Higher Education Collaborations at Africa’s Summits

In recent years, Africa has witnessed a surge in higher education collaborations, with summits and conferences serving as pivotal platforms for fostering partnerships, sharing best practices, and addressing the continent’s unique educational challenges.

The Education Collaborative’s 2023 June Convening

From June 13 to 16, 2023, Ashesi University in Ghana hosted the Education Collaborative’s largest gathering to date. Approximately 230 university executives, leaders, and industry professionals from 96 institutions across 17 countries convened to discuss strategies for enhancing higher education in Africa. The event marked the culmination of the Collaborative’s pilot phase of a ten-year plan aiming to transform educational outcomes for over one million students by 2030. Key themes included career and employability, entrepreneurship, ethics and leadership, and faculty development and research. Notably, Professor P.L.O. Lumumba delivered a guest lecture emphasizing the importance of Pan-Africanism in developing leaders in African higher education. (educationcollab.ashesi.edu.gh)

Association of African Universities’ 22nd COREVIP

In July 2023, the Association of African Universities (AAU) held its 22nd Conference for Rectors, Vice Chancellors, and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP) in Windhoek, Namibia. The conference, themed “Advancing Excellence in African Higher Education,” brought together over 400 chief executive officers of African universities and other high-profile representatives. Discussions centered on doctoral education, partnerships and internationalization, institutional differentiation, university-industry linkages, the role of the intellectual diaspora, and funding and financing. The event underscored the AAU’s commitment to transforming the higher education landscape across the continent. (blog.aau.org)

Launch of the Africa Charter for Transformative Research Collaborations

On July 5, 2023, in Windhoek, Namibia, a new Africa-centered research collaboration charter was launched. Co-created by major African higher education bodies and facilitated by the Perivoli Africa Research Centre at the University of Bristol, the charter invites over 400 universities worldwide to sign up to principles aimed at reforming policies and fostering equitable partnerships in science. The initiative seeks to create a “radically new approach to research collaboration” and rebalance power dynamics in the generation of scientific knowledge, emphasizing that the Global North must cede influence to allow Africa to take the lead. (timeshighereducation.com)

Afretec’s 2023 Conference

In October 2023, the African Engineering and Technology Network (Afretec) held its second annual conference in Nairobi, Kenya. The event highlighted the importance of cross-country and cross-institution collaboration to drive teaching, learning, knowledge creation, and entrepreneurship on the continent. Afretec, a pan-African collaboration of technology-focused universities, works to drive inclusive digital growth in Africa. Over the past year, its members have led activities such as student bridge programs and faculty enrichment programs, and awarded $3.3 million to fund 11 grants aimed at building research capacity and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in Africa. (wits.ac.za)

African Union’s 37th Summit

In February 2024, the African Union (AU) held its 37th Summit under the theme “Educate an African fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality, and Relevant Learning in Africa.” The summit emphasized the need for significant investments in education to develop human and social capital through an education and skills revolution, focusing on innovation, science, and technology. The AU’s Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) aims to reorient education and training systems to meet the knowledge, competencies, skills, innovation, and creativity required for sustainable development at national, sub-regional, and continental levels. (au.int)

Innovating Education in Africa 2023

Scheduled for November 14-15, 2023, the African Union’s Department of Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation will host “Innovating Education in Africa 2023” under the theme “Africa and the Digital Transformation Opportunity: Innovating for the Transformation of Education on the Continent.” The event aims to establish a platform for sharing experiences regarding innovative solutions that address education challenges in Africa and to enhance the visibility of these practices for potential support, scaling up, replication, or further development by AU Member States. (au.int)

These summits and conferences underscore a collective commitment to advancing higher education in Africa through collaboration, innovation, and strategic partnerships. By addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities, these initiatives aim to transform educational outcomes and contribute to the continent’s sustainable development.