UNCF and 8B Education Investments Announce Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Ties Between HBCUs and Africa
Washington, DC, Sept. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UNCF, the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization, and 8B Education Investments, the first social impact platform focused on facilitating the access of African students to fair education financing for global higher education, today announced a new collaboration aimed at connecting historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) with Africa’s next generation of leaders.
The announcement was made by leaders of UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building during Dialogue to Action, a cross-continental virtual conference hosted by UNCF, the Association of African Universities, the Historic African Diaspora Placement Program and the African Capacity Building Foundation.
Through this partnership between UNCF and 8B, HBCUs and African organizations will explore new channels for student enrollment, institutional collaboration, and ideation on sustainable financing. This reciprocal exchange broadens global perspectives, deepens cultural understanding, and builds clear pathways to advanced study and leadership across both continents.
A Three-Pronged Approach
1. Connecting African Students to HBCUs
UNCF and 8B will expand opportunities for African students to enroll at HBCUs, helping institutions attract African talent while enriching campus life with broad cultural perspectives and academic excellence.
2. Building Bridges Between HBCUs and African Universities
The collaboration will strengthen academic ties between HBCUs and African higher education institutions, including exploration of exchange programs, joint and dual degree programs, and faculty exchanges, establishing new partnerships while strengthening existing collaborations between the US and the African continent.
3. Wraparound Support including Student Financing
8B delivers comprehensive support including financial literacy training, dedicated mentorship, and a built-in community network to help students succeed academically, personally and professionally from initial enrollment through graduation and career empowerment. UNCF and 8B will explore innovative financing models to make HBCU education more accessible by providing financing options including fair loans for African students.
Leadership Perspectives
“UNCF has always championed the transformative power of HBCUs,” said Ed Smith-Lewis, senior vice president, UNCF. “By partnering with 8B, we echo the entwined spirit of the 1960s, when the struggle for civil rights in America was woven together with the independence movements sweeping Africa—driven in no small part by visionary leaders who walked the halls of HBCUs. Our partnership furthers that legacy, forging new ties of solidarity and progress that stretch from historic movements to future generations.”
“Our mission is to transform young Africa into the talent engine for the 21st century. This partnership represents how we do it: by bridging Africa’s extraordinary talent with the world’s universities, including HBCUs” said Dr. Lydiah Kemunto Bosire, Founder & CEO of 8B Education Investments. “Together with UNCF, we are opening doors, strengthening connections, and building a new Alexandria for the Global African Diaspora.”
UNCF and 8B will host an informational webinar for interested HBCUs on Friday, Oct.17th at 10AM EST. To sign up, please click here.
About UNCF
UNCF is one of the nation’s largest and most effective supporters of higher education and serves as a leading advocate for college-bound students. Since its founding in 1944, UNCF has raised more than $6 billion to support students' access to higher education, provide scholarships and strengthen historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Each year, UNCF awards more than 11,000 scholarships totaling more than $62 million. The scholarships support students attending more than 600 US-based colleges and universities including 37 UNCF-member HBCUs. Through its efforts, UNCF has helped generations of students to get to and through college. We believe a college education plays a vital role in fortifying the pipeline of leaders and professionals who contribute to the advancement of our society. Our logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and our widely recognized trademark is, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Instagram.
About 8B Education Investments
8B Education Investments is the first social impact fintech platform focused on accelerating the transformation of African youth into the innovation engine for the 21st century by facilitating their access to fair education loans to enroll in US and global universities. By combining innovative lending models and partnerships, building a superhighway connecting the world’s fastest-growing university-age population to global higher education. The mission of 8B is to enable African brilliance to have a global impact. 8B has been featured widely, including on CNN International, Bloomberg, and on Forbes, and was invited to make a commitment at 2022 meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Learn more at www.8b.africa.
Roy Betts UNCF 240.703.3384 roy.betts@uncf.org
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