At the Crossroads: HEA Director-General Calls for a New African University at THE Africa Summit
The Director-General of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Professor Kazhila C. Chinsembu, has called for a fundamental rethinking of the role of universities in Africa, urging institutions across the continent to transition from centres of knowledge to engines of development.
Professor Chinsembu was speaking in Nairobi, Kenya, where he delivered Opening Remarks during the first session of the Times Higher Education (THE) Africa Universities Summit 2026, currently taking place from 30th to 31st March, 2026.
The session, titled “Growing ambition: Building university preparedness for Africa’s human capital potential,” brought together higher education leaders from across the continent to interrogate the readiness of African universities to respond to the demands of a rapidly evolving socio-economic landscape.
In a thought-provoking address, Professor Chinsembu placed African universities at a defining moment in their history.
“The African university is at a crossroads,” he said, noting that while universities have long been seen as pillars of knowledge, many are now struggling to deliver societal impact, public value, jobs for graduates and meaningful thought leadership.
He observed that universities are increasingly absent “at the front lines of discovery, innovation and thought leadership,” a gap that must be urgently addressed if higher education is to remain relevant to Africa’s development agenda.
Calling for a shift in mindset, Professor Chinsembu emphasised the need for a new kind of African university, one that moves beyond theory and actively contributes to economic transformation.
“We desire a new African university that converts knowledge into goods and services,” he stated, framing universities not merely as academic institutions, but as drivers of production, innovation and national development.
He further stressed that such institutions must take a leading role in confronting Africa’s most pressing challenges, including poverty, disease, unemployment and misinformation, while also positioning themselves to deliver green growth and climate-resilient jobs.
Drawing inspiration from Africa’s intellectual giants, Professor Chinsembu reminded participants that the continent has a rich legacy of scholarship and scientific excellence, and that today’s universities must rise to match that legacy with renewed ambition, integrity and purpose.
THE Africa Universities Summit is one of the continent’s premier higher education gatherings, convening university leaders, policymakers, researchers and industry stakeholders to shape the future of African higher education through dialogue, innovation and collaboration.
Professor Chinsembu’s participation at the summit underscores HEA’s growing presence in continental higher education discourse and reflects Zambia’s commitment to positioning its higher education subsector within global and regional transformation conversations.
His remarks resonate strongly with HEA’s mandate of ensuring quality in higher education, particularly in aligning learning, research and innovation with national development priorities.
As discussions continue in Nairobi, one message stands clear: the future of Africa will be shaped not only by its universities, but by how boldly those universities choose to redefine themselves.
The Authority is further represented at The Africa Universities Summit by Professor Levy Siaminwe, Chairperson of the Board; Dr. Martin Mushumba, Director – Quality Assurance; and, Mr. Denny Nsokolo, Manager – Standards, Research and Institutional Audits.
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Arrival and engagement: Professor Chinsembu and Professor Levy Siaminwe, HEA Chairperson of the Board, register at the THE Africa Universities Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, marking HEA’s presence in key continental conversations shaping the future of higher education.
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