Aim: To develop and implement a competency-based pre-service midwifery curriculum in four countries in Africa based on the WHO core competencies for midwifery educators. Discussion: A project has been developed with a goal of upscaling the quality of midwifery education by improving the skills of midwifery educators based on the current WHO Core Competencies for midwifery educators. Four countries (Botswana, Cameroon, Lesotho and Malawi) where maternal mortality is still high were selected by the project donor as sites for creation of Laboratories of Change to focus on implementation of WHO standards for midwifery educators. The project includes preparing midwifery educators to implement a competency-based preservice midwifery curriculum. Regional, national and university-based WHO leaders and national nursing regulatory authorities in the four countries, in collaboration with international consultants linked to Loma Linda University School of Nursing, are engaged in facilitating the process of implementing competency-based WHO protype curricula.