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Internationalizing higher education in Africa: Funding versus Impact

Internationalizing higher education in Africa: Funding versus Impact. James Otieno Jowi Executive Director African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE) CIMO Conference 3rd -4 th May 2012, Helsinki Finland . Africa & the Knowledge society Worlds 2 nd largest continent

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Internationalizing higher education in Africa: Funding versus Impact

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  1. 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

  2. Africa & the Knowledge society • Worlds 2nd largest continent • At the peripheri of the Knowledge society • Developing -Home to 32 of worlds 38 HIPC countries • Faces numerous challenges- poverty, 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

  3. 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

  4. Challenges Facing Africa's HE ICT INTERNATIONALIZATION Governance HIGHER EDUCATION DEMAND FUNDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES

  5. Internationalization of HE in Africa • 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

  6. 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

  7. 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 *ArushaConvention-mobility/harmonization *Plan of Action for 2nd Decade of Education in Africa *Africa's Higher Education & Research Space (AHERS) *ANIE?

  8. Benefits/opportunities for Africa • 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

  9. What is going on in Africa • 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

  10. 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

  11. Rationale/objectives • Increasing awareness of the role international higher education partnerships can play in Africa’s development; • Increasing understanding of how universities can work together to support the internationalisation of higher education agenda in Africa; • 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.

  12. Priority Areas • 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

  13. Some challenges • 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

  14. Lessons • 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

  15. Email. sec@anienetwork.org www.anienetwork.org

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