Expansion of WU partnerships in Africa

Author: Robin Heldt, International Office

In recent years, WU Vienna has taken an intensive look at its partnerships on the African continent. In addition to the existing cooperations, two new universities — the University of Ghana and the University of Cape Coast — were added to the portfolio in 2025. Further expansion of partnerships in Africa is also planned for 2026, with a particular focus on Makerere University in Uganda as well as additional collaborations in Southern Africa.

Through these strategic activities, WU Vienna continues to position itself as an internationally oriented university within the higher education landscape and recognizes the potential and innovative strength that characterize Africa.

To successfully implement these efforts, different WU units and experts work closely together, including the International Office, the Competence Center for Emerging Markets & CEE, the Department of Business Communication, and the Dean for International Affairs. Univ. Prof. Dr. Jonas Puck, Dean for International Affairs, explains in the WU Blog how joint efforts at WU Vienna are coordinated and what impact the partnerships in Africa have on our university.

WU Blog: Professor Puck, as Dean for International Affairs, you are deeply involved in WU Vienna’s international cooperations and partnerships. In your view, what impact do the partnerships in Africa have on the international orientation of our university?

Univ. Prof. Dr. Jonas Puck: The partnerships in Africa contribute to WU Vienna’s international reputation. Africa is a continent with an enormous dynamic, strong population growth, and an important role in future global economic developments.
By cooperating with renowned African universities, we gain access to regions that are equally relevant for research, teaching, and societal developments. In addition, African perspectives enrich our international WU community and promote the development of intercultural competences.

WU Blog: What strategic goals does WU Vienna pursue with the expansion of partnerships in Africa?

Jonas Puck: We aim to further strengthen our role as a globally connected university. In practice, that also means collaborating in regions that will be significant for future global developments. In Africa, our focus is placed on building long-term and high-quality partnerships. In this context, WU Vienna sees itself as a partner working at eye level and supporting innovation as well as capacity building in emerging and developing countries. At the same time, societal and economic developments in Africa provide important impulses for Europe.

WU Blog: What does WU Vienna expect from a planned partnership with Makerere University in Uganda? And how important is the expansion of partnerships in Southern Africa?

Jonas Puck: The planned partnership with Makerere University in Uganda represents an expansion of our existing cooperations in Africa. As a well-known institution in East Africa, Makerere University fits into the overall picture of our partnerships and provides us with broader geographic coverage. During my visit on site, I had the opportunity to meet a dedicated rectorate and get a sense of the local environment. Uganda is a dynamic country with a great deal of optimism and drive. This new partnership will help us better understand Uganda and African perspectives.

Regarding Southern Africa, new partnerships in countries such as Botswana or Namibia would complement and add to our existing cooperation in South Africa. The security situation in these regions is relatively stable, giving us the opportunity to establish long-term collaborations. Potential partner institutions are carefully reviewed in advance by the International Office.

WU Blog: When WU Vienna enters new partnerships, it follows a holistic approach. What significance do the cooperations on the African continent have for members of WU?

Jonas Puck: Partnerships have a positive impact on the WU community. Students benefit from new exchange programs, researchers gain access to new collaborations and research areas, and administrative units can exchange international best practices and broaden their perspectives.
When building new partnerships, WU follows an interdisciplinary and cross-unit approach to ensure that the partnerships provide added value for the entire university.

As Dean for International Affairs, I take on strategic coordination and bring together perspectives from the WU faculty, different departments, and actors such as the Competence Center for Emerging Markets & CEE. The International Office provides guidance and helps define the contractual and organizational framework as well as to identify potential partner universities.

Key Facts about WU Partnerships in Africa

• WU Vienna maintains active partnerships in Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa (as of February 2026).
• African countries are gaining increasing importance as emerging and developing economies within global trade structures.
• Cooperations with African universities create opportunities for exchange, innovation, and joint development on both sides.