Access to higher education in Africa is facing a growing gap between supply and demand. Only around nine percent of the population is enrolled in higher education, about four times less than the world average. At the same time, the demand for higher education is much higher than the available places. With the demand for well trained people is high and expected to grow even more in the coming years, especially in the technology sector, the need for higher education with a strong focus on labor market-relevant skills is critical to the employment of students and employers looking for talent.

TooShare and the Study Access Alliance have partnered to offer full scholarships for university degrees from IU International University of Applied Sciences in technology and management subjects to African students who do not have access to funding for higher education that meets international standards. These students will have access to high-quality online degrees (Bachelor's, Master's, and MBA) at Germany's largest, state-accredited university through the Study Access Alliance. They will also have access to a learning community and additional content on the TooShare platform to support them during their studies by preparing them for the job market.

TooShare and the Study Access Alliance further plan to work closely with national and international stakeholders to jointly select and support students in their skills development. The partnership will also focus on engaging potential employers to connect students to the job market. A pilot project will be launched in June that will provide 10,000 scholarships to talented young people from Senegal, Rwanda, Ghana, South Africa, and Morocco.

Laura Bake, Director of the Study Access Alliance, explained, "We are delighted to partner with TooShare to jointly provide access to high quality university education to students across Africa. TooShare's virtual classrooms for the students offer them the opportunity to connect, learn from each other, and gain the skills employers are looking for in candidates. We invite other partners to join us in making an impact on future students as well as on Africa’s economies".