ACE Comms TeamTransforming Higher Education in Africa
Across West Africa and Djibouti, a remarkable transformation is underway in postgraduate education, research, and innovation. The Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) project is at the heart of this revolution, addressing critical challenges in higher education and positioning Africa as a global hub for knowledge and innovation.
With 54 centers of excellence, the project is surpassing key performance indicators, accelerating groundbreaking research, increasing student enrollment, and strengthening industry-academia linkages. Through strategic partnerships and sustained investments, ACE Impact is setting a new benchmark for higher education excellence in Africa.
Since its inception, the World Bank, the Association of African Universities (AAU), and the French Development Agency (AFD) have convened bi-annual workshops to review project progress, provide technical support, address challenges, and share best practices. These collaborative engagements have been pivotal in keeping the project on course while equipping institutions with the tools to navigate emerging challenges.
Record-Breaking Progress: The Numbers Speak
Operating under a results-based financing model, the ACE Impact project ensures that funding is directly linked to performance, driving efficiency and accountability. During the 12th ACE Impact Regional Workshop held on October 22, 2024, the latest results showcased impressive strides: The project has enrolled a total of 10,363 students in master’s programs (101% of the target) and enabled 17,676 participants to complete short courses (115%). Female participation has also been notable, with 9,892 women enrolled (115%). Additionally, the project has supported 10,425 regional students (109%) and provided 7,219 students with internships (103%). These numbers reflect the project’s unwavering commitment to building Africa’s next generation of skilled professionals and innovators.
Accelerating Infrastructure Development
With 24 out of 46 (those committed to construction) centers across six countries (Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, and Togo) completing all construction works, ACE Impact is rapidly modernizing Africa’s academic landscape. By December 2024, an estimated 70% of all civil works under the project would be completed, with a clear roadmap to finalize all infrastructural projects by June 2025. Dr. Sylvia Mkandawire, Senior Project Manager, emphasized the urgency of completing all outstanding work and mobilizing support to ensure smooth project closure.
Developing Groundbreaking Innovations
Beyond infrastructure, ACE Impact is fueling innovation across diverse sectors, including health, agriculture, STEM, and environmental sciences. The centers of excellence under the ACE Impact project continue to make strides in innovative research breakthroughs, contributing to development in the sub-region through groundbreaking solutions across various thematic disciplines, including health, agriculture, STEM, environment, and education over the past five years.
During the workshop, Dr. Mkandawire highlighted notable health-related innovations emerging from three key centers in Nigeria: The African Center of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHAP, Nigeria), the Africa Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research (PUTOR, Nigeria), and the African Center of Excellence for Reproductive Health Innovation (CERHI, Nigeria).
At ACEPHAP, the center has successfully calibrated a blood collection drape designed for birthing mothers to monitor blood loss, enabling timely interventions aimed at preventing postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Also receiving recognition at the workshop was ACE PUTOR for implementing electronic medical records (EMR) systems in police hospitals across Nigeria to enhance healthcare delivery and data management, providing comprehensive digital patient records that improve efficiency and reduce errors. Additionally, CERHI has developed the Text4Life App, a mobile health program designed to enhance health literacy in rural communities. Through SMS communication, the app delivers personalized health information on critical topics, such as maternal health, and connects women in rural areas with emergency transport and obstetric care.
The African Centre of Excellence for Mycotoxin and Food Safety (ACEMFS) also in Nigeria was recognised for providing funding support to young innovators, empowering them to develop solutions for food security and safety.
Strengthening Community Ties
Providing community outreach interventions remains a vital part of the ACE Impact project’s success as it fosters collaboration between the academic centers and the local populations they aim to serve. In her update, Dr. Mkandawire indicated that the project’s impact continues to extend beyond the centers and their immediate university communities. Centers such as the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious and Non- Communicable Diseases (WACCBIP), the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), and the Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication (CApIC) all focused on health have made significant contributions to their local communities by organizing various health screenings in Ghana and Nigeria. The health screenings have resulted in several impacts such as the early detection of diseases, prevention of complications, enhanced quality of lives and reductions of the public health burdens.
Recognizing Excellence: ACE Leaders Gaining Global Acclaim
The ACE Impact project is not just changing institutions, it is elevating African researchers and academics to the global stage. The workshop served as a platform to honor several center leaders for their remarkable milestones in research and development in the last 6 months. Outstanding figures include Prof. Amina Galadanci of ACEPHAP, featured in Times magazine for her impactful healthcare innovation; Prof. Saidou Madougou (MS4SSA), appointed as the Director of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation at the African Union Commission (AUC); and Prof. Abdoulaye Diabaté (CEA-ITECH/MTTV), whose groundbreaking malaria research on gene drive technology has been showcased on Netflix. Additionally, Prof. Solomon F. Ofori-Acquah has been appointed to lead the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), focusing on addressing the sickle cell disease. Prof. Christian Happi of ACEGID has been profiled by the Pulitzer Center for his pioneering research in genomics, while Prof. Ousmane Ndiaye of CEA SAMEF has been elected to the independent electoral committee of the International Pediatric Association (AIP).
ACE @10: A Decade of Excellence in Higher Education
In 2025, the ACE Impact project will celebrate 10 years of transforming higher education in Africa. As part of the road map to the celebrations, all 54 centers of excellence are encouraged to hold center-level events, leading up to the grand ACE @10 event in 2025. So far, WACCBIP – Ghana, ACEGID – Nigeria, ACECoR – Ghana, and WACCI-Ghana have set the pace by hosting their events, with CEFTER (Nigeria) and GTEC (Ghana) scheduled for November 2024.
What’s Next? Securing the Future of ACE Impact
Looking ahead, the ACE Impact project is focused on; promoting the project achievements and scaling the ACE model, ensuring country and center – level ACE@10 celebrations as a way of reaching out to local and regional partnerships, hosting the ACE@10 grand celebrations and project closure, engaging development partners for potential future initiatives on ACE. The impact of ACE Impact is undeniable. Through its pioneering work in education, research, and innovation, the project is reshaping Africa’s knowledge economy and securing a brighter future for the continent.