Speakers
Meet the researchers, policymakers and practitioners shaping this year's conversation on resilient knowledge ecosystems in Africa.
Meet our keynote speakers
We are pleased to welcome Dr Faith Mkwananzi and Dr John Mugo to deliver keynote addresses at the 16th ANIE Annual Conference.
Dr Faith Mkwananzi
Dr Mkwananzi is part of the Higher Education and Human Development (HEHD) Research Programme at the University of the Free State, recognised with the university's Exceptional Academic Achievement Award for Team Research in 2024. Her work sits at the crossroads of higher education and global development, examining how universities, researchers, practitioners and civil society can partner to address pressing development challenges.
She is a member of the Human Development and Capability Association (HDCA) and a founding member of the Research Alliance for Higher Education in Africa (RAHEdA), which strengthens research capacity and university partnerships across the continent. Using interdisciplinary and participatory approaches, her current research explores the internationalisation of higher education, South-South mobility and equitable participation in global knowledge production — advocating for more reciprocal, inclusive academic collaboration.
Recent collaborative books
- Youth Voice and Participatory Arts in Development (2025)
- Navigating Complex Research Terrains: The Experiences of Social Researchers in the Global South (2025)
- Complexities, Contexts, and Capabilities in Educational Inclusion — forthcoming
John Mugo, PhD
John Mugo is the Executive Director of Mizizi Elimu Afrika, based in Nairobi, Kenya. His research and interventions focus on embedding socio-emotional learning in curriculum, assessment, and teacher training, as well as designing system-wide interventions for foundational learning. A university don who transitioned to policy research, Mugo's overall approach is rooted in strengthening the education system through research and evidence use. Among his greatest contributions are the theory and practice of collective impact and distributive leadership.
Over his career, Mugo has co-founded close to 10 collaborative interventions with more than 100 institutions across five African countries. Beyond working with and through government, Mugo's work over the last decade has amplified the agency of African leaders and organizations and promoted a Pan-African movement for improving learning outcomes and revitalizing Africa-led research. Previously, Mugo served as Director at Twaweza East Africa and also chaired the Department of Special Needs Education at Kenyatta University in Kenya. An accomplished scholar with well-referenced publications, he holds a PhD in education from the University of Hannover (Germany).
More speakers
Click a name to read their bio. This list will be updated as speakers for the 2026 conference are confirmed.
Interested in speaking or chairing a session at ANIE 2026? Contact the secretariat via the details on anienetwork.org.
Hear them in Addis Ababa
Registration is open at the standard rate ahead of the October conference dates.