Press Releases

Science Technology and Innovation Conference- Press Release

THEME:

The Role of STI in EAC Regional Integration & Socio-Economic Development in the phase of Covid-19.

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Centers of Excellence post impressive results at Mid Term

The 8th Technical and Advisory Meeting for Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE II) took place at the Umodzi Park in Lilongwe, Malawi. The two day meeting was attended by over 100 delegates that included Vice Chancellors and leaders of Centers of Excellence from the eight participating countries.The Africa Centers of Excellence meet twice a year to share knowledge and experiences.

The ACE II Project was launched in October 2016 and the 8th meeting marked the Mid-Term point. The higher order objective of the project is to meet the demand for skills required for Africa’s development in areas such as agriculture, energy, extractive industries, etc., while strengthening best African universities in education and training in agriculture, industry, health, applied statistics, and education. . 

ACE Scholarship Program Recipients for 2019 Announced

 The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Regional Facilitation Unit for the World Bank-supported Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project, has announced the recipients of the ACE Scholarship Program for 2019. A Call for Applications for Masters Fellowships targeting female students in the nine project participating countries of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Uganda, Mozambique and Malawi was announced in March 2019. The aim of the competitive scholarship is to enhance the participation of young African female scientists at postgraduate level, encourage regional student mobility and identify and cultivate future leaders in the region. A total of 28 fellowships were awarded for the 2018/2019 academic year.

IUCEA awards One Million USD to establish incubation centers at Africa Centers of Excellence

Kampala, May 22,2019: The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), a Regional Facilitation Unit for the World Bank-supported Africa Centers of Excellence for East and Southern Africa Project (ACE II) has completed the process of selection of Incubation Centers to be hosted at four of the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs). Each Center will receive a financial award of 250,000 USD, from a World Bank grant, as seed funds for the establishment of these regional Incubation Centers for East and Southern Africa. The ACEs selected to host the Incubation Centers are: 

1. ACEESD – African Center of Excellence in Energy for Sustainable Development, University of Rwanda
2. CREATES – Center for Research Advancement, Teaching Excellence and Sustainability in Food and Nutrition Security, Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Tanzania
3. PHARMBIOTRAC – Center for Pharm-Bio Technology and Traditional Technology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda
4. PTRE – Center of Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy based at Moi University, Kenya

IUCEA received 15 proposals in response to a call that was issued in June 2018. The call invited any African Center of Excellence participating in the ACE II Project to submit proposals to host Incubation Centers through a co-financing arrangement in the four priority areas of the ACE II Project which include health, industry, agriculture, and education/applied statistics. The proposals were evaluated through a rigorous 3-step process by an international team of experts with extensive experience in business incubation, start-ups creation and successful commercialization of innovations and covered a diverse array of important topics — such as energy for sustainable development, innovative drugs development, food and nutrition security, among others — that are critical to the development of the region. 

Regional Integration Key to Building Mass of Qualified Scientists – Hon. Mutimura

Kigali (November 12, 2018) – The Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence Project (ACE II) is holding its sixth Technical and Advisory meeting at the Serena Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda, from November 12th to 14th, 2018. The ACE II project is strengthening 24 competitively selected Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs) to deliver quality, market relevant post graduate education, and build collaborative research capacity in five regional priority areas of industry, agriculture, health, education and applied statistics. Sixteen universities in eight countries are participating in the ACEII Project.

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Africa Centers of Excellence meet to discuss investment in skilling graduates, research and quality of Science and Technology education in Africa

Accra (November 07, 2017) – A joint workshop for the Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) from ACE I and ACE II is underway in Accra, Ghana, from 7-10^th November, 2017.  The 22 Centers of Excellence from West and Central Africa and 24 Centers from Eastern and Southern Africa are meeting for the first time to learn from peers, and share knowledge, experiences and success stories.

Uganda launches four Higher Education Africa Centers of Excellence

Kampala (November 15, 2017) – Uganda’s four Higher Education Africa Centers of Excellence have been launched by the minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataha Museveni.  The four centers are part of the Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project, an initiative of participating African governments and the World Bank.

Addis Ababa (April 27, 2017) – The Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence Project (ACE II) has held its biannual Technical and Advisory Meeting in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The meeting brought together leaders of the 24 Africa Centers of Excellence (ACEs) from the eight countries hosting the project to network, seek solutions to emerging challenges and plan innovative strategies to achieve project objectives.  

Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project Launched

Nairobi, October 26, 2016: TheEastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence Project (ACE II) seeks to strengthen 24 competitively selected centers to deliver quality, market-relevant post-graduate education, and build collaborative research capacity in five regional priority areas

 ACE II BROCHURE OCTOBER 2016. Download 

WORLD BANK ACE II BROCHURE. Download

Remarks by the Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa, Prof. Alexandre Lyambabaje, at the signing of the ACE II legal agreement at the World Bank offices, Nairobi, Kenya, on July 11th, 2016. 

World Bank-IUCEA Sign Agreement to Support Quality Training and Research Skills among Higher Education Institutions in Eastern and Southern Africa

Nairobi,July 11, 2016— the World Bank Group and the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) today signed a grant agreement totaling US$8 million to supporta new regional initiative aimed at strengthening the capacityof higher education institutions to deliver quality post-graduate education and collaborative research indevelopment priority areas for Eastern and Southern Africa. Read more

Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project Approved

Kampala, June 10, 2016:   The World Bank Board has approved the Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence Project (ACE II).  Each of the 24 Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE) will be funded up to US$6 million over the project period of five years.

Announcement of conditionally selected Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence

14 December 2015

Below is the list of the 23 conditionally selected ACE proposals funded by ACE II (table 1) and the list of additional 8 proposals that could be considered for funding by their respective governments. Full Statement.