Taking pro-active actions to enhancing the quality of African universities graduates for the labour market

African Universities are facing an unprecedented growth in enrolment that has more than doubled in the last decade alone. This growth pattern has affected the teaching, learning, supervision and mentorship processes as on average one professor has at least 50% more students compared to the global average. The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is in constant search for best practices and innovations that help to improve the delivery of quality education attainment in the 60 member universities. Through a consortium of partners and associated partners, RUFORUM is participating in an innovative project on deploying interactive on-line networking platform for improving quality and relevance of African University Graduates to labour markets. The purpose of this paper is to share the lessons and experiences garnered during the implementation of project activities under the RUFORUM component. Commendable success has so far been achieved in terms of development of six innovative PhD programmes in various disciplines including agricultural biosciences, agro-ecology, petroleum studies and forestry resources. In addition, four master’s programmes at Egerton University, Gulu University and University of Antananarivo have received technical backstopping to strengthen their implementation processes. Students in various African universities have received various transferable skills including; adaptability, self-awareness, critical thinking, collaboration, decision making and ethical action, among others. Consortium partners and other RUFORUM network members are taking proactive steps towards establishing mechanisms for supporting graduate supervision and mentorship including the use of digital feedback platforms. In moving forward, it is vital that universities undertake retooling of faculty and mid-career personnel as well as students, and continue to innovate in the delivery of graduate supervision and mentorship. Universities further need to organize on regular basis career talks that help graduates in their career paths through network and formation of communities of practice aspects of which are not routinely covered through the conventional curriculum.