Will AI make university degrees obsolete? Education leaders say Africa must rethink higher education

Artificial intelligence is forcing universities to confront an uncomfortable question: if machines can instantly retrieve information, what value should a university degree offer employers?

That question dominated discussions at the 10th Congregation of Southshore University College in Accra, where education leaders argued that the future of higher education will depend less on examinations and certificates and more on graduates' ability to innovate, solve problems and create businesses.

Addressing graduates, the Chairman of the University's Governing Council, Professor Felix N. Hammond, said the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence is exposing the limitations of education systems that reward memorisation rather

than practical competence.

"AI is changing everything," he said.

"Very soon, there will be little need for students to tell employers what they know because AI can provide that information. What employers will be looking for is evidence of what graduates can actually do."

His remarks reflect a growing global shift in recruitment, with employers increasingly placing greater emphasis on demonstrable skills, creativity, adaptability and practical experience alongside academic qualifications.

According to Prof. Hammond, African universities cannot afford to continue producing graduates whose greatest achievement is passing examinations while lacking the practical abilities demanded by modern workplaces.

Instead, he said, higher education institutions should redesign their programmes around innovation, entrepreneurship, critical thinking and industry-based learning.

"Our traditional education system has largely been designed to produce people who search for jobs," he said. "The next generation of universities must produce graduates capable of creating jobs and building solutions."

Southshore University College, he said, has already begun reshaping its academic model by reducing its dependence on lecture-based teaching and encouraging students to graduate with portfolios that demonstrate real projects, practical experience and collaboration with industry.

The institution is also involving employers directly in curriculum development, mentorship and student assessment to ensure graduates acquire skills that remain relevant long after graduation.

Africa's AI opportunity

The keynote speaker, former Vice-Chancellor of Central University, Professor Bill Buenar Puplampu, said artificial intelligence represents perhaps Africa's greatest opportunity to reposition itself in the global knowledge economy.

Unlike previous industrial revolutions, where Africa largely remained a consumer of foreign technologies, he said the AI revolution still offers the continent an opportunity to become an innovator.

However, he warned that this opportunity could easily be lost without sustained investment in research, innovation and digital infrastructure.

"Africa risks being left behind once again unless we make deliberate choices today," he said.

Prof. Puplampu encouraged graduates to embrace AI as a productivity tool while warning against allowing generative AI to replace independent reasoning, creativity and intellectual curiosity.

"Technology should amplify human thinking, not replace it," he stressed.

Universities under pressure

The President of Southshore University College, Professor N.N.N. Nsowah-Nuamah, said the institution's transformation from Dominion University College reflects the changing demands of higher education.

He said the university is repositioning itself around artificial intelligence, scientific research and technological innovation while maintaining strong ethical values.

As part of that transition, the university has secured accreditation for five new master's degree programmes, including Computer Science and Information Technology, and expanded research through its Nsowah-Nuamah Statistics and Artificial Intelligence Institute.

Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah said future graduates would need more than technical expertise to succeed.

"The leaders of tomorrow will be distinguished not only by what they know but by their character, courage and competence," he said.

Using AI to solve Ghana's problems

The Patron of Southshore University College, Baafuor Dr. Ossei Hyeaman Brantuo VI, Manwerehene of Otumfuo, challenged graduates to move beyond using artificial intelligence for convenience and instead deploy it to address Ghana's development challenges.

He encouraged them to explore AI-powered solutions to improve water management, renewable energy production, agriculture and the preservation of Ghana's cultural heritage.

He said the country needs innovators capable of transforming technology into practical solutions that improve people's lives rather than simply consuming technologies developed elsewhere.

The congregation also marked the introduction of five newly accredited master's degree programmes as the university expands its focus on artificial intelligence, science and research.

A total of 82 students graduated with qualifications ranging from Higher National Diploma (HND) and bachelor's degrees to postgraduate, doctoral and Executive Certificate in Business Management awards.

Rather than celebrating academic achievement alone, the ceremony became a wider conversation about whether Africa's universities are preparing students for

the jobs of the future—or for a world that artificial intelligence is already leaving behind.