When a classroom teacher from Zimbabwe walks into one of the world’s most respected engineering institutions, it says something powerful about where innovation can come from and where it is heading. The selection of Sciency founder and CEO Nkosana Masuku into the Royal Academy of Engineering Leaders in Innovation Advance 2026 programme is not only a personal milestone. It is a signal that ideas built in African classrooms are gaining global recognition and that practical STEM education from the continent has a place in shaping the future of technology and engineering worldwide.
Masuku’s journey began in under-resourced schools where teaching meant working with limited tools but unlimited potential. Over time, that lived experience became the foundation for Sciency, an education initiative designed to give learners practical STEM skills even when resources are scarce. That work has now opened doors to a global platform that brings together engineers, innovators and founders from across the world.
Reflecting on the selection, Masuku said, “I’ve been selected to join the Royal Academy of Engineering Leaders in Innovation (Advance 2026) programme. Let me say that again. The Royal Academy of Engineering! For someone who began as a classroom teacher in Zimbabwe, working in under-resourced schools and figuring things out one lesson at a time, this is not a small moment. These are the spaces where global engineering and technology leadership is shaped. Spaces I once only read about.”
His participation in the programme places Sciency in a network that influences how engineering and technology leadership is developed globally. More importantly, it creates opportunities for African-led education solutions to learn from and contribute to global best practice.
Why this initiative matters for future skills
The impact of this milestone goes beyond one individual or one programme. Sciency addresses a growing global problem. Education systems across many countries are struggling to keep up with the rapid pace of technological change. While the demand for STEM skills continues to rise, many schools still lack the resources, updated curricula and teaching methods needed to prepare learners for future jobs.
The World Economic Forum estimates that 65 percent of children entering primary school today will work in job types that do not yet exist. This reality makes skills in areas such as artificial intelligence, coding, robotics and engineering essential rather than optional. Yet traditional education models often fail to offer hands-on learning, practical problem-solving or personalised instruction. The result is disengaged students and a workforce that is not ready for real-world challenges.
Sciency was created in response to this gap. Its focus on practical STEM learning gives young people tools to understand and use technology, even in settings where infrastructure is limited. That approach is what carried Masuku from local classrooms into a global innovation programme.
“This isn’t about a title or a programme. It’s about what becomes possible when work built in African classrooms is taken seriously at the highest levels of global engineering and innovation,” Masuku said. “I’m walking into this experience with pride, responsibility, and a deep sense of purpose, knowing exactly where I come from, and why I’m here.”
The role of the Royal Academy of Engineering
The Royal Academy of Engineering provides the environment where this kind of exchange can happen. Operating under the patronage of His Majesty King Charles III, the Academy works as a charity, a national academy and a fellowship. Its role is to deliver public benefit through engineering excellence and technology innovation, while also offering independent expert advice to governments in the UK and beyond.
The Academy brings together leading business people, entrepreneurs, innovators and academics from across engineering and technology. Its work is guided by values that include progressive leadership, equity diversity and inclusion, excellence for impact, collaboration and creativity. These principles align closely with the goals of initiatives like Sciency, which aim to expand access to quality STEM education and create real impact in communities.
Masuku’s selection into the Leaders in Innovation Advance programme reflects this alignment. It also highlights the importance of collaboration between global institutions and African innovators. As education systems search for ways to prepare young people for an uncertain but technology-driven future, solutions developed on the ground in Africa are proving both relevant and valuable.
In this moment, the story is not just about recognition. It is about possibility. It is about showing that innovation born in resource-limited classrooms can travel far, influence global conversations and help shape the skills of the next generation.
