Governance and Management within Diversity in African Higher Education

Peter Okebukola
President, Global University Network for Innovation (GUNIAfrica), former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Nigeria Dubrovnik, October 14, 2011

Why perspectives from Africa?

In a globalised world we need to know what our neighbours are doing Learn from each others good practices Network to improve practice Students and staff from Africa are now in most countries of the world.

Round the paper in 30 minutes

Describe the diversity in higher education in Africa and implications for management and governance Highlight current efforts at harmonisation while retaining the uniqueness of institutions Identify possible areas of collaboration for UNESCO Chairs in higher education

Some statistics
2,302 higher education institutions (7% of worlds total) Enrolling 6.2 million students 39% female enrolment Less than 20% in science, engineering and technology Contributes about 3% to the global scholarly literature A handful of Nobel Prize winners

Diversity in Higher Education in Africa

Factors inducing Diversity

Linguistic orientation Race Proprietorship Gender Technology

Linguistic Diversity
Anglophone Francophone Lusophone Arabophone

Racial Diversity
South Africa
MID-YEAR POPULATION ESTIMATES 2011 Population Number % of total group African 40 206 275 79.5% White 4 565 825 9.0% Coloured 4 539 790 9.0% Indian/Asian 1 274 867 2.5% TOTAL 50 586 757 100%

Proprietorship
Public=72% Private=28%

Gender
Male=61% Female=39%

Impact of Diversity

Inhibition of partnership and resource sharing Enhanced creativity and innovativeness

On the march towards harmonisation

Arusha Convention Introduction of the African Credit Transfer System African Higher Education and Research Space (AHERS) LMD Reform in Francophone Countries African Quality Rating Mechanism Regional Quality Assurance Framework Creating Regional Centres of Excellence The Pan African University The Panafrican Institute of University Governance

Five Regional Conventions

Latin America and Caribbean (1974), Arab States (1978), Europe (1979), Africa (1981) Arusha Convention Asia and Pacific (1983)

Arusha Convention meant to..

contribute

to UNESCOs efforts towards promotion of international academic mobility improve quality of higher education and contribute more effectively to the process of sustainable human development.

Thrust of Arusha Convention

Gives general guidelines to facilitate the implementation of regional co-operation in the area of recognition of studies and degrees through national, bilateral, subregional and regional mechanisms already in place or created for this purpose.

The academic recognition covers

qualifications giving access to higher education recognition of the partial studies complete stages of higher studies

Commitments of Contracting States

Currently, there are 20 contracting States and the Holy See

Commitments of non-contracting States

Kenya and South Africa which have not yet ratified the convention have established very effective systems of accreditation, quality assurance and recognition of At least 19 countries which have not ratified the convention are playing a major role in the implementation of the Arusha convention through subregional bodies in charge of recognition like the African and Malagasy Council for Higher education (CAMES), the SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) Technical Committee on Accreditation and Certification and the Inter-University Council for East Africa.

Mechanisms for implementation

national level by national bodies sub-regional level by sub-regional and bilateral organizations. regional level by the regional committee in charge of the application of convention

Other Major Initiatives

Introduction of the African Credit Transfer System African Higher Education and Research Space (AHERS) LMD Reform in Francophone Countries African Quality Rating Mechanism Regional Quality Assurance Framework Creating Regional Centres of Excellence The Pan African University The Panafrican Institute of University Governance

Areas of possible collaboration

Collaboration on global research agenda alongside ongoing national efforts (diversity, autonomy, innovative resourcing/financing, ODL, ) Collaboration on global quality assurance in higher education Establishment of a database of experts in higher education Collaboration in teaching Capacity building to improve teaching and research Development of Guidelines for Private Provision of Higher Education

Areas of possible collaborationcontd

Documentation of Higher Education Governance and Management Practices across the world Development of models for fostering academic and cultural exchange in higher education between Africa and Europe Partnerships with centres of excellence in Africa in the area of higher education governance and management Joint development of grant proposals on projects involving African, Asian and European higher education systems Comparisons of the Bologna Process with the African Higher Education and Research Space Establishment of a Global Network of UNESCO Chairs in Higher education Hosting of a Journal on Higher Education

Just before I go
Thanks to the Rector University of Zagreb for hosting the conference

Email: peter@okebukola.com