Addis Ababa University (AAU) has been named one of five inaugural winners of the Africa Higher Education for Transformation (AHEFT) Prize, a landmark award launched today by the Mastercard Foundation and backed by a USD 500 million commitment over its first decade.
Recognized in the Excellence in Research and Innovation category, Addis Ababa University will receive USD 3 million to scale its transformative initiatives and expand opportunities for young people in Africa.
AAU earned the prestigious honour for its ability to align academic research with national priorities, strengthen workforce development, and connect scientific knowledge directly to economic opportunity, public services, and community wellbeing. A core driver of this impact is AAU’s integration with Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, which serves approximately 884,000 patients annually and enables large-scale clinical training, research, and essential service delivery.
AAU stands alongside four other pioneering African institutions selected for the inaugural prize. The other recipients include the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) in Burkina Faso, recognized for Excellence in Teaching and Learning; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Ghana, recognized for Excellence in Research and Innovation; Muni University in Uganda, recognized for Transitions to Employment; and the University of Rwanda, recognized for Excellence in Health. Each institution will receive USD 3 million to advance institution-wide transformation.
“For twenty years we have seen African institutions rethink what higher education can deliver. The AHEFT Prize turns that proof into momentum: we are backing homegrown excellence with a decade-long commitment, so that universities across the continent become engines of opportunity for millions of young people,” said Sewit Ahderom, President and CEO of the Mastercard Foundation.
The AHEFT Prize is designed to honor institutions driving systemic change across key focus areas, including Teaching and Learning, Transitions to Employment, Research and Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, as well as critical sectors like Climate, Agriculture, Health, and STEM/AI. Over the next decade, the initiative aims to recognize at least 150 higher education institutions across the continent.
“This is the moment to reimagine what higher education institutions can do as engines of human capital development – not only as a place of learning, but as a direct route to work, to economic participation, and to a better future for young people across Africa,” added Dr. John Nkengasong, Executive Director of Higher Education Initiatives at the Mastercard Foundation.
Addis Ababa University and its fellow winning institutions will be formally awarded at the Higher Education Transformation Convening in Accra, Ghana, on September 22, 2026.
