Accra, Ghana / Kampala, Uganda/ Washington DC, USA (March 31, 2025) – The Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE) Program is set to celebrate a decade of groundbreaking achievements in strengthening higher education and fostering innovations across the continent. The 10th Anniversary celebration, which coincides with the closure of the program’s third phase, will be held from April 7 to 9, 2025, at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
This event will convene key stakeholders, including Ministers for Higher Education, Science, and Technology, the World Bank, the French Development Agency, other development partners, Vice-Chancellors, ACE Center Directors, researchers, students, innovators, faculty members, and private sector players. The Vice President of Ghana, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang is the special guest of honor.
The event aims to:
- Highlight the ACE program’s key successes, research breakthroughs, and innovations.
- Present data-driven insights on how the ACE program has strengthened higher education, regional collaboration, and industry linkages.
- Reflect on opportunities, challenges, best practices, and recommendations for future higher education initiatives.
- Explore funding models, policy frameworks, and institutional reforms to sustain the ACE program’s achievements.
- Foster dialogue with governments, private sector players, and international organizations to secure long-term partnerships.
- Discuss the role of the ACE program in shaping the next generation of African research and innovation, and explore opportunities for the program’s follow-up phase.
A key highlight of the event will be an interactive exhibition where centers will showcase their breakthroughs, cutting-edge research, and game-changing solutions. This exhibition will provide a platform for centers to highlight their contributions towards addressing regional challenges, fostering industry partnerships, and enhancing skills development. The ACE Program is the World Bank’s first regional response to strengthening higher education in Africa, implemented in close collaboration with African governments.
Since its inception in 2014, the ACE Program has played a pivotal role in enhancing the quality and relevance of postgraduate education in Africa. By supporting centers of excellence in critical fields such as health sciences, agriculture, engineering, and ICT, it has fostered regional collaboration, strengthened institutional capacities, and driven innovations to address Africa’s development challenges. Through strategic investments in advanced infrastructure, pioneering research, and the development of African researchers, the program has elevated African universities to global standards
ABOUT THE ACE PROJECT
The first phase of the ACE program (ACE I) was launched in 2014 with 22 centers in nine West and Central African countries facilitated by the AAU, and the second phase (ACE II) in 2016 with 24 centers in East and Southern Africa, facilitated by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA). These two initial phases of the ACE program successfully built and strengthened the capacities of African higher education institutions to deliver high-quality training and applied research, thereby enhancing the skills required for Africa’s development.
Since its inception, the ACE Program has trained over 77,000 students, including more than 6,900 PhDs and 27,500 master’s degrees. As a result, world-class laboratories and equipment are now accessible to African universities. Furthermore, the centers have made notable contributions to the global knowledge landscape through over 9,200 publications, thereby increasing Africa’s visibility and voice in the global academic community. To be globally competitive, 500 programs have been nationally accredited, while over 100 others have received international accreditation.
Learn more about the ACE at https://ace2.iucea.org/ and https://ace.aau.org
ABOUT THE ORGANISERS
Inter-University Council for East Africa: The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) is a specialized institution of the East African Community (EAC) responsible for developing higher education in the region. IUCEA members comprise accredited public and private universities and commissions and councils responsible for higher education in EAC Partner States.
- For media inquiries, contact Ms Agnes Asiimwe on aasiimwe@iucea.org, +256783 724489
Association of African Universities (AAU): The Association of African Universities is an international, non-profit, non-governmental network comprising approximately 450 African universities that have come together to promote cooperation among themselves and with the international academic community. Established in 1967 and operating as the voice of higher education in Africa, the AAU aims to improve the quality of African higher education and strengthen its contribution to Africa’s development by supporting the core functions of higher education institutions and facilitating critical reflections and consensus-building on issues affecting these institutions. The AAU is the regional facilitation unit for the ACE Impact project.
- For media enquiries and accreditation: contact Millicent Afriyie Adjei, makyei@aau.org, +233206580069
World Bank Group: The World Bank Group is a multilateral development institution that works to reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet. Through its subsidiary, the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank initiated and has been co-financing the ACE program. Established in 1960, IDA helps the world’s least privileged countries by providing grants and low-to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve quality of life. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 78 least privileged countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.3 billion people who live in IDA countries.
- For media enquiries, contact Caitlin Berczik, cberczik@worldbankgroup.org
French Development Agency (AFD): For over 75 years, the French Development Agency has been combating global poverty, supporting policies and investments that benefit the most vulnerable populations worldwide. Strengthening the social link among individuals, groups, and territories is at the heart of its actions in education, health, employment, urban planning, climate, and biodiversity. L’Agence Française de Développement has been ACE Impact project’s co-financer.
