WorldQuant University and Justina Mutale Foundation join forces to boost STEM for African women

The collaboration will deliver free online programs in data science and financial engineering, widening access to advanced education across the continent.

WorldQuant University (WQU) has partnered with the Justina Mutale Foundation to provide women and girls across Africa with access to advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The collaboration was announced in a LinkedIn post and is part of both organizations’ efforts to expand opportunities in digital and quantitative fields.

WQU is a not-for-profit, accredited online institution that delivers free, advanced education in technical and quantitative disciplines to students in more than 190 countries. Its programs include master’s-level courses in financial engineering and applied data science designed to prepare learners for high-demand global careers.

The Justina Mutale Foundation, founded by philanthropist and women’s rights advocate Dr. Justina Mutale, promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment through education, mentorship, and leadership programs.

In a LinkedIn post, WQU said the partnership aims to “break barriers” by giving scholars from the Justina Mutale Foundation access to its free, online degree programs. More than 100 foundation scholars joined an initial information session introducing the university’s courses in data science and financial engineering.

Commenting on the new partnership, Mutale wrote: “Our team at the Justina Mutale Foundation are excited and grateful for this world-changing partnership with WorldQuant University to bring affordable, life-changing, world-class STEM education to women and girls in Africa.”

The partnership aligns with both institutions’ missions to democratize access to education and create pathways into high-growth fields for underrepresented groups.

Scholarships and recognition for emerging leaders

In a separate post, Dr. Mutale shared details of the Foundation’s ongoing education initiatives, including overseas scholarships for postgraduate study. The awards were presented to the top two first-year graduates at the Zambian Open University (ZAOU), reflecting the Foundation’s commitment to supporting students who demonstrate excellence and leadership potential.

Dr. Mutale wrote that education “lies at the heart of our mission,” adding that by providing opportunities for talented and deserving students to access world-class higher education, the Foundation is helping nurture the next generation of “leaders, innovators, and change-makers who will shape a better and more equitable world.”

The Foundation’s Press and Communications Officer, Moses Walubita, presented the awards and emphasized values of excellence, empowerment, equality, and global citizenship — principles central to the Foundation’s work in advancing UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education.

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