Innovating Education in Africa (IEA) 2026 Call for Submissions The African Union (AU) Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation (ESTI) has launched the Innovating Education in Africa (IEA) 2026 Call for Submissions, seeking practical, scalable, and transformative innovations to improve education systems across the continent. Africa continues to face persistent challenges in education access, equity, quality, and relevance. Despite progress, an estimated 20% of children aged 6–11 and 33% of children aged 12–14 are out of school, while about 60% of youth aged 15–17 remain excluded, with girls disproportionately affected. At post-basic levels, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems face outdated curricula, weak industry linkages, and limited digital and green skills integration, while higher education institutions often struggle with research capacity, innovation ecosystems, and knowledge commercialization. The IEA 2026 initiative addresses these challenges by promoting innovations that are contextually relevant, sustainable, and replicable, aligned with Africa’s continental frameworks, including: Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2026–2035) Continental TVET Strategy (CTVET 2025–2034) AU Digital Education Strategy (DES) Science, Technology, and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA-2034) AU Continental Artificial Intelligence Strategy Agenda 2063 Aspirations 1 and 6 Thematic Focus Areas The 2026 Call welcomes innovations across four key pillars: Basic and Secondary Education Foundational literacy and numeracy technologies Teacher professional development innovations AI-enabled assessment and adaptive learning Inclusive and gender-responsive education technologies Higher Education & STI Ecosystems (STISA-Aligned) University-industry innovation hubs Research commercialization platforms Digital universities and hybrid learning ecosystems Robotics and advanced STEM centres of excellence STI infrastructure development (laboratories, incubators, science parks) TVET and Skills Development (CTVET-Aligned) Digital and AI-integrated TVET training models Robotics, automation, and advanced manufacturing Green and climate-responsive skills development Industry-led apprenticeship and dual training systems Skills mobility and certification frameworks aligned with AfCFTA AI, Robotics, and Emerging Technologies in Education Robotics labs in schools and TVET institutions AI-powered skills forecasting tools Simulation-based technical training systems Youth tech entrepreneurship hubs AI ethics, governance, and data privacy in education Eligibility Applicants must: Be citizens of an AU Member State leading an organization Implement an education innovation with verifiable outcomes Be legally registered and licensed in an AU Member State Directly manage and implement the innovation (no intermediaries) Demonstrate potential for integration with public systems and alignment with CESA, CTVET, STISA-2034, and AU AI Strategy Submission Process Submissions must be made online in English or French by 30 April 2026, 23:00 EAT (GMT+3):Submit here Required materials: Brief statement of the challenge addressed (100 words) Description of the innovation and implementation approach (500 words) Performance and outcome report (500 words) Contribution to digitalization, greening, AI, robotics, or STI infrastructure Documentation of legal registration and operational license Only one innovation per organization may be submitted. Past IEA grant recipients are not eligible. Evaluation Process Submissions undergo: Eligibility check: 1–8 May 2026 Technical review and shortlisting: 08–20 May 2026 Early Pitch (Virtual): 5 finalists selected, May 2026 Final Pitch: 3 innovations awarded grants, June 2026 Key evaluation criteria include: innovation, scalability, measurable impact, public system interoperability, industry relevance, climate and gender responsiveness, alignment with CTVET-34, STISA-2034, digitalization, AI ethics, robotics, and potential for research commercialization. Benefits for Selected Innovations Successful applicants will receive: Grants of up to USD 50,000 Promotion to AU Member States, RECs, and development partners Certificate of Recognition from the AU Commissioner for ESTI Capacity building support and structured engagement with Member States Participation in the 2026 Innovating Education in Africa Expo and Ministerial Policy Dialogue Inclusion in the IEA 2026 Innovation Catalog and AI readiness brief The IEA 2026 Call represents a unique opportunity to advance education, skills development, and STI integration in Africa, while contributing to the continent’s digital, green, and AI-driven future. For inquiries: Mr. Chigozie Emmanuel Okonkwo – Education and Skills Advisor | Email: OkonkwoC@africanunion.org SEE FULL CALL HERE For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and WPChannel Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization that is offering this call. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.