Held at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village and hosted by the University of Rwanda, the summit convened a diverse coalition of scholars, policymakers, and innovators from across Africa and Australia.
Participants came from countries including Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Somaliland, South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria, with a mission to reimagine higher education through the lens of AI and confront the deep inequalities that digital transformation threatens to deepen.
'This conference is a strategic forum where we show how artificial intelligence is reshaping not only the ways we teach and learn, but also how we conduct research, manage institutions, and solve some of the most complex areas in our studies in order to be more prepared for the future is more than just a gathering,' said Prof. Didas Kayihura, Vice Chancellor of the University of Rwanda.
AI is no longer a future concept, it is a present reality. From predictive health diagnostics to precision farming, AI is transforming how African societies tackle health, food security, gender equity, and even national security.
Dr. Edward Kadozi, Director General of the Rwanda Higher Education Council, acknowledged that Artificial Intelligence is no longer a concept of the future; it is transforming the present.
'It is timely and essential that this forum brings together such a distinguished group… to explore AI's transformative potential across sectors,' he said.
At the core of the discussions were five themes, including sustainable food systems, inclusive gender research, resilient health care, geopolitical integrity, and personalised learning.
AI was presented not only as a tool of efficiency but as an enabler of justice, equity, and sustainable progress, as Prof. Aldo Stroebel, Co-chair of the AAUN and DVC at the University of Mpumalanga, explained.
'Not all global communities are tapping the potential of this new wave of innovation. The newest Human Development Report in 2025 shows a large divide between low- and high-income countries in AI technical capacity. This stands as a stark call for a network like AAUN to respond,' he said.
During the forum, a spotlight was shone on early-career researchers, whose innovation will shape the AI landscape of tomorrow. Delegates emphasised building AI readiness across Sub-Saharan Africa, closing education gaps, and correcting linguistic and cultural biases embedded in global AI systems.
The gathering also underlined Rwanda's rising stature as a continental hub for AI discourse. Fresh off hosting a global AI summit in April, Rwanda demonstrated not only logistical prowess but ideological leadership.
'We want to re-emphasise our role as universities; we cannot sit back and get taken over by our own creations,' said Kayihura, urging institutions to wield AI responsibly.
IGIHE
