October 3-4, 2023, Tanzania – The Education Collaborative’s third annual East Africa Hub Convening brought together 98 participants from 12 countries, representing 27 higher education institutions and 11 non-academic organizations. The two-day event focused on forging the future of African education under the theme “Africa’s Educational Renaissance: Collaborative Strategies for Resilient Learning Systems in the 21st Century.”
Now in its third year, the convening has become a cornerstone for regional collaboration, helping educators and stakeholders identify best practices for building sustainable learning systems tailored to Africa’s unique needs.
Dr. Olive Sabiiti, Acting Vice-Chancellor of Cavendish University Uganda, emphasized the collaborative spirit: “We work together, partnering across institutions to share insights and innovations. Our focus is on our students—listening to their needs, identifying areas for growth, and implementing meaningful change.”
The agenda addressed pressing challenges and emerging trends through panels, workshops, and roundtable discussions centered on core areas including: Building Resilient Higher Education Ecosystems: Measuring Universities’ Socioeconomic Impact, and Deepening Regional Collaborations.
Participants engaged each other on exploring strategies to help institutions thrive amid resource limitations, political instability, and technological shifts, developing metrics to quantify and communicate how universities contribute to national and regional economies, and identifying local solutions for creating resilient education systems across East Africa.
These sessions underscored the importance of institutional resilience, aligning education with regional priorities, and finding scalable, sustainable solutions.
Prof. Baylie Damtie, Vice Chancellor of Kepler, highlighted the event’s significance: “The convening brought our most relevant conversations to the fore, focusing on empowering East African students through innovative approaches. We discussed strategies to enhance entrepreneurial and ethical skills, track graduate employability, and foster supportive learning environments.”
The event also catalyzed new collaborations and strengthened existing partnerships. Participants emphasized the importance of shared knowledge in addressing challenges such as student access, faculty development, and digital transformation. Through regional cooperation, the goal is to develop learning systems that are both resilient and responsive to the evolving needs of students and society.
