Strengthening of African studies in Africa and South Africa

Abstract

At the invitation of the South African Ministry of Education, I represented the African Studies Association of the United Kingdom (ASAUK) at a conference on ‘Strengthening of African Studies in Africa and South Africa’. The meeting was held between 26 and 28 February 2006 and brought together delegates from various South African universities, research centres and institutions, as well as from a number of other African countries, including Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Other delegates included the high commissioners and ambassadors of various countries accredited to South Africa. The minister, the Hon. Naledi Pandor, opened the conference with an address, entitled ‘African Studies in Africa’. In her address, Mrs Pandor noted that the conference was convened to enable delegates to share experiences of ‘the study of Africa and the African diaspora and to give the ministry some guidance on how to boost the study of Africa in South African universities’. Echoing President Mbeki, she reiterated the crucial role that African intellectuals and universities have to play in the African Renaissance, a theme that was central to the contributions by Professors Shadrack Gutto and Paul Zeleza. To achieve this goal, it is argued that a long-term programme of investment designed to revitalize universities be undertaken, as recommended by the Africa Commission convened by the UK government in 2004–5. This will involve the setting up of some 30 centres of excellence in science, engineering and technology, to be financed largely by external donors to the tune of some $3 billion over 10 years. Although the commission did not specifically call for the promotion of African studies, nonetheless, Minister Pandor felt that such a perspective would help to revitalize African universities.