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Vision:  IUCEA becomes an exemplary common higher education area for a prosperous and sustainable East African Community by 2030.

Mission: To encourage and develop mutually beneficial collaboration between Member Universities and between them and Governments and other organizations, both public and private

IUCEA Core Values:  Accountability, Transparency, Unity, Diversity, Integrity, Professionalism and Teamwork

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IUCEA, Arizona State University Design Institute Partner to Drive AI-Ready Higher Education in East Africa

KAMPALA, Uganda / TEMPE, Arizona, USA — September 9, 2026 — The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) and Arizona State University’s University Design Institute (UDI) have established a strategic partnership to strengthen the capacity of universities across the East African Community (EAC) to respond to the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence (AI) and other forces transforming higher education.

The partnership brings together IUCEA’s regional network and expertise in higher education coordination with UDI’s global experience in higher education design, institutional transformation and innovation. The collaboration will initially focus on strengthening institutional capabilities within IUCEA’s newly established Regional AI Network of Universities, while laying the foundation for broader cooperation on higher education transformation across the region.

The partnership is anchored in a shared understanding that unlocking the potential of AI in higher education requires more than technology adoption. Universities must also strengthen leadership and governance, faculty capabilities, academic programmes, institutional systems, research and innovation ecosystems, and mechanisms for cross-institutional learning and collaboration.

Through the partnership, IUCEA and UDI will co-design and implement initiatives that support universities to build sustainable institutional capacity and responsibly harness AI to improve teaching and learning, research, innovation, administration and engagement with society.

The collaboration will focus on four strategic priority areas:

Leadership and Governance

The partnership will strengthen the capacity of university leaders and leadership teams to guide institutional transformation and effectively navigate AI-driven change. It will build on existing leadership and change-management capabilities across East Africa while addressing identified capacity gaps through targeted leadership development and peer learning.

Faculty Development and Institutional AI Capability

IUCEA and UDI will support universities to strengthen faculty capacity to use AI responsibly and effectively in teaching, assessment, research and institutional practice. The collaboration will leverage existing regional expertise through shared resources, communities of practice and train-the-trainer approaches designed to reach institutions at scale.

Innovation and Research Ecosystems

The partnership will contribute to strengthening regional research networks, incubation hubs, innovation platforms and technology-transfer ecosystems, enabling universities to play a stronger role in addressing societal and economic challenges through research and innovation.

Cross-Institutional Exchange and Learning

The initiative will facilitate peer-to-peer engagement, shared learning, exchange of experiences and resources among universities across East Africa, creating opportunities for institutions to learn from one another and accelerate the adoption of effective approaches to institutional transformation.

Prof. Idris A. Rai, Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa, said the partnership comes at a critical moment when universities must prepare learners, faculty and institutions for a rapidly changing technological and socio-economic environment.

“Artificial intelligence is reshaping the way knowledge is created, shared and applied, and higher education institutions in East Africa must be at the forefront of this transformation. This partnership with Arizona State University’s University Design Institute provides an important platform for our universities to strengthen institutional capacity, develop AI-ready faculty and leadership, promote responsible use of emerging technologies, and foster innovation and research that respond to the needs of our societies. Through the Regional AI Network of Universities, we are committed to ensuring that the benefits of AI contribute to quality, inclusive and relevant higher education across the East African Community.”

Minu Ipe, Vice Chair and Managing Director of the University Design Institute at Arizona State University, said the partnership will combine complementary strengths to help universities across the region navigate a rapidly changing higher education landscape.

“Higher education is a vital engine for social and economic transformation. By combining IUCEA’s regional network and capabilities with UDI’s deep experience in higher education design and innovation, this partnership will strengthen the capacity of IUCEA’s member institutions to expand their impact across the learners and communities they serve.”

The agreement establishes a framework through which IUCEA and UDI will jointly pursue and implement programmes and projects aimed at strengthening the capacity of IUCEA member institutions to expand access to quality, relevant and innovative higher education across the region.

The collaboration will also enable the two institutions to jointly pursue opportunities and projects supported by international development partners, multilateral development banks and philanthropic organizations, with the goal of accelerating sustainable and scalable impact across EAC Partner States.

The partnership reflects the broader commitment of IUCEA and its partners to supporting the development of an integrated and competitive East African higher education system capable of responding to emerging technologies, labour-market demands and the region’s social and economic development priorities.

About the University Design Institute at Arizona State University

The University Design Institute (UDI) at Arizona State University is a global higher education design organization dedicated to helping university leaders, systems and policymakers reimagine and transform higher education models. UDI has worked in 26 countries, including seven countries in Africa, and with more than 140 institutions, supporting higher education transformation through design, innovation, leadership development and institutional capacity building.

About the Inter-University Council for East Africa

The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) is an institution of the East African Community responsible for coordinating higher education and research, promoting quality assurance and harmonization of standards, and facilitating regional academic and student mobility and recognition of qualifications across EAC Partner States.

Through partnerships with governments, universities, development partners and other stakeholders, IUCEA works to strengthen the quality, relevance, accessibility and competitiveness of higher education and research in East Africa, contributing to the region’s social and economic transformation.

Ends!

For Information, please contact:

Gai Peter Manyuon, PhD
Public Relations and Corporate Communications Officer
Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA)
Tel: +256 700 421 986
Email: gmanyuon@iucea.org

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