Building on Iowa State University’s expertise with online plant breeding education, PBEA e-modules can be used in curricula to train African students in management of crop breeding programs for public, local, and international organizations. Collaborating with faculty at Makerere University in Uganda, University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement in Ghana, our team creates e-modules and instructor guides that hone essential capabilities with real-world challenges of cultivar development in Africa using Applied Learning Activities. Our collaboration embraces shared goals, sharing knowledge and building consensus. The pedagogical emphasis on application produces a coursework-intensive MSc program for Africa.