University of Rwanda named among Africa’s top five universities for higher education transformation

By The Inspirer.

The University of Rwanda (UR) has been named among the top five higher education institutions in Africa awarded the inaugural Africa Higher Education for Transformation Prize (AHEFT Prize) by the Mastercard Foundation for its contribution to improving education quality and strengthening the health sector.

UR received the award in the “Excellence in Health” category, which recognizes universities that have made outstanding contributions to healthcare development through training skilled professionals, research and community-based services.

As part of the recognition, UR will receive a grant of US$3 million (more than RWF 4.3 billion) to support programmes aimed at expanding opportunities for young people through higher education.

The university said the award reflects its long-standing contribution to building Rwanda’s health sector and supporting healthcare development across Africa.

UR has trained more than 26,000 health professionals, while its community-based learning programmes have reached nearly 500,000 people through clinical training, community outreach initiatives and health services provided by the university.

The institution said the Mastercard Foundation funding will support efforts to improve education quality, strengthen research and innovation, and increase young people’s access to skills and employment opportunities, contributing to Africa’s sustainable development.

The AHEFT Prize is a new initiative established by the Mastercard Foundation to recognize and support African universities that demonstrate measurable impact in higher education transformation. The programme focuses on research, innovation, improved teaching approaches and helping graduates transition into employment or entrepreneurship.

The Mastercard Foundation has committed US$500 million to the programme over the next 10 years, with more than 150 African higher education institutions expected to benefit. Each winning university receives US$3 million to expand programmes that drive transformation in higher education.

Other institutions recognized among the first AHEFT Prize winners include Addis Ababa University of Ethiopia, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology of Ghana, International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) of Burkina Faso, and Muni University of Uganda.

The winning universities will officially receive their awards during the Higher Education Transformation Convening scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, on September 22, 2026.