Stevens to Host the Second Annual Africa-US Presidential Forum in Partnership with Nekotech

Hoboken, N.J., September 16, 2024 – Stevens Institute of Technology, in partnership with the Nekotech Centre of Excellence, will host the second annual Africa-US Presidential Forum, convening leaders from across the African continent, state officials and esteemed technical experts. The forum will promote access to cutting-edge advanced degree programs for talented African STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) scholars, emphasizing AI-focused learning and technically informed MBA programs.

In addition to hosting the forum, Stevens expects to welcome Nekotech-sponsored students into graduate programs this academic year.

“Through this sponsorship, we aim not only to transform the lives of individual students by empowering them with the skills to shape the direction of technological progress and innovation, but also to develop and reinforce the strength of economies in Africa, by developing a pipeline of innovators with strong ties to the nations we work with,” said H.E. Rev. Dr. Princess Asie K. Ocansey, co-founder the Nekotech Centre of Excellence.

Nekotech aims to enhance educational ties between Africa and the U.S. by developing a pipeline of talented African students and placing them at key partner institutions with expertise in STEM education. This initiative ensures Africa stays at the forefront of technological progress while broadening its field of technical talent to promote effectiveness and competition in the global networked economy. Focusing on African students between the ages of 21 and 40 who meet the highest academic standards, Nekotech provides high-achieving students with a combination of unsecured loans, sponsors and prep scholaships to carefully prepare African students for higher education in the U.S. The forum, which takes place on September 19, will be co-chaired by Stevens President Nariman Farvadin and H.E. Rev. Dr. Princess A.K. Ocansey of Ghana.

Selected for its rigorous programming in STEM disciplines, Stevens offers the ideal balance of academic excellence and close collaboration with business communities around the New York Metropolitan area. Standard setting initiatives — like the Stevens Institute for Artificial Intelligence (SIAI), an interdisciplinary, tech-driven collaboration dedicated to researching a variety of applications in AI and machine learning; fintech focused partnerships like the New Jersey Fintech Accelerator at Stevens (NJFAST), a Strategic Innovation Center focused on supporting R&D, innovation and entrepreneurship in the financial and insurance technology sectors; as well as the Center for Research toward Advancing Financial Technologies (CRAFT), the first fintech-focused Industry-University Cooperative Research center funded by the National Science Foundation — are some of the many offerings that distinguish Stevens as an ideal destination for STEM-minded students looking to make an impact in their communities. With humanities offerings that complement the demands of a technical education, Stevens’ outlook as an institution Inspired by Humanity, Powered by Technology® aligns neatly with Nekotech’s goals.

“The future of the global economy will continue to be defined by emerging technologies,” said President Farvardin. “At Stevens, we do not just prepare students to master the technologies of today; we equip them with the agility to excel in the technologies of tomorrow. This mindset ensures our students can thrive in rapidly changing environments. We are pleased to partner with Nekotech to welcome this talented cohort of students into our community, where they will develop the skills needed to make meaningful contributions in an increasingly complex technological landscape.”

HRM King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, presidents of African nations, academic scholars, state officials distinguished alumni, industry leaders, and African dignitaries are expected to attend, fostering collaboration between key stakeholder groups in global economic development.

About Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens Institute of Technology is a premier, private research university situated in Hoboken, New Jersey. Since our founding in 1870, technological innovation has been the hallmark of Stevens’ education and research. Within the university’s three schools, more than 8,000 undergraduate and graduate students collaborate closely with faculty in an interdisciplinary, student-centric, entrepreneurial environment. Academic and research programs spanning business, computing, engineering, the arts and other disciplines actively advance the frontiers of science and leverage technology to confront our most pressing global challenges. The university continues to be consistently ranked among the nation’s leaders in career services, post-graduation salaries of alumni and return on tuition investment.

Stevens Media Contact
Kara Panzer
Interim Director of Public Relations
Division of University Relations
845-475-4594
[email protected]

About Nekotech
The Nekotech Center of Excellence, is a world renowned multiple award winning human capital development center co-founded in 1998 by Oscar and Grammy award–winner Sir Isaac Hayes and Her Excellency Rev. Dr. Princess Asie K. Ocansey of the Ocansey Royal Family of Ghana. The Nekotech Center is committed to transforming the lives of African youth and providing holistic training to enable them into high earning responsible citizens to positively impact their countries and the world. Since its inception, Nekotech has worked with several U.S. universities including Stevens Institute of Technology, MIT, Harvard University, Rutgers University, Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Maryland, Tulsa State University and more to foster higher education in technology, healthcare, business and agriculture resulting in positive contributions to society. From 2019 to 2023, through the Nekotech U.S. Transfer2Transform five-year pilot program, the center successfully assisted African students from several African countries including Ghana, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Benin, Chad, Nigeria, Zambia, and others, in their pursuit of master’s degrees in STEM fields at top U.S. universities. As part of its 25th anniversary initiative, Nekotech established a $25 million prep school scholarship fund to sponsor 10,000 African students from 2024 to 2030, with an additional allocation of $1 billion in no collateral educational loans from its U.S. loan partners.