OREANDA-NEWS. January 26, 2016.  The University of South Wales (USW) and UNICAF, the leading platform for delivering online university degrees in Africa, announced today a partnership to allow sub-Saharan African students to complete their degree with USW.

Through UNICAF, students will be able to pursue an undergraduate degree in Business Studies, or a Master's degree in Business Administration, Education, or Business Psychology from USW. 

The partnership has been developed in response to the growing skills gap in sub-Saharan Africa, where employers are unable to find graduates that have the necessary workplace or transferable skills to fill vital roles in their businesses.

To date, UNICAF has already provided over \\$40 million in scholarships to sub-Saharan students pursing post-secondary degrees.

"At the University of South Wales, we have long recognised the promise of higher education to unlock individuals' potential, and make a huge impact in communities," said USW Vice Chancellor, Professor Julie Lydon OBE.

"For too long, higher education has been limited to people in the world's most prosperous countries. Our partnership with UNICAF is breaking down that barrier, leveraging the power of technology to bring accessible and affordable education to students in sub-Saharan Africa."

USW will provide students with access to expert faculty and personal coaching, delivered on UNICAF's leading full-stack technology platform. UNICAF's sophisticated online platform also offers students the opportunity for extensive participation and interaction with their lecturers and fellow classmates. 

"Less than 10% of potential students in sub-Saharan Africa have access to higher education, making it the most underserved region. But with the rise in mobile computing and advancements in broadband, the promise of higher education should be within reach for millions of students," said Dr. Nicos Nicolaou, President of UNICAF.

"We are working to bridge this opportunity gap, and have already helped thousands of students advance their education. We're honored to partner with such an esteemed university like USW, to ensure that students have access to high-quality options, regardless of their geography."

Upon completion of any programme, students will have the opportunity to participate in the on-campus graduation ceremony at USW. 

About UNICAF
UNICAF is one of the most generous scholarship programmes available. The programme supports students that are domiciled in Africa and provides opportunities for studies towards various distance learning degree programmes awarded by European, British and American universities. Currently UNICAF provides scholarships for the online programmes offered by the University of South Wales in the UK, the University of Nicosia in the EU and the Marymount California University in the USA. Learn more at: https://www.unicaf.org/