Office of the President
The President is responsible for managing and sustaining the university’s academic excellence and commitment to the values of ethical conduct, innovation, and civic engagement.
“If we can help our students discover who they are and understand where they stand in society and the responsibility that they have to their society, we will have achieved a great deal.”
To see a snapshot of what an African country will look like in 20 years, sit in a college class here today. Africa’s future progress, or the lack of it, is inextricably linked to what is happening in African universities. Let me explain with a statistic. Less than 10% of the young people in sub-Saharan Africa attend college. This percentage is so small that you can be sure that those few Africans in college will, by definition, be running the show in 20 or 30 years. The upcoming leaders in business and government—the professionals, engineers, and managers who will be responsible for tomorrow’s infrastructure, education, health care, and other sectors—are sitting in a college classroom today.
Consider then, in the near future, whether this influential group will play a positive role in creating a healthier, more productive, and more just future for Africa. Will they have strong ethics and a concern for the greater good, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, or class? Will they be innovative thinkers, ready to develop creative solutions? Will they have an entrepreneurial mindset, ready to work hard and help Africa’s private sector thrive? How can Africa’s future leaders possibly learn to think and behave differently if we don’t educate them in a different way? If we want different results, we must try something different.
That was the motivation with which we set out to start Ashesi in 2002, and that has guided us since. We are committed to providing the best possible education to students here, to driving innovation, and to collaborating with our peers across the continent to educate the inspired and inspiring leaders our continent needs. We are also grateful for Ashesi’s growing reputation, and proud of the work of our students, alumni, and community.
Africa demands more of its universities. Sitting in Africa’s classrooms today are students whose education will set Africa’s course over the next 20 to 30 years. When more African universities recognise and act on this, we will see a better future for the continent and for the world.
Patrick Awuah is the Founder and President of Ashesi University. He holds bachelor’s degrees in Engineering and Economics from Swarthmore College; an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business; and honorary doctorates from Swarthmore College, Babson College, the University of Waterloo, Connecticut College, and the University of Toronto.
