Agostinho Neto University joins African tech education network to support continent-wide digital growth
The African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) expands to nine university members as it continues efforts to support digital transformation across Africa.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa has confirmed that Universidade Agostinho Neto has joined the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec), bringing the total number of partner universities in the initiative to nine.
Afretec was launched in 2022 as a network of technology-focused universities across Africa, led by CMU-Africa, which was established in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2011. The goal of the network is to support the continent’s digital transformation through research collaboration, talent development, and entrepreneurial ecosystem growth.
Continental collaboration and digital priorities
The addition of Angola’s largest public university marks a continued push toward geographical and linguistic diversity. Agostinho Neto University, located in Luanda, becomes the network’s first Portuguese-speaking partner.
Existing members include Al Akhawayn University (Morocco), the American University in Cairo (Egypt), Université Cheikh Anta Diop (Senegal), University of Lagos (Nigeria), University of Nairobi (Kenya), University of Rwanda, University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and CMU-Africa in Rwanda.
Conrad Tucker, director of CMU-Africa and associate dean for international affairs–Africa, says the inclusion of new institutions contributes to the network’s cross-cultural goals: “We are proud to welcome Agostinho Neto University into the Afretec Network,” he says. “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.”
Three focus areas for Afretec
The Afretec Network has set three core priorities: the development of local innovations and globally competitive tech talent; building a digital knowledge ecosystem; and supporting the growth of a startup technology culture across member institutions.
The new member university has already started collaborating with the network. Agostinho Neto University is engaged in modernization and digital program expansion, with demand for engineering and technology-focused education rising among Angola’s young population.
The Afretec initiative is part of Carnegie Mellon University’s broader strategy through its College of Engineering, which includes international partnerships aimed at addressing regional skills gaps in STEM education.
