Ashesi University

Africa urgently needs more problem-solving researchers and innovators, but the question is, where to find them? The continent currently has 198 researchers per million people compared to over 4000 in the USA, and it would need another million new PHDs to achieve the world average for the number of researchers per capita (Kariuki & Kay, 2017). Sub-Saharan Africa’s higher education sector has expanded massively since the 1970s with student enrollments across all levels growing from roughly 200,000 about 40 years ago to an estimated 10 million today. But only a minority of the estimated 1,500 public and private universities across Africa offer graduate programmes (Friesenhahn, 2014, para 3). Consequently, if Africa has to wait for PhD-level researchers to fill the void it will fall even farther behind (Kariuki & Kay, 2017). 

The key to filling this need is the untapped research and innovation potential of 10 million undergraduates on the continent today. At Ashesi University, my team and I have piloted three related programs that are developing young undergraduate researchers and innovators. The Elevate funds would enable us to scale up, expand, and potentially replicate our model at other institutions  

I am an African woman, born in Ghana to a mathematician whose high school nickname was “Pythagoras.” I am no mathematician, but I have an affinity for and no fear of numbers.  Naturally, I had the tendency to cultivate quantitative skills in my master’s and doctoral work in America in order to compensate for my challenges as a non-native English speaker. To my joy, data has grown consistently as truth, and remains invaluable and in high demand. More recently artificial intelligence and data science have become a way of life. Growth in research and statistics is the future. I have a doctorate in HE admin, quantitative research methods, and instructional technology, but my knowledge of data and research have always been my value proposition.

 My vision is to have a critical mass of new generation African undergraduate students who care deeply about the challenges in Africa, who are equipped to bring about change, and who have developed the courage to act. My role as Chief Academic Officer is to bring about excellence in teaching and depth of learning, and the goal of my university is to collaborate dynamically with African universities that are interested in sharpening each other.  (199 words)    

The problem is the unrecognized, untapped research potential of 10 million African university undergraduates, and their apparent inert response to Africa's challenges,i.e., Most communities in Africa have visible needs in public sanitation, healthcare, infrastructure, and education
Africa produces just 2% of the world’s research output and holds 0.1% of the world’s patents (Kariuki & Kay, 2017). 

The three – pronged approach which would be made virtually available to Ashesi's partners (38 universities in eleven African countries and MasterCard african partners) encompasses:

• Building and expanding African undergraduate students’ research
• Cultivating in African undergraduates a concern for Africa
• Strengthening faculty in research to adequately facilitate undergraduate research

Proof of concept

Our current undergraduate research, creativity and entrepreneurship course, whose first pilot cohort of 10 students produced a student admitted directly into a PhD engineering program at Georgia Tech and another a paper presented at IEEE. 

Annual pre-matriculation undergraduate students engaged in virtual program on reimagining Africa introduced pluralistic thinking, the SDGs and Agenda63

90% of our graduates stay on the African continent

An annual undergraduate research convening, focused on undergraduate research in Africa publicly showcased to industry and policy makers to inform innovation and policy.

The disruptive approach I have developed at Ashesi flips the traditional researcher development model in Africa. Rather than training a person through a hierarchical system of advancement in higher ed programs (BS, MSc, PhD) to then be a researcher, my approach has been to develop capable undergraduates as young, foundational researchers. I identify high performing undergraduate students (GPA 3.7 or higher) who opt to take the elective on “research internship, self-directed research, and creativity.” These students create a course for credit in which they contribute to improving Africa by working on a faculty research project, conducting their own applied research, creating a value add for society, or engaging in an entrepreneurial venture. The first pilot cohort of 10 students has had one student admitted directly into a PhD engineering program at Georgia Tech and another student presenting at IEEE. 

Increasing the number of scientists in Africa is of course not the end—it is the means (Kariuki & Kay, 2017). Consequently, throughout their matriculation we are intentional in stimulating students’ motivations for our mission of reimagining Africa. Students highlight their development through a servant leadership project in their fourth year that links them directly to improving conditions on the continent.

Our mission impact is entirely focused on equipping students to use their critical thinking skills, concern for others, and courage to transform Africa. Examples of actual impact on humanity include the following projects students have worked on:

The Gold FEDS Project is developing a bio-sensor for gold quantification to provide a non-toxic approach for small scale mining to extract gold from refractory ore and enable routine monitoring of the ore before a mining endeavour is undertaken.

The Coast Busters Project is designing a living sea defense system (bio-concrete tetrapods) by incorporating organisms capable of carrying out plastics and bio-cementation/bioremediation. 

Several organisms have been designed and engineered to achieve the goals of the project. The plastic degradation is achieved by introducing genes responsible for the plastic degradation to its constituent monomers (ethylene glycol & terephthalate). 

The Self-Illuminating Ceiling Tiles Project is developing ceiling tiles of composite materials using coconut fibers and bioluminescent organisms, thereby also reducing coconut waste pollution.  Coconut husk fibers have excellent mechanical properties and are very durable due to their large content of cellulose.  Using engineered bio-luminescent organisms develops an alternative electricity-free illumination from an eco-sustainable source.