Press Release – AAU 16th General Conference Charts Bold Future for African Higher Education
July 26, 2025General Conference 2025 Newsletter 1
August 12, 2025
The Association of African Universities (AAU) is pleased to announce the Governing Board’s unanimous renewal of Professor Olusola Bandele Oyewole’s mandate as Secretary General for a second four-year term (2025-2029). This decisive endorsement reflects Prof. Oyewole’s transformative leadership in advancing AAU’s mission to enhance the quality and relevance of higher education in Africa and strengthen its contribution to Africa’s development.
A Legacy of Institutional Transformation
Since assuming office on Friday October 1, 2021, Prof. Oyewole has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have elevated the AAU’s global standing and operational excellence. His first term in office was marked by:
- Strengthening AAU’s role as the authoritative voice of African higher education.
- Expanding membership and deepening member engagement.
- Advancing capacity building, staff development, and digital transformation.
- Forging strategic partnerships with the European Union, African Union, World Bank, and other key stakeholders to fund research, innovation, and quality assurance.
- Championing transformative initiatives such as the African Research, Innovation, and Development (AfRID) Network.
- Enhancing linkages with the African diaspora and consolidating AAU’s regional offices for greater impact.
- Prioritizing effective governance, financial stewardship, and policy influence
- Driving the implementation of key continental agendas such as the Continental Education Strategy for Africa, by African Universities.
Under his visionary stewardship, the AAU has made remarkable strides in the research ecosystems, launching cutting-edge digital platforms and empowering Communities of Practice. As a renowned global advocate for African higher education, Prof. Oyewole has catapulted the AAU to the forefront of global discourse, representing Africa at major platforms and amplifying the voice of Africa’s higher education community. His exceptional leadership in organizing key statutory meetings, including the Conference of Rectors, Vice Chancellors, and Presidents of African Universities, and the General Conference, has ensured the Association’s effective governance, deepened ownership by its members and ensured its effective operations.
Prof. Oyewole’s strategic focus on research leadership, policy innovation, and partnerships has been instrumental in driving the Association’s growth, impact, and relevance.
“I am deeply honoured to continue serving Africa’s academic community. Together, we will amplify the role of universities as engines of innovation and sustainable development,” said Prof. Oyewole.
About Prof. Olusola Bandele Oyewole
Prof. Oyewole is a Professor of Food Science and Technology with over 40 years of distinguished leadership in African higher education. As former Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria, he has shaped institutional excellence at the highest levels. His extensive continental experience includes senior advisory roles at the African Union Commission, complemented by global engagements with UNESCO, OECD and several international organisations. With 120+ scholarly publications and 3,700+ academic citations, his expertise spans quality assurance, research systems, and the internationalization of higher education.
You can use the link that follows to congratulate Prof. Olusola Oyewole: https://recocards.com/board/congratulations-professor-olusola-123523786965
About the Association of African Universities (AAU) | www.aau.org
The Association of African Universities is an international non-profit, non-governmental organisation created by African universities to promote cooperation among them and between them and the international academic community. It is headquartered in Accra, Ghana, has a membership of more than 450 higher education institutions, and three regional offices – the North Africa Regional Office (NARO) in Cairo, Egypt; East Africa Regional Office (EARO) in Khartoum, Sudan; and the Southern Africa Regional Office in Zimbabwe (SARO) as well as continental offices hosted in Europe among others.
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