Advancing Partnerships between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Alignment with the Diaspora as Africa’s Sixth Region

Recent trends show a growing interest among HBCUs and African higher education institutions (HEIs) to forge meaningful partnerships that transcend borders while advancing the capacity and long-term sustainability of both networks of institutions. Initiatives such as joint research and centers of excellence initiatives, faculty exchanges, offshore campuses, joint curriculum projects, twinning programs, executive leadership development, quality assurance and accreditation, technical and vocational education and training, and collaborative community engagement are emerging, but there is a pressing need for a structured platform to facilitate these efforts for the mutual benefit of both HBCUs and African HEIs to support areas of common challenge and opportunity (including financing models, digital infrastructure, enrollment management and faculty development). Against this background, the Historic African Diaspora Placement Program (HADIP) is partnering with the Association of African Universities (AAU), the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), and the UNCF Institute for Capacity Building (UNCF) to organize around the theme: “From Dialogue to Action: Advancing Partnerships between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African Higher Education Institutions in Alignment with the Diaspora as Africa’s Sixth Region,” which aims to move the dialogue to actionable strategies.

Conference Date and Time: Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Time: 10:00AM EST (Eastern Standard Time)| 15:00 WAT (West African Time)| 16:00 CAT (Central African Time)

If you missed any part of the convening or would like to revisit the dialogue, the full recording is available here: Watch the Symposium Recording

Read more in our conference briefing below:

Calls to Action:

Global Soultions and Partnership Survey

UNCF Institute for Capacity Building invites institutional leaders, faculty, industry and technology representatives, and global partners to contribute to our Global Solutions and Partnerships Survey and help define the future of U.S.–Africa higher education collaboration. This initiative is part of our Year of Discovery—building a lasting framework for shared innovation, institutional transformation, and enterprise.

Click here to access the survey

UNCF and 8B Education Investments: Building Bridges Between HBCUs and Africa
Join UNCF and 8B Education Investments for an informational webinar exploring our new strategic partnership designed to strengthen connections between Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and African higher education institutions. This session will outline our three-pronged approach: connecting African students to HBCUs, building academic bridges between institutions across continents, and providing wraparound support including innovative financing solutions. Learn how your institution can participate in student enrollment opportunities, institutional collaborations, exchange programs, and sustainable financing models that will enrich campus diversity while creating pathways for Africa’s next generation of leaders.

Oct 17, 2025 10:00 AM EST You can find the session’s slides here.

As we continue developing this collaborative effort, we invite you to complete a brief Interest Survey to share how your institution would like to remain involved. Your feedback will guide the next phase of this partnership.

Organization Websites: AAU.ORG, 8BAfrica, UNCF Institute for Capacity Building, HADIP

Speakers for our Virtual Symposium