Recording of the AEIP webinar “Building Trust through Qualifications Frameworks” (28 July 2026).

Facilitated by the Association of African Universities (AAU).

Overview

This webinar explores how qualifications frameworks and quality assurance can strengthen trust in African higher education, supporting the recognition of qualifications and the mobility of students, academics and workers across borders.

The session introduces the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) and examines how continental approaches can help make national and regional qualifications more transparent and comparable. It also discusses the African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ASG-QA) and collaborative efforts to strengthen quality assurance systems.

A central theme is harmonisation that respects the diversity of African education systems. The discussion highlights the importance of African ownership, institutional capacity and participation by governments, quality assurance agencies, universities, students and employers in building a trusted and connected African Higher Education Area.

What You Will Learn

The webinar covers:

• Trust in higher education: understanding how confidence in educational quality supports qualification recognition, academic progression and professional mobility.
• The African Continental Qualifications Framework: exploring the ACQF’s 10-level reference structure and its role in making qualifications across different systems easier to understand and compare.
• National, regional and continental connections: examining how qualifications frameworks can relate to one another and support greater transparency across borders.
• Qualifications frameworks and quality assurance: understanding their complementary roles in describing qualification levels and evaluating whether educational provision meets agreed standards.
• African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance: considering how common guidelines support internal quality assurance within institutions and external evaluation by quality assurance bodies.
• Cooperation among quality assurance agencies: exploring how shared approaches, agency reviews and exchanges of expertise can strengthen confidence between national systems.
• Harmonisation with respect for diversity: developing compatible approaches while recognising differences in national contexts, institutional structures and educational priorities.
• African ownership and contextual relevance: involving African experts and institutions in shaping approaches that respond to continental needs and support sustainable implementation.
• Student and stakeholder participation: recognising the contribution of learners, educators, policymakers and employers to transparent and accountable quality assurance processes.
• Capacity building and implementation: strengthening expertise, institutional resources and professional networks to translate continental frameworks into practice.
• Recognition beyond academia: examining how transparent and credible qualifications can help employers assess skills and support workforce mobility.
• Continental integration and Agenda 2063: considering how cooperation in higher education contributes to wider African development and integration goals.

Key Takeaway

Trusted qualifications depend on both clear information about what learners are expected to achieve and credible processes for assuring educational quality. Qualifications frameworks and quality assurance work together to support this confidence, providing a stronger basis for recognition and mobility across borders.

Progress requires sustained cooperation, institutional capacity and stakeholder participation. By developing compatible approaches that respect national diversity, African higher education systems can strengthen transparency and create better opportunities for learners, graduates and employers across the continent.