African University Faculty to Drive Digital Inclusion Through AAU-ICANN Universal Acceptance Training

The Association of African Universities (AAU) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) have conducted the first in a series of institutional training engagements under the Increasing UA Readiness in Academic Institutions in Africa project. The project is part of the Coalition for Digital Africa’s Meaningful Connectivity focus area and aims to build capacity across African higher education institutions to integrate UA and Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) courses into their academic programmes.

The first engagement was a two-day Faculty Development Programme on the Integration of Universal Acceptance (UA) into Academic Curricula, hosted at the Women’s University in Africa (WUA) in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 26 – 27 May 2026.

Universal Acceptance is a foundational technical requirement for a truly inclusive Internet. It ensures that all valid domain names and email addresses – regardless of script, language, or length – are accepted, validated, processed, and displayed correctly across all systems. As the Internet expands to serve billions of users in diverse languages and writing systems, UA readiness has become an imperative for digital equity and global connectivity. Recognizing this, the AAU-ICANN partnership is equipping African universities with the knowledge and tools to embed UA into their curricula, thereby preparing the next generation of developers, engineers, and digital professionals to build inclusive, globally compatible digital solutions.

The Faculty Development Programme is designed to provide participating institutions with both foundational and technical expertise required for UA curriculum integration. The 12-module UA curriculum can be introduced as standalone courses or integrated into existing programmes across disciplines such as computer science, information systems, and software engineering. The training covers essential topics including domain name systems, email internationalization, and implementation strategies – ensuring that faculty members are well-prepared to deliver the curriculum effectively. The initiative also encourages participating universities to configure their own email and website systems to be UA-compliant, reinforcing the principle that institutions must model the practices they teach.

The training at WUA commenced with a strategic meeting between AAU and ICANN teams and the university’s management, reflecting the collaborative approach central to the project’s success. WUA’s leadership expressed strong commitment to the initiative, indicating that implementation would begin with six modules, with a phased expansion over time. Mr. Geraldo Ferreira of ICANN expressed optimism that the successful implementation at WUA would serve as a catalyst for broader adoption across African universities. Dr. Felicia Nkrumah, Acting Coordinator for ICT, Communications and Knowledge Management at AAU, noted that several other universities are already in the pipeline for similar engagements and emphasized that the WUA experience would serve as a valuable case study and reference point for future institutional adopters.

Participants in the training underscored the practical value of UA integration for student preparedness and graduate competitiveness. “The integration of Universal Acceptance modules into our curriculum will greatly benefit students as emerging developers by equipping them with the skills needed to build inclusive and globally compatible digital solutions,” said Allan C. Muzenda, a lecturer in Information Systems at WUA. Similarly, Tembo S., Acting Chairperson of the Information Systems Department, observed that the training had provided valuable insights and introduced practical modules that faculty could readily integrate into their course outlines to better prepare students for the evolving digital ecosystem.

As part of the Coalition’s Meaningful Connectivity focus area, this initiative reflects the shared commitment of the AAU and ICANN to strengthening UA readiness and digital capacity across African higher education. By equipping faculty with knowledge to teach and preparing future developers and digital professionals to build globally compatible systems, the partnership is contributing to a more inclusive and multilingual Internet. As more universities across the continent engage with the programme, the AAU and ICANN will continue to expand the reach of UA education and support institutions in building the skills and systems needed for meaningful connectivity.

African Higher education institutions, interested in joining this project should contact – amsulemana@aau.org