The journey towards realising the ambition of Harnessing Education Research for Impact in Africa (HERI Africa) to put African researchers in the driver’s seat of education research is gathering momentum, and we are excited about the possibilities ahead.  

At the 2nd EAC Regional Education Conference in Nairobi (August 25-28), the visit by senior government leaders to the HERI Africa booth offered a valuable opportunity to share our progress, strengthen relationships, and keep policymakers, partners, and other education stakeholders informed about the work underway to build a stronger, Africa-led research ecosystem.  

Among the dignitaries were Hon. Beatrice Askul, Cabinet Secretary for the East African Community; Hon. Phyllis Chemutai, Minister of State for Education and Sports, Uganda; and Dr. Beatrice Inyangala, Principal Secretary, State Department for Higher Education and Research, Kenya. Their participation was a powerful symbol of the growing interest in and support for an agenda to ensure African research responds to African priorities, informs policy and practice, and contributes to national and continental transformation. 

This engagement also provided an opportunity to share HERI Africa’s ambition, a Pan-African initiative launched in February 2026 to put African researchers in the driver’s seat of education research and to help raise Africa’s share of global research output from 3% to 30% by 2050. 

Building an education research system that works for Africa 

For HERI Africa, strengthening educational research means building a research ecosystem that responds to Africa’s priorities, links evidence to decision-making, and ensures knowledge reaches those who can use it. 

This means working alongside governments, universities, researchers and other partners to identify the questions that matter most and to build the capacity, financing and infrastructure needed to answer them. 

At the conference, HERI Africa highlighted five key areas for action: 

• Setting national research priorities: Implementing the co-created National Education Research Agenda to ensure research investment responds to Kenya’s most urgent education challenges. 

• Growing Africa’s research leadership: Establishing the Centre for Education Research and Innovation (CERI) to build the capacity of 100 early-career researchers and strengthen the next generation of African research leaders. 

• Investing in priority research: Operationalising five thematic Research Chairs, with gender parity at their core, to generate high-quality evidence in areas that matter for education transformation. 

• Making research accessible and actionable: Democratising research communication by moving more than 1,000 research outputs beyond academic journals into accessible formats for policymakers, practitioners and communities. 

• Building sustainable financing: Mobilising local and international resources while working towards sustainable, Africa-owned financing for education research. 

Partnerships that move evidence into action 

The engagement with the visiting dignitaries reflects an important principle at the heart of HERI Africa: transformative education research requires strong partnerships. 

Governments bring policy leadership and an understanding of national priorities. Universities and researchers generate knowledge and innovation. Communities and practitioners bring lived experience and practical insight. Development partners can help mobilise resources and create platforms for collaboration. 

By bringing these strengths together, HERI Africa seeks to help build an ecosystem where African research is not only produced in Africa, but shapes decisions in Africa and delivers results for African learners and communities. 

By 2028, HERI Africa envisions a nationally led education research ecosystem in Kenya that generates trusted evidence and influences policy and practice. From 2029, the initiative aims to build on this foundation and scale its approach across Africa. 

The visit to the EAC Regional Education Conference was therefore more than a moment of visibility. It was an opportunity to strengthen relationships, exchange ideas and build shared momentum around a common ambition: an Africa where African researchers lead, African evidence informs decisions, and research contributes directly to better education outcomes. 

HERI Africa is grateful to the visiting leaders and partners for their engagement and their continued commitment to advancing Africa’s research leadership.