Ghana has some innovative education initiatives going on. Not the least of which is Ashesi University and its founder Patrick Awuah.

Patrick Awuah, who walked away from a career at Microsoft to start a university in his home country of Ghana, last week was one of the 24 recipients of this year’s “genius grants,” $625,000 awards paid out over five years by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Ashesi University is a private, non-profit liberal arts college located in Ghana, West Africa. The university’s mission is to educate a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders in Africa; to cultivate within students the critical thinking skills, the concern for others and the courage it will take to transform their continent.