Ashesi University | Confidential
August 2013
Ashesi University Strategic Vision
Expanding our impact in Africa
Ashesi University | Confidential
1. Executive Summary
Ashesi University College is a private, secular, not-for-profit, liberal arts college in Ghana, which
has established a reputation for offering excellent undergraduate education to African
students. Over the next ten years, Ashesi will grow to over 1,000 students, add high-impact
majors in engineering, economics and law, and expand student recruiting across Africa. Ashesi
is seeking partners to help support a $47.5 million strategic plan to expand our impact in
Africa. Donations will help support the construction of new academic and laboratory buildings,
the procurement of equipment, operating support for new programs and scholarships for
students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
1.1 Ashesi University Ashesi University offers four-year undergraduate degrees in Computer Science, Management
Information Systems and Business Administration. Our mission is to educate a new generation
of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within our students the critical
thinking skills, concern for others and courage it will take to transform a continent.
Over the past 10 years, Ashesi has established a reputation as a leader in undergraduate
education in Africa, pioneering a combination of a strong liberal arts core with practical
majors. The Ashesi curriculum has a proven track record of fostering ethical leadership, critical
thinking, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to solve complex real-world problems.
Ashesi graduates have been recruited by global companies such as General Electric, Google,
Tullow Oil and Unilever as well as top Ghanaian companies such as Rancard, Databank and
Chase Petroleum. Every year, over 95% of Ashesi graduates are placed in jobs or graduate
programs within three months of graduation, and 95% of them stay to work in Africa.
In August 2011, Ashesi moved into a new $7 million campus, one hour north of Accra. Featuring
state-of-the-art educational technology and environmentally conscious design, this
Ashesi University | Confidential
August 2013
groundbreaking campus helps us attract top faculty and students from across the region. Our
student body is approximately 600 students, but will grow over the next ten years to 1,000.
1.2 Current Curriculum Ashesi’s innovative academic program enables students not only to develop technical
excellence in their professional fields, but also to gain a deep sense of civic responsibility and a
breadth of vision that enables them to navigate and lead in a changing world. The Ashesi
education centers on a liberal arts core curriculum that challenges students to hone their
critical thinking and communication skills, and to apply theory to practice through class projects
and internships.
1.3 Ashesi Vision 2020 – Broadening Our Impact
Increased Diversity
The next decade will see a deepened commitment to providing financial assistance to students
in need, and to the ideal of a truly pan-African university. We aim to grow our non-Ghanaian
African population from its current level of 10 percent to 30 – 50 percent.
A Fully Immersive Campus Experience
An Ashesi education transforms students’ ethics and attitudes, and fosters a willingness to take
responsibility and to lead. As we enroll more students from across Africa, it becomes even more
important to have the housing and gathering spaces to support this cultural transformation,
and to foster community in our diverse student body. Our top priority is for more on-campus
student housing, followed by an expanded on-campus cafeteria, and other gathering spaces.
Reversing the Brain Drain
Ashesi will establish a “Brain Gain” fund to recruit top African talent living abroad to return to
Africa and help expand our educational program and lead important research in Africa. The
fund will pay student loans and help new faculty stay abreast of their international colleagues
by providing research equipment and access to the academic resources.
Curricula Expansion
Over the course of Ashesi’s first ten years, we received many requests for curricula expansion
from corporations and prospective students. Fields requested included architecture,
economics, education, engineering, journalism, law, MBA, medicine, and political science. As
we plan Ashesi’s second decade, the executive team turned to Ashesi’s mission statement -- to
educate a new generation of ethical entrepreneurial leaders in Africa – and added the question,
“For what?”
Ashesi University | Confidential
August 2013
The answer to that question:
To educate a new generation of ethical entrepreneurial leaders in Africa …for industry and
government, who can expand Africa’s economic opportunities, and improve governance and
civic institutions.
Leaders who will help drive a renaissance in Africa will need to operate in both the private and
public spheres. Therefore, we identified three areas of focus for Ashesi over the next ten years.
Synergy Between Current & New Curriculum
Area of
Focus
(1) Applied Sciences &
Engineering
(2) Management and
Economics
(3) Civil Society
Current Majors Computer Science
Management Information
Systems
Business Management Liberal Arts core
curriculum
New Majors Electrical Engineering
Computer Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Economics Law & Society
Strengths Ashesi’s engineering program
will educate broad systems
thinkers who can operate in a
variety of industries including
telecommunications,
manufacturing, and the oil and
gas industry. The program will
also have strengths in
entrepreneurship and design.
