The inaugural SoTL Africa Conference at Ashesi University in Accra felt like standing in an orchard at dawn. There was freshness in the air, a sense that something new was breaking through the soil. Everywhere I looked, seeds were being planted—ideas exchanged, friendships formed, hopes shared. The apple became more than a metaphor; it became a mirror. Each apple contains nourishment for the present, but within it are seeds carrying the promise of future orchards. That is what SoTL in Africa represents: potential, possibility, and the power of planting wisely.
I sat in the opening plenary with both anticipation and curiosity. Listening to the conversations, I felt a surge of excitement. For too long, education in Africa has relied on models transplanted from elsewhere, seeds sown in soils not its own. They sometimes sprout, but rarely thrive. In Accra, however, the narrative shifted. The questions were urgent and heartfelt: What would it mean to plant SoTL in Africa’s soil? How can SoTL be cultivated in ways that reflect Africa’s realities, challenges, aspirations, and dreams?
Contributing Seeds to Africa’s Soil
My own contributions felt deeply personal. In leading a workshop on the foundations of SoTL, I wasn’t simply teaching content—I was offering tools to plant seeds that colleagues could nurture within their own African institutions.
Presenting my paper on SoTL and ubuntu was another moment of resonance. “I am because we are” was not just a theme; it was alive in the room. I felt it in the nods of agreement, the stories shared, and the recognition that SoTL is not an individual endeavour but a collective one. Ubuntu reminded me that Africa’s strength lies in togetherness, in recognising that each voice contributes to the orchard being cultivated.
In joining the panel to narrate my SoTL journey across cultures, curricula, continents, and careers, I reflected on resilience. Each story was like a seed growing in different soils, shaped by climate and context, yet still bearing fruit. Sharing those lessons underscored how important it is for Africa to learn with and from itself, and to recognise the diversity of contexts in which scholarship grows.
Finally, delivering the closing plenary was both an honour and a responsibility. I spoke of my hope for SoTL in Africa—a hope rooted in unity, collaboration, and the belief that Africa must adapt SoTL to its own contexts rather than adopt models that are not its own.
Lessons in Leadership for Africa’s Future
The visit to the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park was a profound reminder of what it means to plant with courage. Walking through the mausoleum, I felt the presence of a leader who sowed seeds of independence and Pan-African unity. His conviction that education could liberate still resonates. I left with the thought that SoTL, too, can be Africa’s liberation—a way of freeing education from borrowed models and rooting it in the richness of Africa’s soil.
Nourishment Beyond Scholarship
At Buka Restaurant, over a meal rich with Ghanaian flavours, I experienced another kind of nourishment. Conversations flowed as easily as the food was served, and I felt the joy of connection. These social moments reminded me that SoTL is as much about relationships as it is about research. Like compost in the soil, these interactions feed growth in ways that are not always visible but always vital.
Ashesi: Africa’s Beginning with Promise
Ashesi means beginning, and it was a fitting place to start. The university’s ethos of ethics, leadership, and innovation echoes what SoTL in Africa must embrace. I felt inspired walking its campus, sensing the commitment to change and the courage to imagine a different future. This was not just Ashesi’s beginning—it was Africa’s beginning.
Looking Ahead
As I reflect on my time in Accra, I carry with me feelings of pride, humility, and renewed hope. South Africa has a rich SoTL history, but the task now is to extend this growth across Africa. The challenge is to learn with and from one another, building communities of practice that enable collaboration rather than conflict, co-creation rather than competition.
It was in this spirit that I shared these words:
“In Africa, the scholarship of teaching and learning must be more than inquiry—it must be a movement of belonging, rooted in community, driven by purpose, and sustained by the wisdom of many. As Mandela taught us, education is the most powerful weapon to change the world—SoTL is how Africa shapes that weapon with care, courage, and collective vision.”
The seeds of SoTL have been planted in Africa’s soil. With unity, care, and vision, they will grow—not as borrowed orchards, but as flourishing ecosystems unique to Africa. This is Africa’s future: a SoTL movement that adapts heritage, responds to realities, and reflects shared aspirations for a stronger, more sustainable continent.
Professor Earle Abrahamson
Invited SoTL Scholar, SoTL Africa Conference 2025
