Sub-Saharan Africa’s youth population will double to 830 million by 2050, and helping young people meet their aspirations and have the tools to improve their communities and futures will be key to U.S. policy objectives of regional stability, inclusive economic growth, and promoting democratic values. Higher Education in Africa is under-resourced and ill-prepared to meet this tidal wave of demand. Africa has just 1,500 public and private universities, less than 1% of the world’s top 250 universities, contributes less than 1% to global research, and only 9% of its youth are enrolled in higher education institutions (HEIs). The sector is also struggling with virtual education due to inadequate infrastructure, administration and training. 

The U.S. Embassy Windhoek of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to create and sustain academic partnership between American and Namibian universities. This may include student and professor exchanges, joint research, curriculum development, joint degree programs.

Program Objectives:

To establish a sustainable partnership between an American and a Namibian institution of higher education one of the following fields:

Public Health (or Medicine, like Telemedicine)

Education

University administration

Climate change and environment

Entrepreneurship development

Renewable energy, particularly solar and green hydrogen

Journalism and Media Disinformation

Other topics will be considered by the committee