09/06/2026
Advancing Equitable Partnerships for Transformative Higher Education Cooperation Between Africa and Europe
The Association of African Universities (AAU), represented by AAU Secretary General, Prof. Olusola Oyewole, participated in the strategic meeting on “Co-creating Knowledge with Africa: Towards a New Strategic Framework for Higher Education Cooperation”, held in Bled from 8–9 June 2026.
The programme was jointly organized by the Centre of the Republic of Slovenia for Mobility and European Educational and Training Programmes (CMEPIUS) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) bringing together stakeholders from Africa and Europe to explore new pathways for more equitable, impactful, and mutually beneficial higher education partnerships.
As the Lead Agency supporting the implementation of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026–2035), the AAU welcomed participants to the meeting and actively contributed to panel discussions on best practices and lessons learned from higher education cooperation programmes across Africa.
During the meeting, Professor Oyewole reaffirmed the AAU’s commitment to advancing equitable partnerships through the following actions:
✅ Connecting the outcomes of the Equitable Partnerships discussions to the Africa Charter on Transformative Research Collaborations, developed by leading African organizations, including AAU, CODESRIA, African Research Universities Alliance - ARUA, Inter-University Council for East Africa, The African Academy of Sciences, THE International Network for Higher Education in Africa, African Network for Internationalization of Education and other key partners.
✅ Developing a series of webinars to engage African scholars and their international colleagues in meaningful dialogue on equitable partnerships and transformative research collaborations.
✅ Collaborating with DAAD to promote equitable partnerships at the next EAIE Conference in Glasgow under the Study and Research in Africa (SRIA) initiative.
✅ Providing a dedicated platform for discussions on Equitable Partnerships and Equitable Research during the Conference of Rectors, Vice-Chancellors and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP 2027), scheduled to take place in July 2027 in Nairobi.
As Africa and Europe continue to strengthen their academic and research relationships, equity, mutual respect, shared ownership, and co-creation of knowledge must remain at the heart of our cooperation. Such principles are essential for ensuring sustainable impact and generating value for institutions, researchers, and societies across both continents.
Together, we can shape a new era of higher education cooperation that is transformative, inclusive, and beneficial to Africa, Europe, and the wider global community.
