Higher Education Institutions In Africa Research Articles

A review on the prerequisites of Evidence-Based Curriculum as a driver to skills development of the leather value chain in Africa

The review study closely introspects’ on the prerequisites of evidence-based curriculum within the realms of specialized skills development agenda as pursued through higher education Institutions in Africa. Explicitly, the constraining factors that bedevil the leather sector are identifiable when appropriate research designs tools are applied. As such, in the process of identifying the constraints, renascence themes could, therefore, be beneficial in collecting evidence in support of developing curriculum. Such a developed curriculum stands higher chances of acceptability and aptly mitigates against challenges related to specialized skills development. The review succinctly indicates that in the process of identifying the themes, the scope of collecting evidence becomes attainable, thus, improving curricula that entails a participatory and transformative orientation. Indeed, during the review phase of the study, three main perspectives are depicted to be consequential in attaining a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum, such as; action research, backward curriculum design perspective and theoretical perspective. Therefore, about this perspective, a reflection based on personal experiences and related to new knowledge with what they already know leads to constructivism. The relevancy of a constructivist strategy is observed to facilitate the observatory and evaluative stance during the development of evidence-based curriculum. Moreover, in consolidating and sustaining the benefit of such a developed curriculum, threshold concept was found during the review that it complements the process and strengthens the collecting evidence for curriculum development. Accordingly, therefore, the result of the review study indicate that Africa would position itself for initiating transformational changes in aspects of specialized higher education, fruition towards socio-economic benefits (e.g. employment, wealth creation and technology transfer), reversal of urban-rural or inter/intra continental migration flurry.

Family-Owned Private Higher Education Institutions in Africa

Notwithstanding the dearth of research on the subject, the increasing global presence of family-owned institutions is introducing a special breed within the private higher education sector. This article broadly explores the nature, continental developments, and implications of this growing phenomenon across Africa.

Family-Owned Private Higher Education Institutions in Africa

Notwithstanding the dearth of research on the subject, the increasing global presence of family-owned institutions is introducing a special breed within the private higher education sector. This article broadly explores the nature, continental developments, and implications of this growing phenomenon across Africa.

Evidence-Based Practices of Promoting Entrepreneurship Education in Higher Education Institutions in Africa

This research applies the changing of cognitive mechanisms of University students through Entrepreneurship Education (EE). The study hypothesises that entrepreneurial orientation (achievement orientation, personal control, innovation and self-esteem) improves after completing the entrepreneurship module. The context of this research involves undergraduate commerce students from the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa. The study involves quantitative research using questionnaires through a longitudinal approach. The research design consists of a pre-test, post-test and post-test after the intervention. The impact of the training intervention was assessed over a 12 month period based on a randomised control design. This study indicates that entrepreneurial orientation was influenced through this Entrepreneurship module. The practical implications of this study emphasises the importance of training approaches that are based on empirical research. The uniqueness of this paper lies in the pedagogy used that allows the effectiveness of assessing a training program.

Technology enhanced teaching and learning in South African higher education – A rearview of a 20 year journey

AbstractIn the last 20 years, the South African higher education has changed significantly, influenced by global trends national development goals and pressure from local educational imperatives, in the context of a digitally networked world. Shifts in technology enhanced pedagogical practices and in discourses around information and communication technologies (ICTs) have had varying degrees of influence in higher education. This paper takes a rearview of a 20‐year journey of technology enhanced learning in South African higher education. An analysis of literature view is presented chronologically in four phases: phase 1 (1996–2000), phase 2 (2001–05), phase 3 (2006–10) and phase 4 (2011–16). In phase 1 technology was used predominantly for drill and practice, computer‐aided instruction, with growing consciousness of the digital divide. In phase 2 institutions primarily focused on building ICT infrastructure, democratizing information, policy development and research; they sought to compare the effectiveness of teaching with or without technology. During phase 3 institutions began to include ICTs in their strategic directions, digital divide debates focused on epistemological access, and they also began to conduct research with a pedagogical agenda. In phase 4 mobile learning and social media came to the fore. The research agenda shifted from whether students would use technology to how to exploit what students already use to transform teaching and learning practices. The paper concludes that South Africa's higher education institutions have moved from being solely responsible for both their own relatively poor ICT infrastructure and education provision to cloud‐based ICT infrastructure with “unlimited” educational resources that are freely, openly and easily available within and beyond the institution. Although mobile and social media are more evident now than ever before, teaching and learning practice in South African higher education remains largely unchanged.

