Our flagship conference for university leaders returns in November.
Book your place at ACU Congress 2025
ACU Congress 2025 is the Commonwealth’s only dedicated conference for higher education leaders – a forum where vice-chancellors, senior policymakers, and experts from our 400 member universities come together to shape the future of higher education.
Hosted in Nairobi, Kenya - a hub of innovation, culture, and natural beauty - Congress blends thought-provoking speakers, closed-door discussions, and collaborative roundtables with networking opportunities. Every session is designed to generate practical insights and shape policy that will feed directly into the ACU’s Commonwealth-level discussions with governments, ministers and partners.
Why attend?
Join other Commonwealth leaders: build networks with senior voices from across Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Europe, the Caribbean, and North America, united by the shared challenges and opportunities facing Commonwealth countries.
Discuss important topics: take part in closed-door roundtables under the Chatham House Rule and small group dialogues where every voice counts.
Shape the agenda: contribute to conversations on the most compelling themes in higher education, including universities’ economic and social value, artificial intelligence, innovation and work, sustainability, and the geopolitical role of the Commonwealth.
Global influence: outputs from the Congress will directly inform the work of the ACU’s Commonwealth Higher Education Taskforce and inform Commonwealth-level discussions.
Programme highlights
Insightful keynote speakers:
The Congress features senior Commonwealth voices, including:
- Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, former Deputy President of South Africa, former UN Under-Secretary-General, and current Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg
- Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, Senior economic advisor at the Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative (AEDPI)
- Professor Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Senior Special Adviser on Industrialization to the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB)
- Professor Barney Glover AO, Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia
- and more - view all of our speakers here
Breakout sessions: shaping the Commonwealth agenda:
Across two days, delegates will engage in moderated roundtables and panel sessions exploring:
- The future of higher education: global trends, artificial intelligence, and the radical shifts universities must prepare for.
- Economic impact and investment: how universities can demonstrate value and secure sustainable funding.
- Sustainability beyond 2030: the role of universities as changemakers for a resilient and equitable future.
- Skills for the future workforce: preparing graduates for disruption, renewal, and national development.
Ambassadors programme:
Dedicated sessions for ACU Ambassadors will provide space to debate geopolitics and global engagement, and to explore innovative models of global citizenship and transnational education.
Networking and cultural exchange:
The Congress is as much about building relationships as shaping policy:
- Welcome reception at the National Museums of Kenya (26 November - evening)
- Congress dinner and cultural showcase at the University of Nairobi (27 November - evening)
- Karura forest networking run (28 November – early morning)
- Exhibition and daily networking breaks
Unmissable location:
Nairobi is a gateway to east Africa’s natural beauty. From the Karura Forest to the bustling city markets and amazing safaris, delegates can experience the best of Kenya.
Book your placeRead about our programme in more detail and find out what's happening each day.
Read about our confirmed ACU Congress speakers and panellists. Be sure to check back as we will be updating this page as further speakers are added.
The University of Nairobi, Kenya
Our official conference partner is the University of Nairobi, who will be hosting the event. The University of Nairobi has been a valued member of the ACU network since 1962, celebrating over 60 years of membership.
The University of Nairobi is home to 45,000 students across 10 faculties, 11 research institutes and 4 centres of excellence, making it a vibrant hub of intellectual activity and innovation. UoN offers diversified academic programmes and specialisations in natural sciences, applied sciences, technology, humanities, social sciences and law. More about the University of Nairobi can be found on the UoN website.
How to book
- If you have a MyACU account, you can book your place here (please ensure you sign in to MyACU first).
- If you do not have a MyACU account, please first register for an account here and then follow the instructions in the registration email to log in to MyACU before accessing the Congress booking form.
- Booking will close on Sunday 26 October 2025.
For ACU non-members: If you are not a current member of the ACU, please complete our expression of interest form to share your interest in attending.
If you need help with creating an account or logging in, please email [email protected].
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