November 18, 2025

ARUA’s 5th Biennial interrogates AI and ethics in research

The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) opened its fifth Biennial International Conference at Makerere University in Uganda on 29 October, marking both the organisation’s 10th anniversary and Africa’s deepening engagement with artificial intelligence (AI).

The three-day gathering, hosted with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, brings together vice-chancellors, researchers, policymakers and partners from across the continent and beyond under the theme, ‘Research, Innovation and Artificial Intelligence for Africa’s Transformation’.

“AI’s accelerating ubiquity presents immense opportunities and serious responsibilities,” Professor Sizwe Mabizela, the ARUA board chair and the vice-chancellor of Rhodes University, said. He added: “We mustn’t adopt AI uncritically; we must shape just, inclusive and sustainable frameworks that serve humanity.”

While discussions will continue until 31 October, the opening day set the tone: a strong call for African self-reliance in research and innovation, a renewed sense of optimism about ‘Africa rising’, and an insistence that human intelligence must continue to lead the way.

‘The goat has been fattened’

Founded in 2015 by 16 leading universities, ARUA set out to strengthen Africa’s capacity for knowledge production through collaborative research. It now counts 23 member institutions and coordinates 13 thematic Centres of Excellence (CoEs) – one of the continent’s most ambitious research-networking initiatives.

This week’s biennial conference is the first presided over by ARUA’s new secretary-general, Professor John Gyapong, who succeeded Professor Ernest Aryeetey, the alliance’s founding head, in August 2024. Aryeetey, seated in the front row of the audience, was warmly acknowledged by speakers for his vision in steering ARUA’s first decade.

Gyapong shared a moment of candour about stepping into those shoes. A vice-chancellor had told him he looked nervous – “as I should be at my first biennial conference” – but then reassured him with a Ghanaian proverb: “You cannot fatten a goat on market day.”

The gathering comes at the end of 10 years of patient effort, Gyapong said. “You can’t build research capacity at the last minute – it takes planning and commitment.” His remark was both a nod to his predecessor and a reminder that ARUA is reaping a decade of investment in African collaboration.

Issue of our time

Gyapong warned that Africa remains “way, way behind” on most United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) despite years of effort under the African Union’s (AU) Agenda 2063.

“Our GDP is low, public debt is escalating, and unemployment and food insecurity are rising,” he said.

“The question is, how do we change the narrative in Africa? How can we use research, innovation and AI to promote collaborative networks, build capacity and advance responsible AI ecosystems in higher education?”

The theme of this year’s conference was pitched as both timely and forward-looking. Across the world, AI is redefining how societies live, learn and develop. It offers immense possibilities for transforming sectors such as education, health, agriculture and governance.

Delegates agreed that AI has become the issue of our time – a force that could either deepen dependency or enable Africa to leapfrog development stages. “While AI is powerful, human intelligence, ethics and purpose must lead the way,” Professor Robert Wamala, chair of the local organising committee, said.

“It is our responsibility as researchers and educators to ensure that technology serves humanity and contributes to inclusive growth.”

AI was not discussed uncritically. Speakers acknowledged risks of job losses, bias, misinformation and ethical misuse, noting that Africa’s research leaders must anticipate these dangers even as they seize the opportunities.

‘Enter the evil forest’

Uganda’s Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Monica Musenero Masanza, delivered the keynote address that challenged African scientists to turn research into tangible results.

“We are very busy,” she said, “but activity is not progress.” Too often, she argued, African universities produce publications that never reach policymakers or the public. “We want science that shows up on our tables, that provides jobs along value chains.”

Musenero urged researchers to treat Africa’s problems as “raw materials for innovation”, calling on them to “enter the evil forest” – a familiar Nollywood device in which heroes confront daunting challenges to claim hidden treasure.

“The ‘evil forest’ is where the hard work lies,” she said. “If others have done it, we can do it. Africa now needs science on her streets, in her factories and households.”

She reminded delegates that what divides nations is not geography or hunger, but economic status – and that science, technology and innovation are what lift societies. “It’s time for African researchers to move from conferences to factories.”

Creating ethical ecosystems

The opening panel, ‘Advancing Responsible AI Ecosystems in African Higher Education Institutions’, explored how universities can position themselves in an AI-driven world. Chaired by Mabizela, it brought together senior academic leaders from Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana and South Africa.

Professor Bolanle Oboh, the deputy vice-chancellor of the University of Lagos, said responsible AI begins with infrastructure. “AI runs on data. Governments and universities must partner to build this backbone – data centres, reliable power and connectivity – so that students can learn anywhere.”

But, she warned, “Let’s use AI as a tool for innovation, not just for drafting or checking text.”

Professor Didas Kayihura, the acting vice-chancellor of the University of Rwanda, added that national AI policies must be grounded in ethics. “Responsible AI depends on responsible humans. Garbage in, garbage out. Without human responsibility, AI becomes harmful.”

Professor Mosa Moshabela, the vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town, warned that industry-driven AI development threatens both access and relevance if models are trained on non-African data. “We need public-good approaches, and to design tools that reflect African values.”

In discussion, a participant from Morocco asked how Africa could shift from being a user to a producer of AI.

From Ghana, Professor Denis Worlanyo Aheto of the University of Cape Coast proposed that ARUA establish two new Centres of Excellence in AI – one situated in the west and one covering the east or north of the continent.

Digital leap for Makerere

The opening day also featured the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Makerere University and Astria Learning, an educational-technology company that will help launch an AI-powered e-Campus.

Every day, about 80,000 young Africans turn 18 – “enough to fill a major stadium” – Astria Learning CEO Dr Jeff Bordes said. Yet the region’s tertiary enrolment rate is only 9%, compared with a 38% global average.

“Across Africa there are roughly nine million university seats today,” he said, “but demand is heading toward 50 million – and it would cost well over half a trillion US dollars in brick-and-mortar infrastructure to meet that capacity.”

The virtual solution makes economic sense. Makerere’s e-Campus aims to produce around 1,000 postgraduates in its first year, scaling to about 20,000 by 2031. It will deploy AI across the student life cycle – admissions, learning, support and assessment – using home-grown tools, including an AI-powered learning management system, virtual help desk, plagiarism detection and digital-library services.

“AI removes scale limits and empowers faculty,” Bordes said. “Africa’s research contribution can grow substantially if we unlock latent talent at scale.”

Cautious optimism

The mood at Makerere was one of cautious optimism. Speakers balanced realism about Africa’s challenges with belief in the transformative power of collaboration.

“Africa’s Renaissance is not on the horizon – it is right here with us,” Makerere University Vice-Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe said.

Gyapong summed up the sentiment: “We must ensure that technology serves humanity and contributes to inclusive growth.”

And in Mabizela’s words: “While AI offers extraordinary promise, human intelligence must continue to lead the way.”