Challenges and Solutions to Higher Education Institutions in Africa

<p>The purpose of this study was to explore ways that higher education institutes (HEI’s) that<br />offered agriculture education and training (AET) in their curriculum could change the behavior<br />to improve the quality of education offered to students. Faculty at a regional conference in<br />Africa participated in a daylong focus group workshop aimed at addressing these needs and<br />offering solutions that could be implemented immediately. Using the theory of planned<br />behavior as a guide, participants discussed the challenges and solutions they saw at their<br />institutions and the amount of time it would take to implement changes. A qualitative analysis<br />was conducted using a codebook to analyze various pieces of data that included video clips and<br />artifacts created by the participants at the workshop. Results from the analysis were split in<br />two main themes, challenges or solutions. The main challenges included access to higher<br />education and lack of preparation at the primary and secondary level of school. The main<br />solutions proposed were to restructure the leadership and offer more training to faculty<br />through mentoring programs. These results can guide higher education initiatives for<br />agriculture education and training as well as other discipline areas in higher education.</p>

Economic Upliftment and Social Development through the Development of Digital Astuteness in Rural Areas

One of the key attempts towards a collective African vision is the New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). Barnard and Vonk (2003) report that “53 countries have been urged to implement ICTs in three crucial development arenas: education, health and trade”. While NEPAD and other initiatives have contributed to the provision of ICT infrastructure with positive results as seen in the growth of Internet uses, the disparities in development across Africa are enormous. The challenge to Higher Education Institutions in Africa has been summarised by Colle (2005): “central to creating digital resources and academic infrastructure is the question of universities’ relevance to the world around them, and especially to the challenge of being an active player – ‘an anchor of a broad-based poverty alleviation strategy’ in an increasingly knowledge-based economy”. It can be inferred from Colle that the activities of HEIs in Africa ought to be geared towards contributing to the realisation of the Millennium development goals.

Guest Editorial: Thematic Section: Issues in Educational Informatics: Renewing our Human Resources for the Digital Economy

For over forty years, the Southern African Computer Lecturers Association (SACLA) has provided a platform for lecturers in computer science and information systems throughout Southern Africa's higher education institutions to come together to address issues concerning the teaching and learning of ICT related topics. The 44th annual SACLA conference was held in June 2015 and was based on the theme of entitled, Renewing ICT teaching and learning: Building on the past to create new energies. Seventy ICT lecturers from twelve academic institutions throughout Southern Africa convened, in the heart of Johannesburg, to report innovations in and new perspectives on what and how we teach ICT. The renewal of ICT teaching and learning within higher education is important for building the human resource capacity of the ICT sector, addressing e-skills, and thereby strengthening the role of ICT in the transformation of society and economic activity.

Affirmative Action Application or Black and White in South Africa Higher Education Institutions: Is it the way forward or not?

We will, demonstrate what affirmative action entails, its origin and the relationship with discrimination and equality. The paper will also highlight the implementation of affirmative action in the Higher Education sector in South Africa. Affirmative action or black and white are the additional corrective steps which must be taken in order that those who have been historically disadvantage by unfair discrimination before 1994 are able to derive full benefits from an equitable employment environment. While there has been a significant increase in the number of women appointed into management positions, the proportion in relation to the total number of women in senior posts such as those of Vice Chancellors, Deputy-Vice Chancellors and Executive Deans still remains problematic. Considerations should be taken with regard to issues of access, equity and relevance. Indeed, affirmative action should be located within a rigorous process that will ensure that those who are for example, promoted to senior positions both in private and public sectors are able to demonstrate strategic thinking and action, quality execution of tasks, efficiency and effectiveness in achieving organisational goals. This will also be followed by a brief South Africa’s case study of different entities (South African Breweries and Sowetan Newspaper). A comparison of USA’s affirmative action and whether “there is a light at the end of a tunnel – affirmative action” will be done.

ICT Policy Outcomes for National Development: The Place of Knowledge Integration and Management in Nigerian Higher Education

The prologues of Information Communication Technology (ICT) usage including its integration and diffusion kicked off a new era in educational processes and has fundamentally changed the conventional methods of teaching and learning in higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world, and have transformed contemporary processes of teaching and learning experiences of both lecturers and students. The debates here are made with reference to (1) the contexts of ICT and knowledge integration (2) the challenges of ICT usage and knowledge integration, and (3) ICT policy outcomes and national development. A qualitative research method was adopted; the use of document and observation were indispensable part of the methods for data gathering. The study found that the lofty hopes, keenness and enthusiasm for ICT and knowledge integration and management are obstructed as the nation is faced with inadequacies in essential ICT infrastructures and services such as telecommunication services, electricity, incompetent ICT personnel, inadequate funding, poor economic situation, poverty, high ICT literacy rate and so on. However, there is an ongoing moves and development to ensure effective ICT knowledge integration and management in education resources in Nigeria and Africa higher education institutions. This novel study recommends that higher education should become expansive, positive and proactive actors in ICT knowledge integration and management in teaching, learning and research for academics, non-academics to foster admirable academic environment aimed at meeting national development. This learned debate has implication for education practitioners, curriculum developers and designers, policy makers, planners and the government.

