Look inside an African college classroom today, and you will see the continent’s future."
Patrick Awuah, Founder & President, Ashesi Foundation
Africa is at a pivotal moment, with a rare chance for a renaissance led by young, visionary leaders. The continent’s future hinges on how we educate and nurture these leaders. Our mission is to advance the education of ethical, entrepreneurial leaders who will build a flourishing Africa where all people can achieve their full potential.
The Ashesi Foundation catalyses a global community in support of educating the leaders who will enable a vision of a flourishing Africa.
A Transformative Learning Experience
Ashesi’s education equips students with critical thinking, courage, and character needed to transform a continent. At Ashesi, students from across the continent engage with top faculty, collaborate on research, and deepen their sense of purpose.
Outstanding Graduate Outcomes
Ashesi graduates stand out globally, with 90% employed within six months of graduation and 10% becoming entrepreneurs. Renowned for trust and ethics, they’re driving change, positively impacting hundreds of thousands of lives across Africa.
An Inspiring Base for Africa’s Future Leaders
Ashesi’s campus infrastructure provides students with access to advanced resources and tools for learning, problem-solving and innovation, with spaces for students from all over Africa to live, learn and form life-long relationships.
Our Impact
3,500
students who have gained access to transformative learning experiences
$50 million
in scholarships disbursed to students since our inception
300
entrepreneurs and startups supported across our programmes and initiatives
94%
of recently surveyed graduates started their careers within 6 months of searching
70%
of graduates accepted placement offers in Africa
320,000
students reached by Ashesi-led Education Collaborative’s programmes
Ways to Support Students
For one out of every two students, a scholarship has made all the difference between attending Ashesi or not. Gifts of all sizes from individuals and foundations help ensure that the Ashesi education is affordable for all students who qualify, regardless of social or economic circumstances.
Our experiential learning programs provide students with real-world experiences that prepare them for ethical, entrepreneurial leadership. With donor support, students are able to engage in applied projects, internships, and fieldwork that allow them to gain global perspectives, and apply what they are learning in service.
Professorships and Fellowships support and honour exceptional faculty at the university. If the donation is an endowment, the university invests it and uses the interest generated to finance a portion of the professor’s salary or research expenses. These gifts are crucial for attracting and rewarding talented faculty, promoting research, and ensuring sustainable financial support for academic excellence. They honour both donors and beneficiaries.
Our research initiatives encourage student participation and are grounded in interdisciplinary collaboration and societal impact. Through such engagement, students gain the experience and skills necessary for leadership in academia, industry, and beyond.
Well-designed residential and academic buildings facilitate better teaching and learning, student engagement, and overall success. This is why we are working closely with donors and partners to add more of such infrastructure on campus.
Across many teams at Ashesi, volunteers contribute their time, expertise, and experiences to strengthen our work. Volunteers engage in fundraising advocacy, serve as guest lecturers, executives-in-residence, and technical advisors. From anywhere around the world, volunteers can support Ashesi’s work.
See Ashesi's Work in Action: Join our 2025 Deep Dive Trip to Ghana
From conversations with Africa’s young, emerging business and civic leaders to learning about significant efforts to achieve transformative scale in higher education, the Deep Dive gives you a window into the possibilities for the continent’s future through Ashesi. Our next deep dive event will take place from October 20th to 23rd, 2025.