The University of Rwanda has been named among the inaugural winners of the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, earning a USD 3 million award to support initiatives aimed at strengthening higher education, health training, research and innovation.
The recognition was announced last week in Accra, Ghana, during the inaugural Higher Education Transformation Convening hosted by the Mastercard Foundation, which brought together leaders from African universities, governments, the African Union, financial institutions, industry and youth organisations.
The award places the University of Rwanda among five African higher education institutions recognised for demonstrating institution-wide transformation and developing approaches with the potential to deliver lasting benefits to students and communities.
The other 2026 laureates are Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia, the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering in Burkina Faso, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana, and Muni University in Uganda.
For Rwanda, the recognition comes at a time when the country is seeking to strengthen its human capital by expanding access to quality education while aligning university training and research with national development priorities, particularly in critical sectors such as health.
Prof. Kayihura M. Didas, Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda, said the award would help the institution build on progress already made in health education, research and innovation.
“This recognition affirms the University of Rwanda’s commitment to developing a health workforce that responds to the needs of our country and communities,” Prof. Kayihura said.
He added that, with support from the Mastercard Foundation, the university would seek to strengthen its ability to turn research and knowledge into practical solutions that benefit communities.
The AHEFT Prize is designed to recognise universities that are making sustained, institution-wide improvements in areas including teaching and learning, research and innovation, the transition of students into employment and health outcomes.
The initiative is backed by a USD 500 million commitment and is expected to recognise at least 150 institutions across Africa over the next decade.
Each winning institution receives USD 3 million to scale initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for young people and strengthening the continent’s higher education systems.
The Accra convening was held under the theme “Reimagining Higher Education for Africa’s Human Capital Development,” with discussions focused on how African universities can become more relevant, sustainable and responsive to the needs of a rapidly changing continent.
For the University of Rwanda, the award provides additional resources to advance its role not only as a centre of learning, but also as an institution contributing to the country’s health workforce, research capacity and innovation ecosystem
