Learn Africa 2025: 13 Years, over 500 Scholarships, and a strong commitment to African talent
Madrid, April 14, 2025 – Learn Africa, the postgraduate scholarship program and one of the most established and renowned initiatives of the Women for Africa Foundation (MxA), launches its 2025–2026 edition with an expanded offering of academic and scientific opportunities for African women. Since its creation in 2013, the program has already awarded 445 scholarships to 403 women from 36 African countries, becoming a benchmark in international academic cooperation with a gender perspective.
With this new edition, Learn Africa celebrates 13 years of promoting women leadership and access to higher education for African women as a driver of change and development. This year, the program offers a total of 93 scholarships (68 new and 25 continuing), covering official master’s degrees, doctoral programs, and postdoctoral research, reinforcing its strong commitment to academic excellence and knowledge generation.
A major milestone in 2025 is the record number of 5 doctoral scholarships, reflecting the strengthening of the program’s research focus. This achievement is thanks to the collaboration of institutions such as Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio, which is funding two of these scholarships this year. Moreover, 36% of the scholarships will be taught in English or in bilingual English-Spanish formats, extending their reach to a broader range of candidates across the African continent.
New Knowledge for New Challenges
The 2025 edition introduces new fields of study closely aligned with contemporary and future challenges, such as Veterinary Science, Computational Intelligence and the Internet of Things, Regenerative Biology, and Applied Psychology Research. Additionally, more than half of the scholarships will be offered in on-site or blended formats, allowing many recipients the chance to study in Spain and benefit from a transformative cultural and academic exchange.
Throughout its history, Learn Africa has been supported by more than 60 strategic partners, including universities, business schools, and private sector entities. This year, the University of La Laguna (ULL) joins the program as a new partner, offering four on-site master’s degree scholarships. Long-standing collaborators also stand out, such as GMV Innovating Solutions, which has sponsored doctoral scholarships at the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) since 2017, and the Anesvad Foundation, which funds two research scholarships in Neglected Tropical Diseases, making a vital contribution to advancing global health from an African perspective.
Academic Cooperation: A Tool for Transformation
Higher education has proven to be one of the most effective tools for international development cooperation. According to UNESCO, equitable access to quality tertiary education is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. In this context, programs like Learn Africa represent an innovative model of South-North cooperation, placing African women at the center as key agents of social, scientific, and economic transformation in their communities.
With the 2025–2026 edition, the Women for Africa Foundation renews its commitment to gender equality, sustainable development, and the strengthening of ties between Africa and both Spanish and international academic institutions.