As education systems across Africa evolve to meet the demands of a changing world, one priority is becoming increasingly clear: learners need strong life skills and values to thrive.
The upcoming institutional launch of the HERI Africa Research Chair on Life Skills and Values Education at Kenyatta University marks an important step toward advancing this vision. It signals a bold step toward reshaping how education research is produced, shared, and applied across the continent.
The event will officially introduce the HERI Africa Research Chair on Life Skills and Values Education and present the Life Skills and Values Research Agenda.
Why Life Skills and Values Matter Now
Across the continent, education stakeholders are recognising that competencies such as critical thinking, resilience, collaboration, ethics, and social responsibility are essential for both individual success and societal progress.
Yet, while these competencies are embedded in many curricula, there remains a gap in evidence regarding what works, how to measure impact, and how to translate policy into classroom practice effectively.
This is where research becomes critical. HERI Africa was created to ensure that research is not only produced but also actively applied to improve education systems and learner outcomes.
By focusing on holistic learner development, the Chair aims to ensure education systems prepare learners not just for exams, but for life.
A Research Chair for Transformative Learning
The HERI Africa Research Chair at Kenyatta University will act as a central platform for generating and using research on Life Skills and Values Education. It will help connect academic research with the real needs of Kenya’s education system and support the National Education Research Agenda (NERA).
The Chair will lead research that provides clear evidence to guide policies and improve how learners develop essential life skills and values. It will also support national priorities and help position Kenya as a regional hub for practical, data-driven education reform.
The upcoming launch will bring together key players from across the education sector, demonstrating the value of collaboration across different fields. It will be an important moment to align research efforts with national and regional goals.
Building a Regional Hub for Impact
Beyond Kenya, the Research Chair is positioned to contribute to a broader Pan-African movement. It will serve as a regional hub for knowledge generation, collaboration, and capacity building in life skills and values education.
Through partnerships across government, academia, and non-state actors, the initiative will foster context-relevant research grounded in African realities, cross-country learning and exchange, and scalable, evidence-based solutions.
A Launch with Purpose
The upcoming launch is more than an institutional milestone; it is a call to action.
It will bring together diverse stakeholders in a high-level forum to align research priorities, strengthen collaboration, and accelerate the integration of life skills and values into education systems.
The event will also formally introduce the HERI Africa Research Chair and present the Life Skills and Values Research Agenda (AliVE Phase III), setting the stage for the next phase of impactful, Africa-led research.
Looking Ahead
As Africa invests in the future of its learners, the focus on life skills and values is both timely and essential.
This Research Chair represents a shift toward education that nurtures not only knowledgeable students, but capable, ethical, and resilient citizens, equipped to shape the continent’s future.