European Commission and African Union are strengthening cooperation in higher education. More than 400 participants from Africa and Europe came together on 25 October in Brussels at the event “Investing in people, by investing in higher education and skills” to provide sector-specific policy recommendations on how to further develop the chapter "Investing in people by investing in education and skills" of the Africa-Europe Alliance, first announced by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in September 2018.

Investing in skills and the young generation is key for sustainable social and economic development. Among the key recommendations for the future of European-African collaboration in higher education, delegates expressed the need for increased cooperation with the private sector, continuous professional development for academic staff, the promotion of a Pan-African Quality Assurance and Accreditation Framework, stronger linkages between higher education and Technical and Vocational Education and Training, the strengthening of transnational educational partnerships and a comprehensive approach to refugee integration in tertiary education.

Jointly organised by the European Commission, the African Union Commission and four member state organisations, which have a long history of cooperation with the African continent - the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the British Council, Campus France and Nuffic Netherlands - the event brought together policy makers and higher education representatives from Africa and Europe. A follow-up event shall take place next year in Africa in order to further develop the “learning community in higher education collaboration” created through the conference in Brussels.

Conference documentation, including sector specific policy recommendations and examples of African-European collaborative projects, can be found on the conference website.