In several African countries, students continue to raise concerns about affordability and inclusion.
On 12 November, we observe Africa Universities Day. It comes at a time when the global theme of shaping a safer, more sustainable and just world holds particular relevance for Africa.
In our context, peace and security is not only the absence of conflict. It is the presence of opportunity, dignity, inclusion and the conditions for people to live meaningful lives. Universities are key contributors to building these conditions.
This year’s commemoration also arrives at a time when many societies are confronting declining public trust in institutions. In several African countries, students continue to raise concerns about affordability and inclusion. Governments are being called upon to strengthen the social contract. These conversations make it clear that universities are not spectators to social change. We must be active participants in shaping the conditions of confidence, cohesion, and possibility.
Demographics
Africa is the youngest continent. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (2023), nearly 60%of Africans are under the age of 25.
By 2050, one in every three young people in the world will live in Africa. This demographic reality is our greatest strategic asset. But without strong education systems, it can also become a source of vulnerability.
Universities therefore have a responsibility not only to expand access, but to ensure that learning is relevant, ethical, transdisciplinary and future-focused.
The graduates we produce will influence the character of our economies, public institutions, civic spaces, and global cooperation. The character and capabilities of this generation will determine the character of our societies.
Citizenship
The purpose of African universities extends beyond preparing students for employment. We must develop citizenship and civic imagination.
Our history as a continent continues to show that institutions matter. Where institutions are strong, people flourish. Where institutions fracture, the social fabric weakens.
Students today are not asking for the distance between theory and life.
They want to apply knowledge where it matters. They want to contribute to solutions. They want to help build societies that are more just, more inclusive, and more sustainable.
This requires universities to model the values we encourage. Openness. Accountability. Respect. Inclusion. Intellectual honesty. Societal impact begins with institutional culture.
Research
African universities are producing research with global influence.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, African scientists played a leading role in genomic sequencing and variant detection, which shaped global understanding of viral evolution (Africa CDC, 2021).
Across the continent, research networks continue to advance work on climate adaptation, water security, public health systems, agricultural resilience and governance.
Collaborative platforms demonstrate the scale of this work:
· The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) connects universities in 16 countries to address climate, public health, migration and inequality.
· The AIMS network trains scientists to solve high-complexity problems in mathematical and computational fields.
· EUTOPIA Africa is fostering reciprocal research collaboration between African and European institutions.
· The AUDA-NEPAD Knowledge Hub links universities with regional development planning and public-sector capability building.
The challenge now is translation. Knowledge must move from research outputs into real-world applications.
Universities must invest in innovation ecosystems, knowledge transfer systems, social enterprise incubation, and public policy advisory capacity. The value of knowledge is realised when it strengthens communities.
Access
While participation in higher education is growing, Africa continues to have one of the lowest enrolment rates globally. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (2022), less than 10% of tertiary-aged Africans are enrolled in higher education. The global average is nearly 40%.
Expanding access is important for development, productivity, and stability. However, access alone is not enough. Students must also belong.
Belonging is supported when:
· Academic and psychosocial support systems are strong.
· Financial aid models reflect real family constraints.
· Language inclusion affirms cultural identity.
· Campus environments promote dignity and respect.
Belonging is not sentimental. It is a predictor of student success, retention and long-term civic participation.
Collaboration
The challenges facing African societies are systemic. Climate instability. Youth unemployment. Food and water stress. Digital inequality. No single institution can respond to these alone.
Universities must act as convenors of government, civil society, industry and communities. When African universities collaborate with one another, the result is not duplication. It is amplification.
The future of African development will be shaped by networks, not silos.
Technology
Artificial intelligence is reshaping knowledge and labour systems. For African universities, the question is not whether to adopt AI, but how to do so ethically and equitably.
This requires:
· Reliable and accessible digital infrastructure.
· Curriculum redesign to build data literacy and ethical reasoning.
· Research that focuses on African needs, such as public health forecasting, agricultural optimisation, land-use planning, and language preservation.
· Safeguards to ensure that AI expands opportunity rather than deepens inequality.
If guided with care, AI can expand access, personalise learning, accelerate research, and strengthen public institutions. Universities must lead conversations on responsible use of technology.
Leadership
Universities face rising expectations and constrained resources. Yet periods of pressure are often periods of opportunity.
Leadership must be listening-driven rather than defensive. Strategic rather than reactive. Grounded in shared values rather than individual agendas.
The legitimacy of universities rests on public trust. We earn that trust through transparency, openness and responsiveness to the needs of our communities.
Future
The future of Africa will not simply unfold. It will be shaped by the decisions we make now in our lecture halls, laboratories, council rooms, rural innovation sites and research networks.
Every graduate who learns to think critically strengthens democratic life.
Every researcher working on solutions to hunger, energy, water and health strengthens social resilience. Every student who finds belonging strengthens the fabric of their community.
As Chinua Achebe reminds us: “We cannot trample upon the humanity of others without devaluing our own.”
African universities hold the capacity to empower, unite and transform. Our role is not to respond to history. Our role is to shape it.
We are not marginal to society. We are among its most powerful engines of renewal.
Professor Deresh Ramjugernath is the Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University.