Learning from the successes
of universities in Brazil,
Chile and Mexico, Ashesi’s
economics program will
develop strengths in
quantitative analysis and
modeling. We aim to place
top graduates in top PhD
programs around the world,
to lead transformative
economic policy making
when they return to Africa.
This interdisciplinary program will educate future public leaders with a combination of legal skills and creative approaches towards solving the continent's unique challenges, extending Ashesi's strength in ethics and leadership to the public, non-profit and legal sectors.
Ashesi University | Confidential
August 2013
1.4 Strategic Plan Funding Goals Period 2002 – 2011 (Completed) 2012 – 2020
Key Goal Establishing Ashesi Increased Diversity Expanded impact
Financial Goal $14 million $20 million
scholarship fund
$27.5 million
Status $14 million raised
(completed)
$13 million raised
(65% of goal)
$3.5 million raised
Key Goals Accomplishments
Established Ghana’s first
liberal arts college
100% career placement
Growth to 500 students
Diverse student body
50% women; 40% receive
financial aid (over $3
million total)
14 African countries
represented
First in Ghana with a
student-led honor system
First in Ghana to elect a
female head of student
government
Financial operating
sustainability since 2008
Goals
Increase number of
students on
scholarship to 60-70%
Increase scholarships
to cover housing and
meals for the poorest
students
Expand our impact
across Africa, with 30-
50% of students from
outside Ghana
Goals
Grow to 1,000 students
Add new high impact
academic programs:
Engineering
Economics
Law & Society
Strengthen campus
culture by enabling
more students to live
on campus
Enrich campus life and
build community with
student life spaces
Attract talented African
academics to return to
the continent to lend
their expertise to new
disciplines
Ashesi University | Confidential
August 2013
2. Engineering at Ashesi Ashesi plans to start its curriculum expansion with programs in the field of engineering.
Learning from examples in India and China, we believe high quality engineering education can
have a long-term, sustained impact in Africa. By producing graduates who can build critical
infrastructure, start new businesses that create jobs and develop products designed to meet
the needs of local communities, we will help economies grow and improve lives.
2.1 Goals and Expected Outcomes 1. Develop a world-class engineering program that provides engineers with leadership
level skills for West African industry and governments, beginning with concentrations in
electrical and electronic engineering, computer engineering and mechanical engineering
2. Build a reputation as one of the finest engineering programs in West Africa as measured
by the professional capabilities of Ashesi’s engineering graduates
3. Maintain at least a 90% placement rate within 6 months for graduates in key West
African industries
2.2 Program Highlights A “whole brain” approach to engineering: In addition to engineering specialties (such as
electrical, or mechanical), there will be a strong emphasis on foundational concepts,
systems thinking, the scientific method, design and problem-solving.
Internships and applied projects: We will include practical problem-solving, gained either
through a co-op curriculum, internships, and/or engineering community service projects.
Pre-college outreach to women and the poor: Through intensive recruiting, scholarships,
and pre-college summer workshops, Ashesi will attract Africa’s brightest women and
students from families in poverty to its engineering program.
Communication skills: An engineer who is unable to communicate effectively about his/her
work cannot be an effective leader. Public presentations will be required of all engineering
students to foster strong communication and writing skills.
Teamwork: Learning how to work well with others is critical to success in the modern
business environment. Throughout their education at Ashesi, students will work on projects
in teams, including a year-long applied engineering project.
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August 2013
Entrepreneurship: All engineering students will have a unique, year-long opportunity to
learn the fundamentals of running a business, by receiving funding to found and manage a
business of their own design.
Ethics: Ashesi is the first university in Ghana to establish an academic honor code among its
students. Students are required to take responsibility for their own academic integrity as
well as that of their peers, reporting any violations they see. As a result of this code, exams
are not proctored by Ashesi faculty or staff.
Adaptive innovation to meet Africa’s needs: In keeping with Ashesi’s emphasis on
“Innovative Thinking”, the program’s emphasis will be on new, creative, pragmatic
solutions, adapted from existing technology, rather than on basic research.
Financial sustainability: Ashesi is a non-profit with a financially sustainable model, where
income from students who can afford to pay covers annual operating expenses.
