Kelechi Ekuma

I am an academic and development policy expert whose work explores the intersection of skills development, higher education reform, institutional change, and public sector governance in developing and transitioning countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. My work critically examines how power, politics, elite networks, governance structures, and institutional arrangements shape the design, implementation, and outcomes of national skills and workforce strategies. I am particularly interested in how these dynamics interact with digital transformation, especially the rise of artificial intelligence and automation, to reshape organisations, skill ecosystems, and state–society relations.

My teaching and research span five interconnected areas:

• The political economy of skills and national human resource development
• Governance and policy reform in public institutions
• Organisational change and development leadership
• Digital transformation and AI in the context of work and learning
• Higher education reform and capacity building

At the Global Development Institute (GDI), I teach and convene core postgraduate units, including Leadership, Development and Change and Innovation and Digital Transformation in Organisations. I have led major curriculum reforms and developed experiential, field-based learning opportunities in both the UK and internationally, including in Cape Town, South Africa, and the Gulf region. These initiatives are designed to bridge academic study with practical, real-world engagement in governance and development.

I currently serve as GDI’s Chief Examination Officer, where I oversee academic quality, standards, and assessment processes across all undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes. I’m also the Employability Lead at GDI, where I oversee initiatives that embed professional development across our programmes. I work closely with employers, alumni, and industry partners to ensure our students are equipped with the capabilities and insights needed to navigate an evolving global labour market. This complements my broader research interests in education-to-employment transitions and the institutional enablers of inclusive, future-oriented development.

I am a Fellow of Advance HE, UK (FHEA), committed to excellence in teaching and learning. Beyond the University of Manchester, I hold external academic affiliations as:

• External Academic Associate, Centre for African Entrepreneurship and Leadership (CAEL), University of Wolverhampton (2020–present)
• Academic Associate, Centre for Strategic Business Practices (CSBP), University of Northampton (2019–present)

Through my research, teaching, and leadership, I contribute to critical debates on how institutions respond to global technological disruption and what it means to build equitable, resilient, and future-ready systems of learning, work, and governance.