Africa has been correctly criticized by the rest of the world for its lack of appreciation for research generated information and data and for its inadequate use of the academia in generating intellectual and therefore intelligent perspectives and ideas, while nurturing both the specialized formal education and the wider enlightenment of the next generation of entrepreneurs, corporate/institutional managers and professionals across various fields. Our impending conference, by gathering a selection of exemplary academicians, academic institution managers, academic researchers, support service providers and users of their knowledge and skills, aims to share expertize and experience and collectively devise ways and means of using the African academia to greater positive effect for both the various sovereign jurisdictions and the continent as a whole. This involves identifying ways of enhancing their output, their relevance and their dissemination of their knowledge to students, the private and the public sectors.

The accompanying awards, apart from selecting the participants for the conference on merit, will identify and publicly recognize a selection of exemplary academicians, academic institutions and their managers as well as key stakeholders who have excelled in their academic related activities and who are best positioned to play pivotal roles towards the achievement of the objectives set out for the conference. The awards will establish the awardees as role models on both personal and institutional basis who should be emulated as standard setters,