Transcript Internationalization of HE in Africa

Internationalizing higher education in
Africa: Funding versus Impact
James Otieno Jowi
Executive Director
African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE)
CIMO Conference
3rd -4th May 2012, Helsinki Finland
Africa & the Knowledge
society
• Worlds 2nd largest continent
• At the peri pheri of the Knowledge
society
• Developing -Home to 32 of worlds
38 HIPC countries
• Faces numerous challengespoverty, low literacy rates, gender
disparities 50% of countries may
not attain universal PE by 2015
• Gross Enrolment in HE is 5%
• Accounts for 1.5 % of research
productivity
• Spends less than 0.3% of GNP on
research
Today’s Globalized World
Flow of people, culture, ideas,
values, knowledge, technology
and economy across borders,
facilitating a more interconnected
and independent world”
Knowledge Counts
Challenges Facing Africa's HE
ICT
HIGHER
EDUCATION
FUNDING
Internationalization of HE in
Africa
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Globalization/Internationalization- old phenomena/new realities
Main drivers of change in HE
Varied definitions and meanings
Diverse implications for HE in different contexts
Varied manifestations/developments in Africa
Africa responds in ways peculiar to its circumstances
Differing rationales, challenges, risks etc
New opportunities, attendant risks & challenges
Internationalization is not only unavoidable but inevitable
Worldwide, it is a central/strategic issue in HE
Africa is part of golobalized world
Has to respond to opportunities & challenges of internationalization
Institutional, national, international strategies.
Fragmented & weak capacity
Europe-Africa HE Relations
• Modern HE in Africa- recent phenomenon
• Modeled on European traditions
• North- key player in dev of Africa's HE
• Institutional capacity, policies & cultures
• Infrastructure, curricular issues
• Research & knowledge production
• Consequences- realities
Continued developments in recent years
So….the past and the present have been of shared
experiences….especially with some countries in
Europe
What does Africa want from
Internationalization
IAU 3rd Global Survey -2009
 Main Rationales: Research/institutional capacity
 Main risks: Brain drain, curricular influences,
commercialization, unfair collaborations
 Main Challenges: Funding, capacity, infrastructure, ICTs,
quality, policies, strategies, resources, institutional barriers
 The unknown? & unintended consequences
*Arusha Convention-mobility/harmonization
*Plan of Action for 2nd Decade of Education in Africa
*Africa's Higher Education & Research Space (AHERS)
*ANIE?
Benefits/opportunities for Africa
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Strengthening research capacities of African institutions
Developing new generation of scholars for Africa
Collaborations/structured partnerships
Strengthening of research/ sharing research outcomes
Training in specialized knowledge areas/ development of
expertise
Development of Africa's centers of excellence
Innovations in programs and provision
Africa's presence in global knowledge society
Opportunities for reverse mobility/ stemming brain drain
Use of infrastructure/ facilities
Cultural diversity…..new ways of doing things
International experience
What is going on in Africa
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Africa is growing in different aspects!
Rapid expansion of the HE sector
New intra- Africa initiatives
Implementing Arusha Convention- Harmonization of
Degree Structures, Credit Transfer, Quality Assurance
Strengthening Africas Higher Education & Research
Space (AHERS)- Research, Training of New Generation,
Centres of Excellence
New developments in ICT- OERs/ODL/Teaching,
learning& research
Building on Regional Initiatives (AAU, CAMES, IUCEA,
SARUA, )
Growing mobility
Regionalization of internationalization
How can we create impact?
• 1st & 2nd ANIE conferences discussed the
challenges
• 3rd conference 2011 brought together
university leaders, policy makers and
academics to discuss way forward.
• Theme: Internationalization of HE in Africa:
Where to focus funding and create real impact
• Organized jointly with British Council &
National Universities Commission (NUC)Nigeria
• Key outcomes
Rationale/objectives
1. Increasing awareness of the role
international higher education partnerships
can play in Africa’s development;
2. Increasing understanding of how
universities can work together to support
the internationalisation of higher education
agenda in Africa;
3. Identify areas of weakness and potential for
development partners and African
governments to support towards the
development and improvement of higher
education sector in Africa.
Priority Areas
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Institutional strengthening
Develop & strengthen research capacity of institutions
Social relevance/ Local solutions (MDGs)
Build the African academic community
Invest in the new generation of scholars and leaders
Strengthen & link to on-going Africa’s initiatives
Renewed role of African governments
Enhance opportunities for post graduate training and research
Strengthen academic quality and curriculum innovations
Build strategic relations with African universities…..then with other
universities.
Governance/leadership
Information sharing/access/equity/quality
Develop & support regional centers of excellence
Invest in and take advantage of ICTs
Africanization of internationalization
Address barriers to collaborations/ partnerships
Implement regional and continental frameworks
Some challenges
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Unfair collaborations/imbalances
Unintended consequences
Brain drain
Priority shifts
Institutional drawbacks
Academic quality
Regional frameworks
Funding/ resources
Clarity of overall goals
Regionalization of internationalization
Anti-intellectual global developments
The usual suspects….traditions of cooperation
Lessons
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The complexity of partnerships i.e. contexts/priorities
Shared ownership of partnerships
Trust and transparency amongst partners
No size fits all!
Clear division of roles and responsibilities
Joint planning and implementation of partnership plans.
Expectations & outcomes
Partnership champions…
Effective and regular communication
Funding maintenance/Sustainability
Commitment and supportive institutional infrastructure
Monitoring/evaluation
Email. [email protected]
www.anienetwork.org