RMIT centre to strengthen relationship with African community

RMIT centre to strengthen relationship with African community

The RMIT Business and Law Centre for African Engagement has been launched, providing a platform for deeper engagement with the local African community and partners across the world.

The Centre for African Engagement (CAE) will deliver impact-driven engagement with the African community in Victoria and Australia, as well as with academic institutions, governments, industry partners, and community organisations across Africa. 

The CAE will be led by co-directors Professor Victor Gekara and Professor Sefa Awaworyi Churchill. 

Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor Strategy International and Engagement, College of Business and Law, Professor Mathews Nkhoma, praised the co-directors' leadership in establishing the CAE and expressed the need to challenge perceptions of Africa.   

“Victor and Sefa have the vision, knowledge and talent to grow the Centre for African Engagement to be an important pillar of the African community,” said Professor Nkhoma.  

“Through their shared leadership, I know the centre will be a catalyst for knowledge exchange, advocacy and addressing critical issues in Africa and within Australia’s African community.  

“Too often, Africa is spoken of through the lens of stereotypes, poverty, conflict, or crisis. But the truth is far richer. Africa is a continent of innovation, resilience, and creativity, with ideas and solutions that the world urgently needs. Our task at the Centre for African Engagement is to replace outdated narratives with authentic stories of strength, collaboration and possibility.” 

Building the next generation of African leaders

Two new scholarship streams for African PhD candidates were also announced at the CAE launch. 

PhD scholarships for African Scholars will provide up to six recipients with the chance to gain a globally recognised qualification from RMIT that combines research, industry connections, interdisciplinarity and provides the opportunity to make impact across diverse fields. 

The new Centre for African Engagement Community Scholarship will support future African leaders by providing pathways to members of the Victorian African community to study a degree at the RMIT College of Business and Law. 

image1-centreforafricanenagaement-launch-1220x732px - 1 - 1Deputy Vice Chancellor, College of Business and Law and Vice President, Professor Colin Picker speaking at the Centre for African Engagement launch.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, College of Business and Law and Vice President, Professor Colin Picker said the CAE and its new scholarships were built on meaningful partnerships. 

“This new Centre is going to be very impactful, from scholarships to research and from local community engagement to collaborations in Africa. We have big ambitions for this new Centre, but to carry them out we will need the support of government, philanthropy, industry and community,” said Professor Picker.  

“We look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with those supporters on big, bold and impact driven initiatives in the future.”  

Africa and Australia – working together

image2-centreforafricanenagaement-launch-1220x732px - 1 - 1Panellists in discussion from the Centre of African Engagement launch.

The launch event included a panel discussion exploring how Africa and Australia can work more closely together and how we can support the African diaspora in Australia, with distinguished panellists:

  • His Excellency Dr Wilson K. Kogo, High Commissioner for Kenya
  • David Mickler, Chairman, Australia-Africa Universities Network (AAUN)
  • Selba-Gondoza Luka, CEO, Afri Aus Care  
  • Stella Avramopoulos, CEO, Good Shephard 
  • Duncan Harris, President, Australia-Africa Chamber of Commerce

 

To learn more about the Centre, visit RMIT Business & Law Centre for African Engagement. 

Story: Nick Adams 

01 September 2025

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