Africa Reclaims Higher Education Narrative as VICBHE Graduates 1,403 Certified Professionals and Launches Inaugural Home-Grown University Ranking System

VICBHE graduates 1,403 certified ranking professionals and unveils the African University Ranking System (AURS) to boost global academic visibility.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 4:02 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from THISDAY

A Historic Milestone for African Academic Evaluation

The African continent has achieved a significant breakthrough in the governance of its higher education sector with the graduation of 1,403 certified ranking professionals. This cohort, the largest ever trained on the continent, emerged from the Virtual Institute for Capacity Building in Higher Education (VICBHE) after an intensive seven-week program titled "Mastering University Rankings for Global Visibility." Professor Emeritus Peter Okebukola, Director/Facilitator-General of VICBHE, announced that the milestone represents a bold step toward reclaiming the narrative of quality and institutional visibility within African systems, which have historically been judged by external metrics.

Mastery of Global Metrics and Data Normalization

The training program, which concluded its 12th module, equipped participants from Nigeria and ten other African nations—including Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and Ethiopia—with technical expertise in major global ranking frameworks. Graduates achieved mastery in the methodologies of Times Higher Education (THE), QS World University Rankings, and Webometrics, among others. Crucially, the curriculum focused on data normalization and indicator weighting techniques, ensuring that African practitioners can now manage institutional data with the same analytical rigor as their counterparts in the Global North.

Launching the African University Ranking System (AURS)

The centerpiece of the ceremony was the formal unveiling of the African University Ranking System (AURS). This indigenous framework was specifically designed to address long-standing criticisms that dominant global ranking systems fail to reflect the unique realities and societal impacts of African universities. Aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the AURS aims to complement global rankings by providing a more accurate mirror of performance within the African context. It serves as both an evaluative tool and a strategic roadmap for institutional development across the continent's diverse educational landscape.