Massification in Higher Education Institutions in Africa: Causes, Consequences and Responses

Most public higher education institutions in Africa, in response to historical conditions, have enrolled students in excess of their capacity, resulting in massification and negative consequences on educational quality. Increased enrolment has addressed issues of equity; but the equally important issue of ensuring equity in success for the enrolled students has received limited attention. Apparently graduation rates in higher education in Africa remain fairly low. Higher education institutions have taken several corrective measures to address the consequences of massification. Governments have also created new institutions and put quality assurance systems in place. There have also been continental responses. Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest tertiary enrolment of any world region, a handicap in its development. It must also meet the demands of its rapidly increasing secondary school graduates. There is a compelling need to further increase tertiary enrolment, a situation that challenges both institutions and countries. The growth in private higher education, if regulated and quality-controlled, could relieve this pressure. Pour des raisons historiques, la majorité des établissements d’enseignement supérieur d’Afrique admet plus d’étudiants qu’elle ne peut en accueillir. Ceci conduit à la massification de l’enseignement supérieur et a des conséquences négatives sur sa qualité. L’augmentation de la participation a permis de répondre à des problèmes d’équité, mais la tout aussi importante question de l’équité dans la réussite des étudiants admis a reçu une attention limitée. Le taux de réussite dans l’enseignement supérieur en Afrique reste faible. Les établissements d’enseignement supérieur ont mis en place plusieurs mesures visant à corriger les conséquences néfastes de la massification. Les gouvernements ont aussi créé de nouvelles institutions et mis en place des systèmes d’assurance qualité. Des réponses ont par ailleurs été proposées à l’échelle du continent. Cependant, l’Afrique sub-saharienne a le plus faible taux d’inscription dans l’enseignement supérieur du monde, un handicap pour son développement. Elle doit aussi répondre aux demandes d’une population de diplômés du secondaire qui augmente rapidement. Il est impossible de nier la nécessité d’augmenter les admissions dans l’enseignement supérieur, une situation qui pose des problèmes aussi bien aux établissements qu’aux nations. La croissance des établissements privés pourrait permettre de relâcher la pression, s’ils sont correctement régulés et contrôlés en termes de qualité.

The Changing Role of Higher Education in Africa: A Historical Reflection

This article addresses the changing role of higher education in Africa from the pre-colonial time up to the 1990s. The basic argument is, though higher education institutions are a product of socio-economic and political dynamics of the society in the course of history, these interactions have always been imperfect in Africa since universities did not originally evolve out of social interactions. The introduction of European education during colonial period also did not serve the interests of African societies; instead education was used as a means of extending colonial ideology. After independence, African countries inherited fragile institutions which did not have social legitimacy from the public. The donor-client dependency relationship had inhibited the development of African institutions and the capacity of Africans to develop educational policies which are socially relevant and financially feasible. Thus, higher education institutions in Africa have been carrying out various roles of economic development, Africanization, nation-building, and engines of knowledge economy; at the same time executing foreign roles which have not been owned by African societies.

Private higher education in Africa: The case of Monash South Africa

The aim of this paper was to review the contribution of private institutions to higher education in Africa and use Monash South Africa as a case study. A literature search was conducted to gain perspective on the current situation with respect to private higher education institutions in Africa and how they are perceived in relation to public higher education institutions. In comparison with public higher education institutions, private higher education institutions in Africa were successful in four areas: • Widening access to higher education in the continent • Improving the quality of education • Improving student experience • Increasing the recognition and marketability of their degrees However, private higher education institutions in Africa have failed in two areas: • Reducing the costs of higher education in Africa • Assisting with retention of skilled human capital in African countries. In fact, private higher education institutions in Africa, have exacerbated the two situations above. Monash South Africa was the first foreign university to be established in South Africa and one of over 100 private universities in the continent. As a campus of Monash University in Africa, it has seen a steady growth with over 3,500 students in the past 10 years of its existence. Like other private institutions, the campus was successful in the four areas above and also fails in the area of costs and assisting in retention of skilled staff in Africa. The campus has been successful in blending its private provider status with a public purpose mandate by offering degrees in social science, business and economics, information technology and health sciences.

