Brilliant Minds | Boundless Impact
NOVEMBER 2026
GUBA Awards 2026
GUBA Awards 2026 marks the inaugural Student Edition of the GUBA Awardsan exclusive global initiative dedicated to identifying, recognising, celebrating and empowering exceptional Black students across Africa, the Americas, Europe, Caribbean and beyond.Â
Under the theme Brilliant Minds. Boundless Impact, this special edition honours students whose achievements exemplify excellence in academia, innovation, leadership, entrepreneurship, research and community impact. It celebrates the curiosity, resilience and vision that define outstanding young leaders, while recognising the meaningful contributions they are already making within their institutions, communities and the global Black diaspora.
Rooted in Pan-Africanism and a commitment to global Black excellence, the GUBA Awards Student Edition doesn’t just recognise achievement it is the beginning of a journey toward greater collaboration, leadership, and impact.
Here are the categories you need to know
Education & Academic Excellence
Celebrating students with a sustained commitment to learning, research, and educational leadership — including academic distinction, scholarly projects, and contributions to fellow students' learning.
Projects, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Recognising students who've built impactful initiatives, ventures or solutions — valued for creativity, effective execution, and measurable, sustainable impact.
Sports Excellence & Leadership
Honouring students who've achieved sporting distinction while using their platform to lead, inspire, and create impact within their communities.
Note: All categories are assessed through the same overarching lens — Pan-Africanism and each nominee's contribution to advancing Africa and African excellence globally.
How to Nominate
Nominations for the GUBA Awards Student Edition are accepted exclusively through third-party nomination — self-nominations are not accepted. Eligible nominators include lecturers, professors, university administrators, employers, mentors, alumni groups, community leaders, peers, and colleagues with first-hand knowledge of the nominee’s achievements.
To be considered, nominees must be African students studying in the diaspora, or recent graduates within the last 12 months, who demonstrate measurable, evidence-based impact and a strong commitment to Pan-Africanism alongside excellence in their field — be it academic achievement, innovation and entrepreneurship, or sporting distinction and leadership.
Submission Requirements
Submissions require the following documentation for verification:
- Proof of enrolment or recent graduation
- An official university transcript
- Reference letters
- Evidence of leadership, innovation, or community impact
Evaluation Process: Each nomination undergoes a preliminary Pan-Africanism review before progressing to an independent jury for evaluation — the jury’s decision is final.
In case you missed the 2025 edition
In case you missed the 2024 edition
Ready to shape the future of African excellence?
Here are the categories you need to know
Global Scholar Award
Recognising outstanding academic achievement and intellectual contribution at a global level.
Research & Scientific Discovery Award
Celebrating students advancing knowledge through original research, scientific inquiry, and discovery.
Frontier Innovation Award
Honouring students pioneering new ideas, technologies, or approaches that push boundaries and solve real-world challenges.
Future Builders Award
Recognising student founders and entrepreneurs building ventures with sustainable, scalable impact.
Leadership Excellence Award
Celebrating students who demonstrate exceptional leadership, responsibility, and the ability to mobilise others toward positive outcomes.
Public Leadership & Advocacy Award
Honouring students driving change through public service, civic engagement, and advocacy for communities and causes.
Community Impact Award
Recognising students whose work creates meaningful, measurable change within their communities.
Sustainability & Climate Leadership Award
Celebrating students leading the charge on sustainability, environmental responsibility, and climate solutions.
Creative Excellence Award
Honouring students whose creativity, artistic vision, and cultural contributions make a lasting impression.
Media & Storytelling Award
Recognising students shaping narratives and amplifying Black voices through journalism, media, and storytelling.
Health Innovation Award
Celebrating students advancing health, wellbeing, and medical innovation for communities and beyond.
Sports Excellence Award
Honouring students who demonstrate outstanding athletic achievement, discipline, and positive impact through sport.
Pan-African Impact Award
Recognising students whose work actively advances Pan-Africanism, African unity, and the empowerment of Africa and its diaspora.
Global Citizenship Award
Celebrating students who exemplify responsibility, service, and positive impact on a global scale.
Rising Black Star Award
Spotlighting an emerging student talent whose trajectory signals exceptional promise and impact ahead.
Black Star Laureate Award
A distinguished honour recognising a student whose body of achievement stands as a benchmark of Black excellence.
Brilliant Mind of the Year Award
The premier award of the GUBA Student Edition — recognising the student whose brilliance and boundless impact most powerfully defines this year’s theme.
