AAU among Five Institutions recognized for Transforming African Education Landscape

Addis Ababa University (AAU) has been named one of five inaugural winners of the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, a new award backed by a USD500 million, decade-long commitment from the Mastercard Foundation. Each of the five winning institutions will receive USD3 million to scale their transformative initiatives and expand educational and employment opportunities for young people across the continent. AAU was recognized in the ‘Excellence in Research and Innovation’ category for aligning its research with national economic priorities and connecting scientific knowledge to public services.

The foundation highlighted AAU’s integration with Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital—which serves roughly 884,000 patients annually—as a key driver for clinical training, research, and community care. “For twenty years we have seen African institutions rethink what higher education can deliver. The AHEFT Prize turns that proof into momentum: we are backing homegrown excellence with a decade-long commitment, so that universities across the continent become engines of opportunity for millions of young people,” said Sewit Ahderom, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.

The four other institutions honored alongside AAU comprise: International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) (Burkina Faso) – Excellence in Teaching and Learning Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) (Ghana) – Excellence in Research and Innovation Muni University (Uganda) – Transitions to Employment University of Rwanda (Rwanda) – Excellence in Health The inaugural laureates will formally receive their awards at the Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra, Ghana, on September 22, 2026. Over the next decade, the AHEFT Prize aims to recognize and fund at least 150 higher education institutions across Africa.