Minister Wurie Pushes Digital Revolution in Higher Education at WAAQAN Conference

The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr Haja Ramatulai Wurie, has opened the Third International Conference of the West African Anglophone Quality Assurance Network (WAAQAN) at the University of Makeni.

The conference brought together academic leaders and stakeholders from across the region to discuss ways of strengthening quality standards in higher education under the theme, “Reimagining Quality Assurance in African Higher Education: Relevance, Impact, and Technological Integration in the Era of Digital Transformation.”

In her address, Dr Wurie called for a fundamental shift in how higher education institutions across West Africa approach academic standards. She urged universities to move beyond treating quality assurance as a periodic, tick-box exercise undertaken primarily for accreditation.

“Quality assurance must be more than compliance or an exercise we undertake when accreditation is due,” Dr Wurie said. “It must become part of the everyday culture of our institutions, using evidence, data and continuous improvement to ensure that our universities produce graduates, knowledge and solutions that respond to the needs of our societies.”

Addressing the rapid advancement of digital technologies, Dr Wurie highlighted both the opportunities and responsibilities that technology, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), presents to modern higher education.

She noted that while technology offers opportunities to improve accountability, efficiency and data-driven decision-making, its adoption must be purposeful and ethical.

“Digital transformation is not simply about acquiring technology; it is about using it to make our institutions smarter, our decisions better and our education more relevant, while protecting academic integrity, privacy and human judgement,” she said.

Dr Wurie urged higher education institutions across Anglophone West Africa to actively participate in WAAQAN to establish shared benchmarks and promote mutual accountability.

“We must move from islands of excellence to networks of excellence, learning from one another, strengthening our systems and building a higher education ecosystem that is credible, relevant and fit for Africa’s future,” Dr Wurie said.

“Quality is not simply about assuring the education we have today; it is about building the quality we need tomorrow,” she added.