by the Government of Mauritius to African countries. For the past 10 years, 50 scholarships have been offered annually to African students. The commission is constructing a database to support the strengthening of collaborations and is establishing a micro-credentials framework. The government also funds researchers from its public universities, focusing on impact and collaboration. 

The University of Cape Coast announced an upcoming meeting of Vice Chancellors under the Association of West African Universities in Senegal. The UCC University President also indicated that his university participates in the Times Higher Education rankings and is currently ranked number one in Ghana and West Africa, and seventh in Africa. 

Conclusion 

The side meeting underscored the need for African universities to take the lead in shaping partnership initiatives. Universities must be driven by strong ideological orientations, aligning collaborations with strategic goals and regional development agendas. The discussions and contributions highlighted the vital role of partnerships in enhancing the educational and research capabilities of African universities, promoting collaboration, and addressing regional and national challenges. 

A high-level side meeting was held on the 9th of May 2024 to bring together the ACE Impact Project Steering Committee members and the ACE II Regional Steering Committee members to share lessons and discuss their strategies for sustaining the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs) beyond the World Bank and French Development Agency funding. Other participants included the representatives from the World Bank, and the leadership teams of the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA). This meeting was hosted as part of the ACE International Partnership Workshop, held in Mauritius, by the project.  

Dr. Kokou Kouami the Chairperson of the ACE Impact Project Steering Committee and Professor Goolam Mohamedbhai the Chairperson of the ACE II Regional Steering Committee jointly chaired the session to engage the seventeen (17) countries that were present. 

ACE II was launched in 2016 and supports 24 centers in 8 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa – these include Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia – and is supported by the IUCEA. In 2022, the World Bank provided additional financing to the ACE II project, supporting 6 agriculture centers in Malawi and Mozambique.  

In 2019, the World Bank, together with the French Development Agency (AFD), launched the third phase of the program: the “ACE for Development Impact Project, ACE-Impact”, following the successful implementation of the ACE I project by the AAU. The ACE Impact project covers 54 centers across 11 countries mostly in Western Africa – these include Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, and Senegal. Across the series of ACE projects, the World Bank has committed US$ 657 million in support of African governments and under the ACE Impact, the AFD is co-financing with a total amount of US$ 72 million. 

How ACE II and ACE Impact countries are addressing the sustainability of the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs) 

1. Integrating the ACEs with their host universities – the countries present said that they were making the ACEs part and parcel of the host universities so that they could benefit from annual budget allocations to support their activities. The representatives from Senegal emphasized that the integration of their ACEs to their host institutions also allowed the Senegal ACEs to maintain their financial autonomy so that they are motivated to generate additional resources. 
2. Lobbying for financial support from national governments – the countries underscored the importance of their governments committing resources to the running of the ACEs. Several countries spoke about embedding the ACEs into national statutes so that they are supported by their national governments. Mrs Jane M. Chinkusu from Zambia shared that they had lobbied their government to direct national scholarships for funding students from their ACEs. In addition, several countries were reported to be lobbying their governments to prioritize contributions to the national research funding agencies who would in turn support the ACEs. The government of Nigeria was reported to have created an annual budget line for the ACEs in Nigeria. 
3. Leveraging the uniqueness of the ACEs to engage in consultancy and training services was highlighted as an important strategy. The ACEs were initially selected for funding because of the unique niches that they occupy. To sustain their operations, it was recommended that the ACEs should leverage their uniqueness and provide excellent consultancy and training services to their specific thematic areas, industries, and communities. Dr Fahmi Ahmed, from Djibouti mentioned that they were demonstrating the importance of their ACE by designing and delivering unique training services to the logistics and transport industry in Djibouti. 
4. Focussing on solving real problems and graduating to commercialization and patenting of research products. The ACEs have debunked the myth that African Universities were irrelevant and could not support their national development strategies. Countries that were present agreed that “solving national / regional challenges, being relevant and engaging in commercialization and patenting of products could be an effective sustainability strategy”. 
5. Engaging in strategic partnerships and joining thematic networks was highlighted as a long-term strategy for achieving sustainability because this enables the ACEs to participate in joint research and collaborations that open avenues for additional funding and support. Mr Carlos Mataruca from Mozambique shared that their ACE for oil and gas was strategically collaborating with SASOL, a global chemicals and energy company. 
6. Proving the viability of the ACE Model and making achievements visible were also pointed out as being crucial. Dr Edmund Aalangdong mentioned that Ghana was leveraging its national facilitating unit to create visibility of the work of their 9 ACEs and build their capacities. A national tertiary education conference is planned as a national event to create a platform for continuously demonstrating the viability of the ACE model and showcasing the benefits of funding higher education institutions. 
7. Seeking financial resources from elsewhere by responding to calls for grant funding was also highlighted as another method of sustaining the ACEs. Through partnering and joining thematic networks the ACEs could jointly respond to grant calls to increase their chances of success.  
8. Leveraging the national facilitating units / national steering committees to strengthen the ACEs was also mentioned by several countries during the meeting. Paul Mungai from Kenya indicated that their National Steering Committee would continue to offer strategic directions to the Kenya ACEs beyond the World Bank funding. Mr Chris Jibreel Maiyaki the acting Executive Secretary of the Nigeria National Universities Commission emphasized the importance of political will in sustaining the ACEs. The Nigerian government has established additional ACEs funded through its national funding agency called the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND). 

