African Development Bank approves $124m for ‘Centers of Excellence’ in three African countries

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved funds totaling $124.3 million for ground-breaking ‘Centers of Excellence’ in higher education in Mali, Uganda and Rwanda.

The Bank says the funding approved within the span of three months (June and September 2011), aims to create a new model of higher education in the three countries.

“The CoEs receiving the funds are the Mulago Teaching Hospital in Kampala, Uganda ($88.8 million), the Bamako Digital Complex in Mali ($ 22.5 million) and Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda ($13 million),” the AfDB said in a statement October 24, 2011.

It adds “The Centers of Excellence (CoE) will break the barriers between education and business by linking universities and training facilities to business incubators and by using new technologies to improve learning outcomes.”

The main goals are to give a boost to science and technology and job creation, the Bank said.

By Ekow Quandzie