The Government of Ghana will host a forum on Africa's Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE) program from April 7-9, 2025, at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra. The gathering, themed "ACE@10-Celebrating A Decade of Impact, Innovation and Excellence," marks the program's tenth anniversary since its launch in 2014 to address significant challenges in Africa's higher education sector.
The event is organized by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and the Association of African Universities (AAU), along with the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA). The Forum is supported by the World Bank and the French Development Agency (AFD). It aims to review the progress of the ACEs over the last decade and highlight the program's successes, research breakthroughs, and overall impact.
The ACE program focuses on addressing key challenges in African higher education through collaborations in fields like science, ICT and digital, engineering and mathematics, agriculture, health, and transportation. The initiative aims to develop a skilled workforce to bolster Africa's economic growth.
The ACE@10 event is expected to attract about 500 participants from around Africa, including higher education and finance ministers, academicians, researchers, development partners such as the World Bank and the AFD, the African Union, international experts, private sector representatives, and other prominent figures. Attendees will share best practices and discuss potential for a subsequent phase of the ACE program.