Feedback from the Regional Facilitating Units – AAU and IUCEA 

The Secretary General of the Association of African Universities (AAU), Professor Olusola Oyewole emphasized that 10 years support was too little to create sustainable ACEs, he therefore appealed to the World Bank to continue supporting the ACEs. He also said that both the AAU and IUCEA should not abandon the ACEs but continue supporting them, promoting their achievements and lobbying for their support. Professor Oyewole shared eight key points in relation to suggestions for sustaining the ACEs: (1) African governments must prioritize support for their national research funding agencies; (2) African Universities must urgently move from laboratory based research to innovations so that they could attract industry partners; (3) African countries must demonstrate their ownership of the ACEs by supporting them financially and in other ways; (4) Centers of Excellence need to prioritize alternative resource mobilization opportunities; (5) ACEs have introduced excellent practices that should be adopted at the university level – adopting these practices of accountability, procurement, performance based financing and monitoring would lead to the sustainability of the ACES; (6) Partnerships are a great way of building sustainability of the ACEs; (7) When ACEs run demand-driven programmes they are more likely to be sustainable and (8) ACEs are encouraged to learn about the “Study in Africa project”, which is an initiative of the AAU and the European Union.

Professor Gaspard Banyankimbona the Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA) said that the results-based funding model had been proven to be effective during the implementation of the ACE projects – and it could be adopted in a follow up ACE project, as it promoted sustainability. He called on the funders of the project to renew their funding and support for the project, given the key achievements obtained and significant impacts made. He highlighted, that as a regional project, the ACE project created important avenues for knowledge sharing, academic mobility, and networking. The East African Community has an existing framework for mobility which could be used to support the sustainability of the ACE projects. Professor Banyankimbona also stated that investing towards incubation centers was key in promoting external funds generation, promoting industry partnerships and eventually leading to sustainable ACEs. 

Summary and Conclusions 

Dr Ekua Bentil from the World Bank and the Task Team Lead for the ACE Impact Team said that the meeting had provided an important learning platform. She indicated that several partners were keen and impressed by the work of the ACEs. She concluded by saying that the ACE at ten events planned around July 2024 would be a great opportunity to showcase the project results and create buy-in for additional project support. 

Dr Roberta Bassett, from the World Bank and supporting the ACE II Project stressed the importance of the participating governments expressing their interest in support from the World Bank. 

Professor Goolam Mohamedbhai, the Chairperson of the ACE II Regional Steering Committee summarised the meeting discussions by acknowledging that the meeting had been an enriching opportunity. There was no doubt that the ACEs had achieved exceptional results, impacted their communities, and positively impacted their host universities. Professor Mohamedbhai stated that the sustainability question was inevitable and that the proposed solutions seem to border around institutionalization, governments support and actively seeking alternative financial resources. “It is important to market the ACE model to other African countries and share the lessons with them” – said Professor Mohamedbhai.  “The collaboration of the ACEs at a continental level is a great opportunity that the AAU and IUCEA could jointly explore through the ongoing African Union / European Union innovation fund” – concluded Professor Mohamedbhai. 

