African university leaders are using the Association of African Universities' (AAU) 60th anniversary celebrations to intensify calls for greater investment in research and innovation, arguing that stronger funding will be essential if universities are to drive the continent's economic transformation.The appeal was made during the official launch of the AAU's Diamond Jubilee celebrations on 28 July, where higher education leaders outlined an ambitious agenda to reposition universities as key contributors to Africa's development rather than institutions focused primarily on teaching and academic publications.

The campaign will culminate at the 24th Conference of Rectors, Vice-Chancellors and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP 2027), scheduled for July next year in Nairobi, Kenya. The conference, expected to attract more than 1,000 university leaders, policymakers and development partners, will serve as the flagship event marking six decades of the AAU's leadership in African higher education.A major focus of the anniversary year will be sustainable financing for research. Speakers noted that while African governments have committed to investing at least one percent of gross domestic product in research and development, most countries remain well below that target, limiting universities' ability to generate innovations that support industrialisation, job creation and economic growth.

John Gyapong, Secretary-General of the African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), urged university leaders to use the period leading up to COREVIP 2027 to advocate for increased public investment in research.He said stronger domestic financing would enable African universities to undertake more locally relevant research while reducing dependence on external funding sources that often shape research priorities.

Beyond funding, university leaders also called for a broader transformation of higher education systems across the continent.AAU Secretary-General Prof. Olusola Oyewole said African universities must evolve from institutions that primarily award degrees into innovation-driven centres capable of producing practical solutions to the continent's development challenges.He argued that university curricula should better prepare graduates for the future economy, while research systems should place greater emphasis on innovation, entrepreneurship, technology development and industrial application alongside academic publishing.

According to Oyewole, universities have a critical role to play in addressing Africa's challenges in areas such as food security, health, climate resilience, digital transformation and industrial development.The Nairobi conference is expected to explore these priorities under a broader agenda aimed at strengthening the resilience, relevance and impact of African universities.As the AAU marks 60 years since its establishment in 1967, the anniversary celebrations are expected to serve not only as a reflection on the organisation's achievements but also as a platform for shaping a new vision for African higher education, one centred on research excellence, innovation, stronger financing and greater contribution to the continent's long-term development.

Photo cortesy :Afrik Digest

Article by Jed Mwangi

https://aau.org/2026/07/the-future-of-africa-will-be-decided-in-its-universities/