Launching a new era
for African Higher Education
Co-hosted by
A landmark gathering to launch the AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative: a continental Xchange to co-create an African-informed ranking to recognise excellence in African higher education.
Countdown to event
Event date
31 Aug - 1 Sep 2026
Event time
09:00 AM (SAST)
Location
Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
The AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative is more than a new ranking. It is a continent-wide effort to bring together African higher education leaders to define, recognise and celebrate excellence through an African-informed lens. This inaugural gathering marks the beginning of that journey - creating space for dialogue, collaboration and co-creation as we work towards a framework that reflects the diversity, aspirations and strengths of African higher education.
Reframing the future of African higher education.
The AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative has been established to create a collaborative platform through which African higher education institutions can shape a framework for recognising excellence that reflects the continent's unique contexts, contributions and ambitions.
The initiative brings together universities, policymakers, quality assurance bodies, industry and other higher education partners to contribute to an evolving African-rankings framework wholly informed and developed by African perspectives.
The inaugural gathering at the University of Cape Town marks the beginning of the process of consultation, collaboration and refinement, a process that will continue to evolve through broad continental engagement toward launching Africa’s first Higher Education Ranking… by Africa for Africa.
Co-host Institution
University of Cape Town
Cape Town, South Africa
Why this initiative
matters
African higher education is diverse, dynamic and rapidly evolving. While global rankings have influenced how excellence is understood, they do not always reflect the varied missions, contexts and contributions of African universities.
The AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative provides an opportunity for the continent to come together and help shape an approach to recognising excellence that is meaningful, credible and relevant to Africa. By bringing together voices from across the higher education ecosystem, the initiative seeks to ensure that the framework for example including the methodology and metrics, is informed through inclusive collaboration and co-creation.
What makes this initiative
different
African-informed
Built through African perspectives and experience.
Co-created
Developed through ongoing consultation and collaboration across the continent.
Context-sensitive
Recognises the diversity of institutional missions, contexts and strengths.
Transparent
Committed to openness, dialogue and continuous improvement.
Future-focused
Designed to evolve as African higher education continues to grow and transform. Will contribute to African higher education institutional impact and excellence.
The centrepiece
of the gathering
At the heart of the inaugural gathering is the Co-creation Workshop.
Bringing together vice-chancellors, presidents, rectors and senior higher education leaders from across the continent, the workshop will provide a collaborative space to explore the principles, values and priorities that should inform an African approach to recognising excellence in higher education.
Participants will contribute directly to shaping the future direction of the AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative through open dialogue, shared learning and collaborative design. The outcomes of the workshop will inform the next phase of consultation and contribute towards the continued development of the initiative.
What Participants
Will Shape
Open dialogue · Shared learning · Collaborative design
Participants will contribute directly to shaping:
-
Principles
-
Values
-
Priorities
The outcomes of the workshop will inform the next phase of consultation and contribute towards the continued development of the initiative.
Programme
overview
The full two-day programme is now live — every session, conversation catalyst and co-creation activity, from registration to the close of the Xchange.
View the full programme31 August – 1 September 2026 · Session-by-session schedule
Co-creation Workshop
The centrepiece of the gathering
Bringing together vice-chancellors, presidents, rectors and senior higher education leaders from across the continent, the workshop will provide a collaborative space to explore the principles, values and priorities that should inform an African approach to recognising excellence in higher education.
Facilitators
Prof Abhi Veerakumarasivam · Provost & Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Mr Marcel Bandur · Director, Internationalisation, Global Engagement & Mobility
Sunway University, Malaysia
Day One · Mon 31 August
Understanding the landscape
Why rankings matter and what they miss — conversation catalysts, AppliedHE beyond rankings, the major ranking methodologies at a glance, institutional perspectives from UCT and Sunway University, and the Gap Wall co-creation activity.
Opening Conversation Catalyst: the future of African higher education
Co-creation: The Gap Wall
Gala networking dinner
Day Two · Tue 1 September
Rethinking excellence, measuring what matters
From the Excellence Wall to the Measurement Wall — reimagining what excellence means, prioritising what matters most, translating principles into potential measures, and building shared agreement on the All-Africa Principles for University Excellence.
Co-creation: The Excellence Wall
Co-creation: The Measurement Wall
All-Africa Principles for University Excellence
Who should
attend.
The inaugural AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA gathering brings together leaders and partners from across the higher education ecosystem who are committed to shaping the future of recognising excellence in African higher education.
Why be part of this
continental initiative?
By participating, delegates will contribute to an important continental conversation while shaping the future direction of the AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative.
Contribution
Contribute directly to shaping the future direction of the AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative.
Collaboration
Work alongside universities, policymakers, quality assurance bodies, industry and other higher education partners from across the continent.
Shared learning
Exchange perspectives and experience through open dialogue and collaborative design.
Long-term impact
Help shape a framework designed to evolve as African higher education continues to grow and transform, contributing to institutional impact and excellence.
Looking beyond the launch
The inaugural gathering marks the beginning of a longer-term continental initiative. The conversations, partnerships and ideas emerging from this event will continue to shape the evolution of the AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative through ongoing consultation, collaboration and engagement across Africa. This will ultimately result in the launch of the AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Public & Private University Rankings in 2027.
The inaugural edition follows AppliedHE's signature methodology of assessing public and private universities separately, recognising their different missions, structures, and operating realities while bringing the full continent into view.
54 countries in scope
A continental baseline designed to better reflect institutional missions, contexts, and contribution.
Public/Private lens
Separate public and private assessments reflect different structures and operating realities.
Driven by
AppliedHE.
AppliedHE is a Singapore-based education technology company that has been compiling university rankings since 2021.
We are known for our signature methodology of separating Public and Private universities, ensuring that institutions are assessed in ways that reflect their different roles, structures, and measures of excellence.
This distinctive approach allows AppliedHE to deliver independent, transparent, and more meaningful benchmarks for students, universities, and policy-makers globally.
Meaningful Benchmarks
Delivering independent, transparent data.
Singapore-Based
Compiling global rankings since 2021.
Signature Methodology
Separating Public and Private assessments.
Institutional Context
Reflecting different missions and structures.
Where you’ll stay
in Cape Town.
Delegates can book accommodation directly with one of the conference hotels, subject to availability. Room rates, booking contacts and the step-by-step process are on the accommodation page.
Register now for
AppliedHE Xchange 2026 @ UCT - ALL-AFRICA.
Register for AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA 2026 and join university leaders, policymakers, and partners at the University of Cape Town for the launch of the AppliedHE ALL-AFRICA Rankings Initiative and the conversations that will shape what comes next.