Note: All categories are assessed through the same overarching lens — Pan-Africanism and each nominee's contribution to advancing Africa and African excellence globally.
How to Nominate
Nominations for the GUBA Awards Student Edition are accepted exclusively through third-party nomination — self-nominations are not accepted. Eligible nominators include lecturers, professors, university administrators, employers, mentors, alumni groups, community leaders, peers, and colleagues with first-hand knowledge of the nominee’s achievements.
To be considered, nominees must be African students studying in the diaspora, or recent graduates within the last 12 months, who demonstrate measurable, evidence-based impact and a strong commitment to Pan-Africanism alongside excellence in their field.
Submission Requirements
Submissions require the following documentation for verification:
- Proof of enrolment or recent graduation
- Reference or endorsement from an eligible nominator
- Concise impact statement
- Supporting evidence relevant to the nominated category
Evaluation Process: Each nomination undergoes a preliminary Pan-Africanism review before progressing to an independent jury for evaluation. The jury’s decision is final.
Meet the Jury Panel →Meet The Jury Panel
Meet the distinguished panel of global leaders, visionaries, and pioneers tasked with evaluating and celebrating the next generation of African excellence.
Kwame-Michael Brako
Creative Director & VFX Artist
Jacqueline Ward-Brew
Educator & Curriculum Specialist
Jasmine Rand
International Human Rights Attorney
Kwame-Michael Brako
Creative Director & VFX ArtistKwame-Michael Brako is an award-winning Creative Director, VFX Artist, Animator and Founder of BrakoVerse Media, with over 20 years of experience across film, gaming, and animation. His Hollywood credits include The Avengers, Godzilla and GI Joe, where he contributed to visual effects and stereoscopic production, while also working across the gaming industry to create immersive real-time experiences. Today, he's bringing that global expertise back to Ghana with a mission to contribute to the country's animation, VFX, and gaming industries by training the next generation of creators and building world-class creative opportunities locally, while creating his own animations and films.
Jacqueline Ward-Brew
Educator & Curriculum SpecialistJacqueline Ward-Brew is an educator, curriculum specialist, educational consultant, and Founder and Executive Director of Abura Kids International Inc. With more than 15 years of experience in education, her work focuses on curriculum development, literacy, culturally responsive teaching, instructional leadership, and professional learning for educators.
Her work extends to Ghana, where she currently provides ongoing mentorship and professional learning to teachers in a rural school, supporting instructional practice and student learning. Through Abura Kids International, she plans to expand this work to additional schools and communities.
Jacqueline’s long-term vision is to establish an early childhood school and teacher training center in Ghana that will also serve as a lab school, creating opportunities for educators to engage with current educational research, observe effective classroom practice, and receive ongoing mentorship and support.
Born in Ghana and raised in the United States from a young age, Jacqueline looks forward to returning to Ghana and contributing more directly to its educational landscape. She is passionate about developing both educators and young people and creating opportunities that strengthen confidence, capacity, leadership, and lasting impact.
Jasmine Rand
International Human Rights AttorneyRand is widely known for her work as co-lead counsel for the families of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, cases that shaped a national conversation on justice and equality. She also served as international legal counsel to the family of George Floyd, representing them before the United Nations in a case that led to adoption of the landmark George Floyd Resolution on human rights and policing.
As the founding attorney of RAND LAW, L.L.C., based in Miami, Rand focuses on civil and human rights, catastrophic injury, and wrongful death litigation. Her advocacy extends globally—she is also a law professor and has lectured at Harvard Law School, University Mohammed V in Morocco, and the University of the West Indies, and advised Morocco’s Supreme Court on integrating international human rights standards into its judicial system. Rand has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami School of Law, where she teaches innovative courses exploring law and social impact, and she is annual teaching faculty in Harvard Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop. Most recently, Rand was hosted by a Parliament member in the United Nations where she addressed families of loved ones killed due to police violence.
Rand is also a frequent legal analyst for television and various media sources and has appeared on CNN, ABC, MSNBC, NBC, Fox News, BBC, Sky News, Al Jazeera; her reach is truly global and she has appeared on television, print media, and radio on every Continent except Antartica.
Rand’s life work underscores the strength of individual purpose in international promoting human rights and advancing justice. She practices law not only as a profession, but with the understanding of a profound responsibility to shape a society rooted in respect and equality. Rand is the co-founder of Future of Justice, alongside attorney Benjamin Crump, Esquire, an organization that confronts various human rights abuses throughout the world with an emphasis on racial discrimination.
