Coursera and ALU: Empowering Africa's future

Coursera, a prominent online learning platform, has teamed up with the African Leadership University (ALU), an institution dedicated to nurturing Africa's future leaders with a focus on ethics, entrepreneurship, and innovative solutions for the continent's unique challenges

Together, they're striving to provide learners from all corners of Africa with access to top-tier education and the essential skills needed to thrive in today's digital economy.

Education in Africa faces formidable obstacles. A mere 9% of young individuals in Sub-Saharan Africa pursue tertiary education, a stark contrast to the global average of 38% (source). Additionally, youth unemployment rates across Africa remain distressingly high (source). These realities underscore the critical need for accessible, quality education and skill development initiatives to prepare Africa's workforce for the future.

The partnership between Coursera and ALU seeks to confront these challenges head-on by democratising education in Africa and fostering inclusive learning opportunities. By seamlessly integrating ALU's experiential learning model with Coursera's cutting-edge technology, the collaboration ensures widespread access to high-caliber courses. Moreover, it equips learners with practical, job-oriented skills that empower them to seize new employment prospects and contribute to the burgeoning digital economy in the region.

“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,” said Veda Sunassee, CEO of African Leadership University.

"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 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."