From left: Martin Kimemia, Vice-Chancellor of Mount Kigali University; DR Innocent Mugisha, Coucil Chairman of the Mount Kigali University, Dr Vincent Gaitho, Coucil Chairman and pro chancellor of the Mount Kenya University ; and Mr. Timothy T. Nganga, Council Member of Mount Kigali University, during the Leadership and Governance Conference in the United Kingdom. The conference brought together higher education leaders to discuss governance, leadership, and international collaboration in higher education.
Strategic governance emerges as critical driver for African university success
A strong call for transformative, forward-looking governance in African universities dominated high-level discussions this week as global higher education leaders convened in Lancaster, United Kingdom, for a landmark forum on institutional leadership and performance.
The conference, held under the theme, Governing Councils as Strategic Stewards and Custodians of Institutional Performance, brought together policymakers, university executives, and governance experts to examine how institutions can remain competitive in an increasingly complex global academic landscape.
Delivering a keynote address, Dr. Vincent Gaitho, Chairman, University Council and Pro-Chancellor of Mount Kenya University (MKU), said the future of African universities will be shaped not by infrastructure alone, but by the quality of leadership and governance structures guiding them. “Institutional success is no longer determined solely by academic excellence,” Dr. Gaitho noted. “It is increasingly determined by the quality of governance and leadership,’’ he added.
He said African universities must overhaul their governance models and embrace strategic leadership if they are to remain competitive, financially sustainable and relevant in an era of artificial intelligence, shrinking funding and rising accountability demands.
“The quality of governance determines the quality of institutional performance,” said Gaitho at the forum on leadership and governance within universities.
Shift Toward Strategic Governance
Participants highlighted that universities across Africa are navigating mounting pressures, including rapid technological disruption, reduced traditional funding sources, intensified competition for students and talent, and growing expectations for accountability and societal impact.
Experts at the forum urged governing councils to move beyond routine oversight and embrace a strategic role that shapes institutional direction, resilience, and long-term sustainability.
Central to discussions was the concept of ‘strategic stewardship’—the responsibility of councils to safeguard institutional values and resources while proactively positioning universities to seize emerging opportunities and address potential risks.
The forum outlined key attributes of effective governing councils. Speakers emphasized that governance strength lies not only in who sits on boards, but in the collective capabilities and competencies they bring. Beyond governance structures, the forum underscored the growing importance of cohesive leadership teams. High-performing institutions, participants noted, are guided by leadership that demonstrates shared vision and alignment as well as strong execution capabilities. There is also accountability through measurable outcomes, innovation-driven thinking and cross-functional collaboration. “A brilliant strategy poorly implemented remains just a document,” Dr. Gaitho remarked, underscoring the need for disciplined execution.
He challenged university leaders to rethink the role of governing councils. “Are our governing councils merely supervising universities, or are they actively shaping their future?” he posed, adding that universities should shift from compliance-focused governance to value-creating governance and from short-term decision-making to long-term sustainability.
“If African universities are to become globally competitive, financially sustainable, innovative and transformative institutions, then governing councils must embrace their role as strategic stewards and leadership teams must embrace their responsibility as drivers of institutional performance.” he said.
“Good governance creates confidence. Good leadership creates results. Together, governance and leadership create enduring institutions,’’ he added.
The presentation also highlighted the growing importance of digital governance, with universities increasingly required to address artificial intelligence, cyber security, data governance and digital transformation. Dr Gaitho said African universities face a critical moment as AI reshapes learning and work, while traditional funding models become less reliable.
“Traditional funding models are under pressure,” he said, urging universities to pursue diversified revenue streams, endowments, research commercialisation and stronger industry partnerships. He further challenged institutions to prepare graduates for future jobs, entrepreneurship and innovation-driven economies, noting that Africa possesses the world’s youngest population.
His remarks come as universities across Africa grapple with funding constraints, rapid technological changes, growing competition for students and increasing pressure from governments, regulators, industry and communities to demonstrate impact.
A recurring theme was the importance of clearly defined roles and trust between governing councils and management teams. Governance failures, participants cautioned, often stem from blurred responsibilities, lack of transparency, and adversarial relationships. “The council governs, management manages—but both must lead,” one speaker observed.
The forum identified critical pillars for building resilient and high-performing universities. Participants also called for universities to prepare for emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence governance, financial sustainability, global competition, and environmental and social responsibility. Africa’s youthful population was highlighted as a key opportunity, with universities urged to equip graduates with skills for innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future workforce.
On the sidelines of the conference, MKU reaffirmed its commitment to international collaboration through strengthened ties with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and its sister institution, Mount Kigali University (MKUR), Rwanda.
The trilateral engagement explored expanded cooperation in joint academic programmes, faculty and student exchange initiatives, collaborative research and innovation as well as governance and leadership capacity building.
MKU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi and Council Chairman, Dr Vincent Gaitho, led the Kenyan delegation, while Dr Martin Kimemia, Vice-Chancellor of Mount Kigali University, headed the Rwandese team. Others are Thomas Nganga, MKU Council Member; Dr. Innocent Mugisha, Chairman of Council, MKU Rwanda.
“Our continued partnership reflects a shared vision to internationalise education, expand opportunities for students, and strengthen cross-border research,” Dr. Gaitho said.
Prof. Jaganyi said the MKU delegation’s participation in the UK conference further strengthened the institution’s long-standing partnership with the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), particularly through the Centre for African Research on Enterprise and Economic Development (Careed).
Prof John Struthers, a professor and director of Careed at UWS Scotland is MKU’s Chancellor. That’s why the collaboration has been strong since 2015. In 2022, the Kenyan and Scotland universities agreed that MKU would become a “delivery hub” for UWS courses. MKU offers compressed, affordable UWS bachelor’s programs on a twinning basis. You study in Kenya at MKU, graduate with a UWS Scotland degree.
“Our engagement in such international forums reflects MKU’s commitment to advancing global academic linkages and contributing to Africa’s development agenda through research-driven solutions,” Prof Jaganyi said, adding that the partnership with UWS has also supported capacity building, innovation and staff development, while enhancing MKU’s visibility in global academic networks.
The conference reinforced the importance of integrating African universities into the global knowledge economy while maintaining strong regional collaboration.
MKU’s partnership with Mount Kigali University—anchored in joint programmes and student exchanges—was highlighted as a model for cross-border education in East Africa, now strengthened through global linkages with institutions such as UWS.
In closing, participants issued a call for bold governance reforms across African universities, including transitioning from administrative oversight to strategic governance and shifting from compliance-focused models to value-driven leadership. “Good governance creates confidence. Good leadership creates results. Together, they create enduring institutions,” Dr. Gaitho concluded.
As African universities seek to enhance their global competitiveness and relevance, the message from Lancaster was clear: governance and leadership are no longer optional—they are the defining pillars of institutional success.
Ends
About The Author
