The Connected Futures Symposium: Digital Education for Sustainable Development aimed to explore the role of online higher education in creating new pathways for widening access, developing future-ready skills, and strengthening institutional collaboration across Africa driving sustainable development. Connected Futures Symposium, Accra. Image credit: Media Gang Ghana On 21 April 2026 the University of Ghana, University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Edinburgh, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, co-hosted the “Connected Futures Symposium: Digital Education for Sustainable Development” in Accra. The Connected Futures Symposium brought together Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni studying a variety of online climate-related programmes, Fellows from Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures Doctoral Programme, and Mastercard Foundation Scholars from the Digital Education Practitioner Network.Mastercard Foundation ScholarsWits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures Doctoral ProgrammeDigital Education Practitioner NetworkReimagining digital education in AfricaThe event created space to envision online education not merely as a technological solution, but as a transformative pathway for creating equitable, resilient, and interconnected higher education systems capable of addressing pressing societal and environmental issues, while contributing to the African knowledge economy.At the Symposium, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Fellows and Alumni were addressed by Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana; Dr Eric Nkansah, former Director-General, Ghana Education Service; and Adrian Bukenya, Senior Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. They encouraged the Symposium audience, including the Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Fellows and Alumni to reflect on the transformative impact they are making as leaders in this space.A movement towards equityProfessor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, reflected that "The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a movement toward equity. We must highlight the role of digital education in this mission. For too long, higher education was a privilege of proximity. Digital platforms have become the "great equalizer," providing broader access to brilliant minds who hitherto might have been excluded due to geography or circumstance. By breaking these physical barriers, we are not just educating individuals; we are democratising knowledge across the continent. This is essential because Africa possesses the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population. Our youth are not a "challenge" to be managed, but our greatest natural resource and a demographic dividend waiting to be fully realised." Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo Dr Eric Nkansah, former Director General of the Ministry of Education in Ghana, inspired the audience by noting that “sustainable development requires knowledge, and digital education expands access to that knowledge; but it is what you do with it that will shape Africa’s future”. Dr Eric Nkansah Beyond access to successAdrian Bukenya, Senior Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, built on Professor Amfo’s and Dr Nkansah’s remarks, emphasising that access through digital education alone is not enough. "Investing in Africa's human capital and talent infrastructure through the transformation of higher education is key in enabling young people to access employment and drive inclusive socio-economic development. Digital education is central to this transformation; it is not just about expanding access, it is about building systems that enable success. When delivered through strong partnerships, it strengthens institutions, connects knowledge across borders, and creates pathways for young people to access dignified and fulfilling work". Adrian Bukenya Senior Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program The Mastercard Foundation’s eLearning initiative This initiative is an example of investments being made to strengthen institutional capacity. Find out more about this initiative on the Mastercard Foundation website Student voices This theme was further explored by the student-led panel facilitated by Itumeleng Tshwane, a Mastercard Foundation WESAF Fellow, with panelists:Fred Kasalirwe, Mastercard Foundation WESAF FellowIfeoma Ndefo, Mastercard Foundation DEPN ScholarIjeoma Antoinette Alisi, Mastercard Foundation ScholarCosmos Kemavor, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni Itumeleng Tshwane Cosmos Kemavor, Ifeoma Ndefo and Fred Kasalirwe Ifeoma, a member of the Digital Education Practitioner Network and lecturer at the University of The Gambia, reflected on the ripple effects of this program, noting that: “[it] is a train-the-trainer scenario because I typically share the knowledge received from the program with the students I lecture to, and these students would also impact their own spaces with such knowledge, and little by little, illumination and enlightenment are created”. Bringing the lived experiences of online Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Fellows and Alumni to life through live illustration, Joshua Ibanda, Mastercard Foundation WESAF Fellow Africa on the world stageAs the Symposium went on, inspired by a reflective question to the panelists from Dr Samia Chasi, a theme crystalised: digital education not only creates opportunities at the individual level but creates platforms to take Africa to the world. Ijeoma Antoneitte Alisi, an MSc One Health student and Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, built further on this idea, reflecting that “Online education is not just a mode of knowledge transfer. It is an incredibly transformative adventure shaped by a deep sense of purpose, curiosity and eagerness to grow. It has enhanced my capacity for critical thinking, engaging with diverse perspectives and collaborating across borders while teaching me to be resilient, reflective and intentional. Through online distance learning, I have experienced a significant mindset shift towards self-development; turning my challenges into opportunities to grow and also preparing me to meaningfully contribute to global health and sustainable development goals in a globalised world". Ijeoma Antoinette Alisi Words of encouragementThe session closed with words of encouragement for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars from leaders at the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Edinburgh. Professor Soledad Garcia Ferrari, Dean International, College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, reflected that:“This week, I have been inspired by a vibrant group of Mastercard Foundation Scholars from across Africa, working in diverse disciplines and at different career stages. They are living proof of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program’s impact in advancing a just, inclusive, and sustainable transition across the continent. Africa’s future will be shaped by African knowledge and by people actively engaged in addressing African challenges. Education is not only about generating new knowledge; it is also about validating and legitimising diverse forms of knowledge, particularly those that are indigenous, place-specific and value-driven”. Professor Soledad Garcia Ferrari Echoing Professor Garcia Ferrari’s sentiments, Dr Samia Chasi, Head of the Internationalisation and Strategic Partnerships Office at the University of the Witwatersrand, inspired the Mastercard Foundation Scholars, reflecting that: “Always be centred in your location. Reflect “What is African about your work?” The potential of digital education is not automatic – inclusion needs to be built into your project intentionally - this also applies to Africanisation”. Finally, Dr Chasi shared the wisdom of several African proverbs, including: ”If you think you are too small to make a difference, you have not spent a night with a mosquito”. Dr Samia Chasi About Edinburgh's Mastercard Foundation Scholars ProgramUniversity of Edinburgh is proud of its thriving and impactful community of online Mastercard Foundation ScholarsCurrently, the University of Edinburgh supports 200 online Mastercard Foundation Scholars from 23 African countries. The majority are enrolled in Masters programmes focused on sustainability-related subjects, alongside a cohort of online PhD Fellows participating in the Wits-Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures Doctoral Programme.While studying online requires strong organisation skills and the ability to balance multiple responsibilities, Mastercard Foundation Scholars commend the flexibility that online learning offers, including the opportunity to maintain commitments to family and work while advancing their leadership and entrepreneurial aspirations. Symposium attendees gathered in discussion Uniquely, one of the interventions central to the success of online Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Mastercard Foundation Scholars at the University of Edinburgh has been the provision of opportunities for in-person engagements across the African continent, either through annual in-person summer schools, such as the one hosted in Ghana, or through smaller, more informal regional community events.This approach is grounded in research and feedback from Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni, which indicate that in-person engagements enhances the online student experience, especially particularly by strengthening peer connection, fostering a sense of belonging, and supporting psychosocial wellbeing. Further information Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh Video: Mastercard Foundation Scholars, Fellows and Alumni The WESAF Doctoral Programme WESAF on LinkedIn The Mastercard Foundation Publication date 08 May, 2026
