The University of Nairobi (UoN) will host the 2025 Congress of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) from November 26 to 28 at its Main Campus, marking the return of a physical meeting of the global network after several years.

UoN, which has been a member of the ACU for more than 50 years, said the event will bring together senior leaders from member universities across the Commonwealth to discuss how higher education can respond to global challenges.

“We live in an era marked by unprecedented challenges and rapid transformations, and universities across the globe are at a critical juncture,” UoN said in a statement.

The meeting will run under the theme Connected and Resilient: Commonwealth Universities Charting Global Change.

The opening ceremony will be held on November 26 at the National Museum of Kenya, followed by two days of conference sessions at UoN. The program includes keynote speeches, panel discussions, and networking sessions. An evening dinner reception will also be part of the official program.

Organisers said the discussions will focus on the resilience of the higher education sector, national renewal, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global partnerships, and future trends.

The Congress is reserved for executive heads of Commonwealth universities, including vice-chancellors, and will feature both open sessions and closed-door roundtables under the Chatham House Rule.

Prominent speakers expected include former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Nigeria’s former Minister of Education Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, Commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia Professor Barney Glover, UoN Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Hutchinson, ACU Secretary General Professor Colin Riordan, Oxford University’s Professor Soumitra Dutta, Actua CEO Jennifer Flanagan, and Association of African Universities Secretary-General Professor Olusola Oyewole.

The ACU, the world’s oldest international university network, has been connecting institutions across the Commonwealth for over 100 years to promote collaboration in higher education.