The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), an organisation representing 95 Canadian higher education institutions, is partnering with the Association of African Universities (AAU), to strengthen African universities' relationships with regional industry. Under a new project financially supported by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), the two organisations plan to create 27 new university-industry partnerships so assisting AAU institutional members across the continent. By widening African university outreach and encouraging university-industry linkages, the participating associations expect the partnership to put African universities in a position to better develop the skills and knowledge to meet Africa's economic needs. With Canadian universities having successfully pioneered linkages with the private sector in recent years, the AAU believes Canada's approach to public-private partnerships is not only an effective one, but one which reinforces the role of higher education in the continent's future economic growth. Why is the AAU partnering with the AUCC, and what are the national motives in such bilateral partnerships? Why are public-private higher education partnerships currently seen as especially relevant to Africa, and from which sources is investment likely to come?