Ameenah Gurib, the first elected woman President of Mauritius, which is ranked Africa’s third most developed country, is a champion of higher education and research in Africa and was listed in the world’s top 100 most powerful women by Forbesearlier this year. 

A former biodiversity scientist, she has leadership experience as an academic and a business woman. Before she became head of state, she established CIDP Research & Innovation (formerly Cephyr, Centre for Phytotherapy Research), where she devoted her time to researching the medical and nutritive implications of indigenous plants of Mauritius. 

Before that she was dean of the faculty of science and pro-vice chancellor at the University of Mauritius, where she was a professor in organic chemistry.

In her role as president she has been given a unique opportunity to advocate for science and innovation to a wider audience at a time when her country has been expanding its higher education system to attract students from across Africa and, like Rwanda, is attempting to build a knowledge economy based on science and innovation for development.

Learn what Ameenah Gurib has to say about her vision for investing in science, technology and innovation through higher education to transform lives across the African continent, by visiting the original article on the website of University World News here.