Philanthropy will subsidize the engineering program through its startup phase (see details
below), but after four years, the program must become self-sustaining. Thus, we will focus
on engineering fields with strong student and employer demand, which require moderate
capital investment in labs.
Range of Applications: Ashesi will start with engineering programs in electrical and
electronic engineering, computer engineering and mechanical engineering.
2.3 Funding Needs for Engineering We are seeking $6.12 million to help us establish a world-class engineering program at Ashesi
University College. Donations will help support initial capital expenses including the
construction of new classroom and laboratory buildings and the procurement of laboratory
equipment and supplies. Additional funding will be raised to subsidize operating costs such as
faculty salaries, textbooks and administrative expenses over the program’s first four years.
Four Year Engineering Program Startup Costs
Estimated Total Costs Raised to Date
Program Startup $0.61 Million
Instruments & Lab Setup Costs $0.73 Million
New Laboratory & Classroom Buildings $4.77 Million $3.5 Million
Total: $6.12 Million $3.5 Million
* All cost figures include 10% to be set aside in a contingency fund, plus 12% to cover administrative and fundraising expenses.
Ashesi University | Confidential
August 2013
Engineering Implementation Timeline
3. Economics for Africa's Future Leaders
Our global economies are becoming more and more interrelated and the successful management of economic resources more and more complex. The next generation of leaders in Africa must be savvy players in this international marketplace to ensure valuable resources are managed effectively to help spur development. Unfortunately, very few African universities are producing the type of economics undergraduates that can enter top global economics graduate programs, or hold down jobs in the multinationals who often end up producing, buying and selling our continent's natural resources. Economics is a complex field, requiring a familiarity with advanced mathematics. We need to follow the examples laid by leading countries in Asia, Central and South America, who established undergraduate programs that offer rigorous economics training. These schools are feeders for top global graduate programs and, eventually, top government and private sector jobs. From President's in Mexico and Chile, to top ministers in Singapore, Taiwan and China, training outstanding economists has made a huge impact on the economies of these countries.
3.1 Goals & Expected Outcomes
1. Develop an economics program that prepares students to enter top graduate programs
around the world. At least 5% of program graduates each year will be enrolled in
economics Masters or Ph.D. programs.
2. Establish Ashesi's reputation as a world-class undergraduate institute for economics
education. Become a magnate for top students from across the continent wishing to
enter the field of economics.
3. Have faculty and undergraduates involved in conducting meaningful applied economics
research for local industry and government.
4. Improve the pool of skilled economists for the African public and private sectors.
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Engineering Fundraising
$1.35 Million
Construction Lab Setup Engineering Wings A & B
Construction Lab Setup
Program Startup
Engineering Wing C
$4.77 Million
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August 2013
3.2 Program Highlights
Focus on African economic Issues. Economics majors at Ashesi will be asked to solve real world
problems in both the domestic and the international marketplace. The program will train
qualified economists who can help formulate and optimize national economic policy;
agricultural and otherwise. We will therefore emphasize microeconomics, macroeconomics,
econometrics, agribusiness, supply chain management and commodity markets, and
international economics.
Quantitatively rigorous. Ashesi's economic program will prepare its students with the
advanced mathematics skills needed to solve complex economic problems and thrive in top
global graduate programs.
International exchanges. Top faculty from universities across the globe will be invited to co-
teach courses with Ashesi faculty for 2 to 4 week periods. Exposure to these experts will
improve teaching at Ashesi, encourage research collaboration, and help establish the
reputation of the program
Applied research. Building off our relationships with international academic institutions and
interest from local industry, we will actively seek opportunities to conduct meaningful applied
research. Organizations such as the Center for Economic Policy Analysis and the African Center
for Economic Transformation (ACET) are located in Accra and can serve as interesting partners
for research.
4 Law & Society
Ashesi's Law & Society program will produce critical thinkers with a solid understanding of law,
who are excellent communicators and can apply their knowledge and skills across multiple
areas of academia and industry
Acknowledging that the law does not exist in a vacuum, the course will draw from the
advantages of a holistic liberal arts approach, relating itself to African life, taking into account
the continent’s particular social, political and economic realities. A series of deliberate
experiences will expose students to a broad spectrum of society, engendering compassion for
their fellow man and revealing where the need for the rule of law springs. Graduates will be
civically-engaged, ethical leaders who will work across sectors (government, private industry,
non-profit) to address problems from a perspective that seeks the greater good of society.
