Henley staff and students joined colleagues and supporters across the world to celebrate its parent university's 100th birthday in the time-honoured way: with cake and dancing.
Henley Business School Africa marked a significant milestone in global education today, as it joined staff and students on campuses in Reading, Malaysia, and China, and graduates and supporters across the world in celebrating the University of Reading’s centenary with a special event at its Johannesburg campus.
The celebration brought together students, alumni, faculty, and partners to honour a century of academic excellence while reflecting on the growing role Africa is playing in shaping the future of global learning.
One hundred years ago to the day, the University of Reading received its Royal Charter from George V, marking its official creation as a university and the beginning of a century of creating possibilities for tomorrow.
The University of Reading has built a reputation as one of the United Kingdom’s leading research-intensive universities. Along with Henley Business School, that legacy has become deeply intertwined with leadership development and educational innovation both in the UK, Europe, and Africa.
Speaking at the event, Frempong Acheampong, Deputy Dean and Academic and Governance Director at Henley Business School Africa, highlighted the importance of the partnership between Henley Africa and the University of Reading.
'The relationship between Henley Africa and the University of Reading is something quite special. We feel proud to be part of this journey. The celebration here today on African soil is not just about how far the University has come but also about continuing to build the people who build the businesses that build Africa.'
Acheampong emphasised that Africa’s lived experience of resilience and innovation places it at the centre of global conversations about the future of learning. He noted that the celebration was not only about recognising the university’s heritage but also about acknowledging Africa’s role in shaping what comes next.
'The recently gazetted policy on institutional types has created more opportunities for the University of Reading to be even more visible here in South Africa; We are going to be co-authors of the next chapter, and we look forward to the next 100 years. Let's continue to celebrate this incredible milestone together. Knowing that the joy, the responsilbity and a little bit of the chaos of building the future is right here with us, and it is in our hands.'
Dean and Director of Henley Business School Africa, Jon Foster-Pedley, echoed this sentiment, pointing to a broader shift in how global higher education is evolving.
'There is a conversation happening right now about the future of higher education globally, and Africa has an amazing, important role to play. Questions are being asked: what will learning need to be in a world shaped for – or misshaped by – AI, a fragile climate, and fractured geopolitics?'
Foster-Pedley said Henley Africa’s three decades of work across the continent have uniquely positioned the school to contribute meaningfully to that conversation.
'Henley Africa can be a design studio for the university of the future – not a bit part in someone else’s story. The architects, not the audience. We are building a university where the Global South is no longer emerging but is leading. Our 30 years of impact in Africa, everything we’ve learned, now feeds into the design of the next 100 years of Henley Business School and the University of Reading, a truly great university.'
The Johannesburg celebration formed part of a series of global events marking the University of Reading’s centenary, highlighting both its historic achievements and its future ambitions, reflecting the depth and reach of a growing community that spans more than 150 countries.
Speaking at the University of Reading celebration at the historic Great Hall on London Road, Professor Robert van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading, said:
'This is a proud and joyful day for everyone who is part of the University of Reading community. Whether you have studied here, worked here, or have supported us over the years, our centenary is about celebrating you and the links that Reading has helped you to create. For a century, we have been building legacies, growing futures and nurturing connections, and today we look ahead with the same sense of ambition and purpose that has always defined us.'
The celebration on 17 March marks the keystone of a year-long programme of events taking place across the UK and around the world, designed to bring together University colleagues, students, alumni, local communities and international partners.
A hundred years of world-leading research, transformative education and deep-rooted partnerships have laid strong foundations for the century ahead.
To find out more about the University of Reading and its centenary year, visit reading.ac.uk/centenary.
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