Patrick Awuah Jr.

Patrick Awuah is one of the most influential educators in modern Africa, a Ghanaian engineer who left a lucrative career at Microsoft to found a university dedicated to producing a new kind of ethical, capable leadership for the continent.

Early life and Microsoft

He was born in 1965 and grew up in Accra before moving to the United States in 1985 to attend Swarthmore College on a full scholarship, studying engineering and economics. He joined Microsoft, where he worked from 1989 to 1997, helping develop early dial-up networking technology and earning the financial security that would let him pursue a bigger dream.

Founding Ashesi

Convinced that Africa's greatest need was a new generation of ethical leaders, he returned to Ghana and founded Ashesi University, which opened in 2002. Built around a liberal-arts core, a rigorous honour code and a focus on critical thinking and ethics, Ashesi grew into one of the most admired private universities on the continent.

Recognition

His work has been widely honoured. He was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2015, the so-called genius grant, along with the McNulty Prize and membership of Ghana's Order of the Volta, recognition of an educational vision with continental ambitions.

Standing

Engineer, entrepreneur and educator, Patrick Awuah gave up personal wealth to invest in human capital, and in doing so became one of the most respected figures in African higher education.