Ashesi University | Confidential
August 2013
4.1 Goals & Expected Outcomes
1. Give students a coherent selection of courses that provide a sound legal foundation and
a good understanding of law and its relation to society, irrespective of their career
choices in, or outside of legal practice.
2. Expose students to a wide variety of academic disciplines in a way that makes them
rigorous problem-solvers across sectors (nonprofit, private and public) in an increasingly
globalized context.
3. Strengthen skills in strategic communication, resulting in students who read with
interpretive skill, write and speak well, listen actively and engage constructively.
4. Train and equip critical, analytical leaders with imaginations that know no limits, but are
grounded in practical, African realities.
5. Equip students to engage in applied research across disciplines, and to prepare them for
conceptual and practical work at the graduate-level.
6. Train a different kind of lawyer for whom ethical and societal considerations are
essential and deliberate, rather than accidental.
4.2 Program Highlights
Multidisciplinary knowledge base and knowledge-application skills. Students will be exposed
to a wide array of course offerings that will hone their critical thinking and problem solving
abilities.
Strategic communication skills. Program graduates will be excellent written and oral
communicators. Throughout the program they will be asked to hone their communication skills
through class projects and presentations.
Legal knowledge applied to real-life contexts. Students will look at real cases and the
application of law both in the classroom and in mock trial scenarios.
Practical engagement. Students will have the opportunity to participate in internships, applied
projects and service learning experiences, which will give them the opportunity to see the wide
range of application for legal expertise.
Exposure to the needs of a broad range of society. The foundations of modern legal practice
stem from the need to mitigate the natural inequality of power within human societies and the
desire for social and economic stability. The program will partner with several legal institutions
in Ghana to expose students to the wide range of needs in modern African society. This course
will expose students not only to the law, but the needs from which the law springs.
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August 2013
Pre-law and Social Science tracks. Law & Society students will be able to choose from pre-law
and social science tracks depending on their interests. Pre-law students will be ready to start
legal practice within a year of graduation, while social science students will have the skills
necessary to work in a variety of sectors including media, government, non-profit and legal.
4.3 Funding Needs for Economics and Law & Society Programs
Estimated Total Costs
Economics and Law Building $3.6 Million
Administrative Building $1.1 Million
Visiting faculty housing $.9 Million
Scholarship Student Housing (96 beds) $1.8 Million
Operating Support $2.3 Million
TOTAL $9.7 Million
Philanthropy, Sustainability and Social Investment
We’ve got day-to-day expenses covered
From the beginning, the Ashesi business model was designed to attain operating financial
sustainability. As of 2008, we met that goal, whereby revenue from tuition and fees, paid by
students who can afford them, covers annual operating expenses and the majority of Ashesi's
scholarship program. Ashesi is committed to maintaining this approach of building self-
sustaining programs.
Philanthropy is essential for growth
Ashesi uses donors’ funds to expand our impact. Donations fund new buildings, establish new
programs, and create additional scholarships. After four years, all new programs at Ashesi are
expected to become self-sustaining. We have begun a campaign to raise $6.12 million in
philanthropy to help us establish a unique, high impact engineering program in Africa.
Social investment loan for housing
Demand for housing at Ashesi exceeds supply. Both full-pay and scholarship students want to
live on campus, and diversity in on-campus housing helps foster Ashesi’s values. Ashesi is now
seeking social venture investors to participate in a $2.5M loan to finance dorm construction.
This vehicle will allow investors to support Ashesi while preserving their long-term capital and
realizing a modest financial return. Once dorms are completed, rent payments will provide the
revenue stream for repayment.
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August 2013
To discuss ways you can help expand Ashesi’s impact in Africa and educate a new generation of
innovative, ethical leaders – contact our foundation team in Seattle or Ghana.
5. Contact Information In the United States:
Joanna Bargeron
Vice President
Ashesi University Foundation
+1.206.545.6988
Ruth Warren
Trustee
Ashesi University Foundation
+1.206.399.5907
In Ghana: More Information:
Araba Botchway
Development Director
Ashesi University College
+233.302.610.330
Ashesi University Website: www.ashesi.edu.gh Ashesi University Foundation, a US 501(c)3 designed to support Ashesi: www.ashesi.org Visit us on Facebook – Twitter – You Tube