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Brief Profile

Lucy Stonehill is an education entrepreneur and sector leader focused on reimagining the future of higher education and human capital development. She is the Founder and CEO of Alwin Education, an emerging markets higher education group building a new generation of employer-aligned, digital-first universities across Africa. Previously, Lucy founded BridgeU, a pioneering global university and careers guidance platform supporting international K12 schools and students in more than 140 countries, which was acquired by Kaplan in 2020. Over the past decade, she has worked at the intersection of education, technology, and employability, helping institutions adapt to the changing demands of the global talent economy. Lucy also serves as a Venture Partner at Emerge Education and sits on the boards and advisory groups of several innovative international education organizations.

Statement

What is the most important development universities must make in the coming years (e.g. AI, future skills, equity, employability)?

"The most successful graduates of the coming decade will be those who can continuously evolve alongside a rapidly changing labor market, combining technical fluency with adaptability, judgement, creativity, and the ability to work effectively alongside both human and artificial intelligence. Increasingly, higher education and employment can no longer exist as separate worlds; they must shape one another continuously. Universities need to become far more connected to employers, workforce trends, and real-world skills demand, embedding employability, practical experience, and lifelong learning into the core of the student experience. Successful institutions will create a dynamic bridge between education and work, combining accessibility and scale with strong student support, industry relevance, and measurable career outcomes."

Lucy Stonehill, Founder & CEO, Alwin Education