Gaidi Faraj, PhD is the Founding Head of School of the African Olympiad Academy (AOA) in Kigali, Rwanda—an elite, fully funded Pan-African residential academy developing Africa’s top mathematics and science talent through Olympiad-based pedagogy and holistic education.
Trained as a scholar and institutional leader, Gaidi works at the intersection of STEM excellence, education systems design, and nation-building. His work focuses on identifying exceptional talent at scale, cultivating deep analytical thinking through proof-based learning, and preparing young Africans to lead in science, technology, and public life with ethical grounding and continental commitment.
Prior to founding AOA, Gaidi served as the Dean of Academics at a small private business college in Switzerland, and was the founding Dean of the African Leadership University in Rwanda, where he launched the continents first Global Challenges degree program.
Gaidi has advised universities, ministries, and education ventures across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East on accreditation, curriculum design, and governance. He is a frequent speaker on talent development, rigorous pedagogy, and Africa’s long-term strategy for developing Pan African Solutions to Africa's challenges.
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Assistant Professor, African Leadership University
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