Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
Online learning platform, Coursera, has partnered with the African Leadership University (ALU) to enable learners from across Africa to access world-class education and equip them with the necessary skills to thrive in a digital economy.
As an institution, ALU is dedicated to shaping Africa’s future leaders with ethics, entrepreneurship, and solutions for the continent’s challenges.
This is paramount as education in Africa faces significant challenges. Only about 9 per cent of young people in Sub-Saharan Africa attend tertiary education compared to the global average of 38 per cent. Moreover, unemployment rates among African youth remain alarmingly high. This highlights the urgent need for accessible, quality education and skill development to prepare Africa’s workforce for the future.
The Coursera and ALU partnership aims to address these challenges by democratizing African education and promoting equitable learning.
ALU’s experiential learning model will seamlessly integrate with Coursera’s technology, making education accessible continent-wide. This ensures access to high-quality courses while equipping learners with practical, job-relevant skills, empowering them for new job opportunities and the digital economy’s growth in the region.
Speaking on this, Mr Veda Sunassee, CEO of African Leadership University said “At ALU, our mission is to shape Africa’s future leaders, and partnerships like this with Coursera play a crucial role in addressing the significant challenges facing education in Africa.”
“By expanding access to world-class education and ensuring that students have the necessary skills to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges, we are not only helping them to thrive but also contributing to Africa’s growth and development,” he added.
To date, over 1,500 students from across Africa have benefited from more than 9,000 courses completed, accumulating over 16,000 enrollments and totalling 61,000 learner hours.
Top courses include Solving Problems with Creativity and Critical Thinking (IBM), Building Fintech Startups in Emerging Markets (University of Cape Town), Innovation Through Design (The University of Sydney), Ready, Set, Future! Introduction to Futures Thinking (Institute for the Future), and Welcome to Game Theory (The University of Tokyo).
According to them, these outcomes demonstrate that learners on the continent are seeking accessible, job-relevant education that can transform their lives and communities.
“At Coursera, we believe that talent is universal, but opportunities are not. Our partnership with ALU is a testament to our commitment to bridging this gap and providing learners in Africa with the skills they need to succeed in the digital economy,” said Mr Kais Zribi, Coursera’s General Manager for the Middle East and Africa.
“We are excited to see the incredible impact this collaboration is already having and look forward to expanding our efforts to reach even more learners across the continent,” he noted.
ALU not only focuses on theoretical learning but also emphasizes learning through real-world experiences. Over the past two years, Coursera has welcomed approximately 40 students and staff to its headquarters in Mountain View, California, as part of ALU’s Global Leadership program and the Coursera Innovation Bridge initiative led by the Coursera for Africa team.
During their time there, participants had the opportunity to meet with Coursera team members and learn about the power of online learning to change lives. They engaged in workshops focused on design, creativity and critical thinking, and also networked with professionals, gaining valuable insights and inspiration for their future careers.
