Mastercard Foundation, ASU launch next phase to support digital transformation in higher education across Africa
ASU serves as an implementing partner for Phase 2 of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative
ASU and Mastercard Foundation e-Learning Initiative Scholars Program institutional representatives met in Senegal in May 2023 to share best practices and successes from Phase 1 of the initiative and begin co-design on Phase 2.
Arizona State University (ASU) partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to collaborate with universities in Benin, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lebanon, Rwanda, and Uganda to advance digital transformation, enhance institutional resilience, and develop innovative models for higher education.
ASU will serve as the implementing partner for Phase 2 of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative. The University Design Institute (UDI) will lead the implementation of Phase 2, which will include multiple ASU units.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative Phase 2 will extend and expand the collaboration between ASU and partner institutions to build a resilient, learner-centric Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by incorporating digital solutions across institutional policies, infrastructure, and learning ecosystems. The second phase of the partnership officially kicked off in March 2025 and will run through 2029. UDI’s focus will be on co-designing the digital transformation roadmaps at each of the 10 participating institutions and connecting them with experts and resources to shape and support implementation activities.
“The University Design Institute and ASU are honored to continue our partnership with the Mastercard Foundation,” said Minu Ipe, Vice Chair and Managing Director of UDI. “Phase 1 generated strong momentum and significant progress across partner institutions. This next phase is an opportunity to deepen that work, strengthen resilience, and drive lasting transformation.”
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative Phase 2 will build on the achievements of Phase 1, which focused on instructional design, online pedagogy, content development, and learning resource center development. Phase 1 allowed participating institutions to develop foundational structures to facilitate increased online learning and digitization of learner support services. Phase 1 of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning initiative provided learning continuity to 95,000 students across the 10 institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions.
Phase 2 will further enhance the achievements of Phase 1 by incorporating current and future-sensitive technologies in university learning environments, operations, and policies. This will enable institutions to create more inclusive learning and support mechanisms for students, including Mastercard Foundation Scholars.
Key objectives for Phase 2 include:
- Scaling training and knowledge mobilization through the continued strengthening of digital capabilities to create more inclusive learning and support mechanisms for students.
- Enhancing institutional digital infrastructure by strengthening institutional capacities for effective delivery of services through digital solutions.
- Developing a network and policies that support an ecosystem focused on cutting-edge digital solutions and practices.
UDI will develop Transformation Roadmaps for all 10 participating institutions to shape their Phase 2 priorities. ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton College of Innovation and Teaching will offer degrees and certificates to current and future e-learning professionals to help fill instructional design gaps in Africa. This includes scholarships for 100 master’s degree programs and 750 certificates in Learning Design and Technologies over the five-year period. Additional ASU units will support implementation activities that address needs identified during the Roadmap process.
“At the Mastercard Foundation, our work contributes to the transformation of education and skilling for individuals, institutions, and systems to enable equitable access for all young people and to empower them to achieve success throughout their journey to dignified and fulfilling work. We leverage digital technology as a powerful tool to expand access to quality education and learning for young people.
Phase 2 of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative marks an exciting new chapter on our digital transformation journey - one that will deepen our partnerships and enable institutions to design inclusive, resilient, and learner-centred environments. We are pleased to continue this work with Arizona State University and our partners across Africa and beyond.”
-Tina Muparadzi, Executive Director, Education and Transitions, Mastercard Foundation
The first activity in Phase 2 of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative involves each participating institution engaging in a nine-week Transformation Roadmap process to collaboratively design a tailored Transformation Roadmap and accompanying implementation plan. UDI will engage with teams at each institution to launch the process, which includes a Transformation Roadmap workshop. This workshop brings together leadership, faculty, staff, students, and other key stakeholders to assess the institution’s current state, envision the desired future, and align around shared priorities. Following the workshop, each institution will produce an implementation plan focused on five critical areas of digital transformation: Teaching & Learning, Student Services, Instructional Infrastructure, Leadership & Culture, and Partnerships. UDI and institutional teams will then identify specific priorities and define actionable activities to carry forward throughout the remainder of Phase 2 of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning initiative. Following the completion of the Transformation Roadmaps, the Mastercard Foundation will support specific implementation activities within each of the 10 participating institutions.