The Regional Facilitating Units for the Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) projects – the Association of African Universities (AAU), and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA)—in collaboration with the World Bank, the French Development Agency (AFD), and the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), convened over 400 higher education stakeholders for the maiden ACE International Partnership Workshop. This high-level event was hosted at the Intercontinental Mauritius Resort, Balaclava Fort in Mauritius, from May 8-10, 2024 and featured prominent government officials from Europe and Africa, representatives from the private sector, university leaders (Vice Chancellors), ACE academics from host institutions, and experts from policy think tanks and development partner organisations. Since 2014, the ACE Program has provided support to over 80 centres within 50 universities across 20 African nations. Its aim is to cultivate and provide top-tier postgraduate education while fostering applied research in crucial sectors such as health, agriculture, ICT, water, transport, energy, education, sustainable mining, environment, and engineering. These ACEs have been pivotal in tackling a range of challenges, including Ebola, Covid-19, sickle cell anemia, maternal and child health-related complications, digital technologies related challenges, food insecurity, and climate crisis.  

The key objective of the Africa Centres of Excellence International Partnerships Workshop was to leverage the collaborative opportunities outlined in the Africa Union-European Union (AU-EU) Innovation Agenda, to foster engagement and knowledge exchange between Africa, Europe, and other continents.  

Overview of the Panel Discussion 

The plenary session four (IV) was a panel discussion held with the objective of having an engaging discussion on current research, innovations and partnerships already occurring within and outside of Africa in the STEM and Education sectors. The moderator, Mrs. Jane M. Chinkusu, Director of Science and Technology at the Ministry of Technology and Science, Zambia, introduced the following panelists:   

1. Prof. Maïssa Mbaye, African Centre of Excellence in Mathematics and ICT (CEA MITIC), Senegal 
2. Prof. Raghava R. Kommalapati, National Science Foundation (NSF) CREST Centre for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, United States  
3. Dr. Luis Lucas, Centre of Studies in Oil and Gas Engineering and Technology (CS-OGET), Mozambique 
4. Prof. Grace Jokthan, ACE on Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL), Nigeria 
5. Dr. Andrea Ricci, ISINNOVA Institute on Research, Innovation, and Sustainability, Italy (participated virtually) 
6. Dr. Benjamin Yao, ACE on Valorization of Waste Products with High Value Added (VALOPRO), Côte d’Ivoire. 

Reiterating the relevance of the discussion, Mrs. Chinkusu gave each panelist the platform to share with participants the innovations taking place in their various institutions and centres. 

Key Innovations in STEM & Education Research 

African Centre of Excellence in Mathematics and ICT, Senegal 

Prof. Mbaye unveiled the groundbreaking innovations and research initiatives implemented by the African Centre of Excellence in Mathematics and ICT (CEA MITIC) under his leadership. These initiatives span diverse domains including health, environment, agriculture, applied mathematics, and ICT. In the area of health, CEA-MITIC spearheaded the development of a cutting-edge health information system for sickle cell disease, revolutionizing the diagnosis process and enabling swift data collection for various ailments. This pioneering system has been deployed across multiple healthcare facilities, strengthening the efficiency of healthcare practitioners. 

Additionally, CEA-MITIC delved into the usage of AI for detecting sickle cell disease in newborns, epitomized by the deep learning-based classification of isoelectric focusing images for newborn screening. Shifting focus to environmental concerns, the centre engineered an intelligent, distributed platform for assessing air pollution, leveraging fixed and mobile data collection mechanisms to monitor and mitigate pollution stemming from household waste. Additionally, CEA MITIC’s innovative web and mobile application, powered by Artificial Intelligence, aids in monitoring marine biodiversity by accurately counting freshwater birds. 

A standout project, the Deep4Monitoring Project, is an indication of CEA MITIC’s commitment to cutting-edge technology. This multi-model AI/ML (artificial intelligence / machine learning) platform serves as a robust decision support tool, addressing critical issues such as waste management, flood mitigation, fire prevention, and sustainable land use planning. Prof. Mbaye’s exposition emphasized CEA MITIC’s role as a hub for ICT and AI innovations, transcending traditional academic boundaries. 

NSF CREST Centre for Energy & Environmental Sustainability, USA 

Prof. Kommalapati’s presentation, focused on the accomplishments and innovations emerging from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Centre for Energy and Environmental Sustainability (CEES). He provided an overview of the centre’s evolution, highlighting its initial emphasis on teaching until the early 2000s. Established in October 2010 with an original funding of $5M from NSF, the centre received an additional $5M in 2019, extending its funding commitment to 2025. 

The core vision of CEES is to cultivate a nationally recognized, multidisciplinary, and self-sustaining community centred around education and research. This vision encompasses leveraging university research infrastructure, fostering productivity, and institutionalizing key research areas. Notably, CEES distinguishes itself through its integrated approach, incorporating research, outreach, and education components. Key areas of focus include collaborative research, partnerships, student enrichment programmes, and community engagement initiatives. 

