Listen to the Urgent Sound of Drums: Major Challenges in African Higher Education

Y

13

Higher Education; Institutional Research; Global Approach; Foreign Countries; Educational Development; Developing Nations; Problems; Educational History; Access to Education; Educational Policy; Educational Change; Educational Quality; Government Role; Educational Practices; Educational Trends; Educational Finance; Foreign Policy

Africa; Botswana; Namibia; South Africa

10.1002/ir.279

0271-0579

African higher education is currently facing tremendous challenges. The pressure and demand for access is huge. This is understandable against the background of traditionally low participation, low success and throughput rates, declining financial contributions from governments and donors, and critical pressures for efficiency, modernization, development, and growth. Growth demands are mainly fueled by the requirements of the knowledge era, globalization, and imperatives for the development of Africa. Generalizations about a continent as vast and varied as Africa are difficult because of the large diversity evident among countries and regions. Higher education trends in northern Africa are considerably different from those in sub-Saharan Africa, and in the latter cluster countries such as Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa do not fit the rest of the cluster well. Although an attempt is made in this chapter to indicate general trends for the whole continent, the focus is mainly on sub-Saharan Africa and, in some cases just South Africa. The aim is to identify the major trends rather than offer a complete list of all the issues facing African higher education institutions. The current difficult circumstances under which universities operate, legacy issues, and social, economic, and political problems mean that the road ahead will not be easy. Key implications for institutional research are discussed.

ERIC

11

2009

EJ825024