The Afretec Network welcomes ninth university partner
The African Engineering and Technology Network has signed its ninth university partner, Universidade Agostinho Neto. Located in the capital city of Luanda, Agostinho Neto University is Angola’s oldest and largest public higher education institution.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa announced today that the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) has signed its ninth university partner, Universidade Agostinho Neto. The network, launched in 2022, provides a vehicle for technology-focused universities in Africa to engage in deep collaboration to drive digital growth, create technology development and job growth, and shape policy change.
The Afretec Network is focused on goals in three areas:
- Producing critical, locally relevant innovations and globally competitive technology talent
- Developing a digital knowledge creation ecosystem
- Fostering a startup technology culture and ecosystem across Africa
Luanda, the capital of Angola, is a port city on the west coast of Southern Africa.
“We are proud to welcome Agostinho Neto University into the Afretec Network,” said Conrad Tucker, director of CMU-Africa and associate dean for international affairs-Africa. “As a network, we are focused on pan-African digital growth, which means that it is crucial that we collaborate across different languages and cultures on the continent.”
Afretec Network members span the entire continent and include:
- Carnegie Mellon University Africa (Kigali, Rwanda)
- Al Akhawayn University (Ifrane, Morocco)
- The American University in Cairo (Cairo, Egypt)
- Université Cheikh Anta Diop (Dakar, Senegal)
- University of Lagos (Lagos, Nigeria)
- University of Nairobi (Nairobi, Kenya)
- University of Rwanda (Kigali, Rwanda)
- University of the Witwatersrand (Johannesburg, South Africa)
- Universidade Agostinho Neto (Luanda, Angola)
Located in the capital city of Luanda, Agostinho Neto University is Angola’s oldest and largest public higher education institution. The university has a commitment to modernization, academic excellence, and the sustainable development of Angola and Africa. Two academic units, the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Natural Sciences, will play a key role in the Afretec Network. These units represent core scientific and technological assets for the university’s research-oriented model.As a network, we are focused on pan-African digital growth.
Conrad Tucker, Director, Carnegie Mellon University Africa
“Membership in the Afretec Network provides Agostinho Neto University with a valuable platform to strengthen our international visibility, develop innovative academic and technological programs, and align with global best practices in higher education,” said Pedro Magalhães, rector of Agostinho Neto University. “The cooperation model of the network is innovative and sustainable, with the potential to transform technological education and digital innovation—not only in Angola but across the African continent.”
The Portuguese-speaking country of Angola has a young population and a strong demand for engineering, IT, and technology-driven programs. The university has already begun to collaborate with the network and will join partner universities in engaging with stakeholders across the continent to work toward the shared mission of the digital transformation of Africa.