The centre’s achievements are substantial, with its funding pool expanding to $20M, including contributions from entities such as the National Science Foundation, NASA’s Department of Education, and others. Noteworthy milestones include support for 12 post-doctoral candidates, with 8 transitioning to permanent positions. Additionally, the centre researchers have contributed significantly to scholarly discourse, with publications including one book and 197 articles spanning journal articles, book chapters, and peer-reviewed conference proceedings/extended abstracts. Also, 39 Master of Science theses have been completed, alongside over 250 presentations at various regional, national, and international conferences. In recognition of its accomplishments, CEES achieved the prestigious Carnegie R2 classification in 2021. 

Mrs. Chinkusu expressed her appreciation to the panelists and all participating centres for their remarkable innovative projects. She emphasized the importance of ongoing collaborations and then engaged Dr. Lucas from the centre of Studies in Oil and Gas Engineering and Technology (CS-OGET) in Mozambique. 

Centre of Studies in Oil and Gas Engineering and Technology, Mozambique 

Dr. Lucas, in turn, conveyed gratitude for the positive impact of the ACE Project on institutions in Mozambique, particularly highlighting CS-OGET’s advancement. He discussed the transformation of Universidade Eduardo Mondlade into a research-driven institution and detailed the centre’s collaborations with the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Makerere University in Uganda on nanotechnology applications in drilling processes. 

Among CS-OGET’s notable achievements are upstream and mainstream studies focusing on process safety, control, and optimization. The centre has also ventured into geological studies for oil and gas potential assessment, reserves determination, pay zone identification, and production optimization, including carbon dioxide capture and storage initiatives. Additionally, their exploration of alternative fuels, such as biofuels, and their blending with fossil fuels as part of energy transition studies, represents another significant innovation. Notably, the centre also utilizes cashew nuts to produce environmentally friendly biodegradable lubricants. Dr. Lucas concluded by acknowledging the multitude of innovations while recognizing that similar advancements have also been made by other centres. 

Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning, Nigeria 

Prof. Grace Jokthan highlighted several innovations from the Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL) during her comprehensive presentation on the theme of “Empowering Digital Education in Africa.” ACETEL primarily focuses on leveraging technology within the education sector. Previously, the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) stood as the sole online open and distance learning institution, and ACETEL continues to be dedicated to enhancing infrastructure, capacity building, and sustainability in developing digital education experts. 

ACETEL takes pride in training postgraduate students in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity, with one student currently excelling in Korea, which is a source of immense pride for the centre. Using digital technology, ACETEL has successfully trained over 4,000 participants in short courses and skill-based training programs with broad industry applications across the region. 

In addressing the growing risks in the digital learning environment, ACETEL developed the eGenti Kids Monitoring system, allowing parents to monitor their children’s online activities in real-time. This system provides crucial insights into children’s online behavior, especially as schools increasingly transition to online platforms. Additionally, to support students with visual or health impairments, ACETEL created the Neighbor Health Specialists online application which connects students and healthcare providers in real-time, offering immediate medical attention and referrals to specialists when necessary. 

ACETEL’s commitment to inclusive education is further demonstrated through the ACETEL Mobile Aid, designed to assist visually impaired learners in navigating campuses independently. Innovations like the Vision Link Mouse have revolutionized assessment processes, eliminating the need for additional assistance during exams. The centre also focuses on securing data-centric architecture for learning and utilizes virtual labs to enhance student participation. 

Benefiting from IBM training opportunities, ACETEL engages in immersive STEM Virtual Labs for Remote Learners, a pilot study simulating practical sessions virtually. This initiative aims to transfer practical experiences into the digital realm, facilitating learning for students outside traditional physical environments. 

ISINNOVA Institute on Research, Innovation, and Sustainability, Italy 

Dr. Andrea Ricci also contributed to the discussion by addressing the relevance of his institution, ISINNOVA, in advancing the development of urban smart cities and highlighting other emerging innovations. He provided a brief history of ISINNOVA, noting its establishment in Rome in 1971 as an independent research institute focusing on research, training, awareness, and consultancy services. The institute collaborates with a diverse network of national and international experts. 

Dr. Ricci elaborated on ISINNOVA’s transformation journey, emphasizing its focus on urban mobility and sustainable development. Through extensive horizon scanning exercises, ISINNOVA identified key transport drivers likely to shape future technological advancements in sustainable mobility. This foresight led to the development of scenarios influencing policy formulation in the short term. 

One of ISINNOVA’s notable innovations, CIVITAS, aims to assist national and local governments in planning, designing, and implementing sustainable solutions to enhance urban mobility. Technology plays a pivotal role in these endeavors, significantly impacting people’s lives by facilitating sustainable and efficient urban transportation solutions. 

African Centre of Excellence for the valorization of waste into high value-added products, Cote d’Ivoire 

Prof. Yao began his presentation by highlighting the focus of the African Centre of Excellence for the valorization of waste into high value-added products (VALOPRO), on the circular economy, emphasizing their efforts to minimize waste. He mentioned that the centre engages in laboratory activities where students conduct research to identify prototypes, validate products, and develop marketing plans. Given that the country is the largest producer of cocoa, the centre conducts research on utilizing cocoa waste to create water filters. 

Regarding partnerships, Prof. Yao mentioned collaborations with various industries and institutions, including IMPHB and other state institutions, to further their research goals. Additionally, the centre has academic partnerships for biotechnology research with institutions in Africa and Europe. 

Partnership and Collaboration Strategies 

Speaking on the strategies used to establish partnerships with companies in both the government and private sectors, Dr. Ricci explained that they seek out teams with similar interests and integrate compatible competencies at the technical knowledge level. They also incorporate social sciences and humanities to understand the impact of modern technology, leveraging their extensive network. Additionally, they collaborate with EU-funded institutions that share similar interests and ensure active participation in research projects through workshops, thereby building and engaging research networks. 

Dr. Ricci further mentioned the development of an innovative tool to promote solutions that span technological and environmental aspects, drawing from successful experiments in various regions. This tool is being introduced to raise awareness and transform the sector it serves. 

In response to the question regarding partnerships and future expansion, Prof. Grace elaborated on the current collaborations that bolster the centre’s progress and development. She classified these partnerships into various categories, including academic collaborations such as DSTN, consisting of 6 centres working together on research, resource mobilization, research dissemination, entrepreneurship training, and capacity building. ACETEL ensures that each PhD student has two academic supervisors and one from industry to foster collaboration between academia and industry for demand-driven research and purposeful studies.  Prof. Grace Jokthan of ACETEL also mentioned collaborations with public sector agencies, particularly in ICT for education, and highlighted the centre’s collaboration with EFCC for cyber security research using their forensic laboratory. Prof. Jokthan emphasized the ongoing need for collaboration and engagement with relevant stakeholders to propel the centre’s activities forward. 

Continuing the discussion, Prof. Luis highlighted the dynamic nature of collaborations in the oil and gas sector. For each of their master’s degree programs, they involve at least two major companies in designing the curricula to align with industry demands. These companies also support the implementation of these programs, with lectures including foreign experiences to enrich student learning. Internship opportunities provided by these companies offer students hands-on experience even before completing the program, aiding in research data collection, and designing solutions to identified problems. 

Prof. Kommalapti contributed to the discussion by noting that when the NSF CEES centre was established, one of their primary goals was to ensure its sustainability even after the NSF funding ends. This drive led them to forge robust partnerships and networks within the university, persuading administrators of the importance of the centre’s continuity. Additionally, the centre boasts of a strong external advisory board comprising members from academia and industry. Leveraging this board, they have connected with numerous opportunities to secure additional funding and research support. The centre has also collaborated with other universities on joint proposals to secure funding. They also facilitate e-mentoring for students, enabling them to maintain close relationships with their mentors through virtual platforms, which enhances their prospects of securing jobs after graduation. 

 Prof. Mbaye highlighted the establishment of multidisciplinary partnerships as their initial focus at CEA MITIC. These partnerships involve industry stakeholders such as doctors and environmental specialists who directly address identified issues. He underscored the fact that partnership serves as a gateway to other collaborations, including those involving parks, forests, and governmental structures related to wildlife conservation, which align with their ongoing projects. They also engage in scientific partnerships, particularly with American universities, diversifying their collaborations. Additionally, their partnership with Stanford University has facilitated international exposure for their research results, aiding in North-South collaboration efforts. 

Conclusion 

As the session concluded, with the moderator giving an overview of the discussion and highlighting the relevance of partnerships, it was evident that the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) project, has made significant contributions to the development of the continent’s higher education sector. The international partnerships workshop served as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue, collaboration, and action. The insights shared by the panelists serve as guidelines for future endeavors, inspiring a shared vision of a prosperous and sustainable Africa driven by research, innovation, and inclusive partnerships.