Promoting distance education in higher education in Cape Verde and Mozambique

Over the past six years, the authors have been project leaders for three distance education initiatives in Cape Verde and Mozambique: • a blended learning master’s degree in multimedia in education for faculty in Cape Verdean public higher education institutions (2005–2008) • a teacher training programme for 1375 elementary teachers provided through distance education in Cape Verde (2006–2008) • a blended-learning multimedia in education doctoral programme for staff, at the Centre for Distance Education, University Eduardo Mondlane, Mozambique (2008–11). This article describes the background to these projects, solutions adopted to meet the specific needs, capabilities, and constraints of the participants and institutions, and difficulties encountered. The project leaders reflect upon their experiences and the main lessons learned, while drawing conclusions that may be relevant to other higher education institutions in Africa and other developing countries embarking on planning and implementing distance education programmes and support units.

Higher Education, Policy Networks, and Policy Entrepreneurship in Africa: The Case of the Association of African Universities

Higher education institutions in Africa are increasingly vital to development efforts. While there is burgeoning research that suggests many universities are reforming in order to include intentional development efforts, perceived crisis and the paucity of resources on the continent has created a contentious relationship between higher education and development. To surmount this prevailing sentiment, alternative organizations that facilitate higher education's contribution to the development process in Africa should be considered. One such alternative is the higher education policy network. This case study examined the Association of African Universities (AAU) as a policy network influencing development in Africa. The results are interpreted through Roberts and King's (1991) notion of policy entrepreneurship, a framework that provides an analytical understanding of AAU activities in policymaking and development. We suggest that this framework may be pursued with more intentionality by higher education policy networks, particularly in regard to building organizational capacity and monitoring and evaluating policy innovations.

Capacity development for health research in Africa: experiences managing the African Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship Program

Africa's progress depends on her capacity to generate, adapt, and use scientific knowledge to meet regional health and development needs. Yet, Africa's higher education institutions that are mandated to foster this capacity lack adequate resources to generate and apply knowledge, raising the need for innovative approaches to enhance research capacity. In this paper, we describe a newly-developed program to support PhD research in health and population sciences at African universities, the African Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship (ADDRF) Program. We also share our experiences implementing the program. As health research capacity-strengthening in Africa continues to attract attention and as the need for such programs to be African-led is emphasized, our experiences in developing and implementing the ADDRF offer invaluable lessons to other institutions undertaking similar initiatives.

Academic Freedom and Dual Career Academic Couples: The Complexities of Being a Woman Academic in the University Space

This study focuses on dual career women academics in a higher education (HE) institution in Nigeria. It explores the experiences of some of these women academics and exposes the internal dynamics that characterize intra-group interactions in the academe. It subsequently raises the issue of equitable participation of men and women academics in HE institutions in Africa. It attempts to understand how the constructed identities of dual career women academics intersect with their interactions in the university space, and im- pact on their career experiences. Paying attention to the marital institution also, this study explores how these women’s academic freedom can be un- dermined by the power play in this arena, bearing in mind their categoriza- tion. The study thus identifies the areas in which the autonomy and aca- demic freedom of women academics in dual career marriages are possibly undermined. Ethnographic methods provided data for this study. The article concludes that the challenge of academic freedom demands more inward examination of the ‘micro politics within’ in order to incorporate the interests of all stakeholders within the intellectual community in the struggle for aca- demic freedom and academic democracy in the continent of Africa.

Africa(n)-focused research: Two case studies from Lesotho

This article presents two research projects undertaken by two female international students studying for a master's degree at the Centre for Higher Education Studies and Development (CHESD) at the University of the Free State. Both projects followed a community-focused approach. The case studies reflect upon issues of research in neighbouring countries such as Lesotho and remind us that education should not be treated as a commodity especially in instances where international students are concerned, but should contribute in the development of their countries. This is in harmony with the stringent requirements and objectives of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) to eradicate poverty; to place African countries on a path of sustainable growth and development; as well as to accelerate the empowerment of women. In this regard South Africa's higher education institutions are contributing to the enhancement of human capabilities and thus to the overall social development. Through the projects of the students enrolled in the CHESD, higher education is directly achieving some of NEPAD's objectives. These research projects should be seen as scaffolds to anchor other researchers and stakeholders who may wish to undertake further research in the specific fields or who desire to initiate other development-orientated research projects in Lesotho.

Strategic Planning of Higher Education Institutions in Africa: A Case Study of the University of Dar-es-Salaam

Socio-economic and political changes which swept through Africa in the 1980s had a major impact on African universities; including the University of Dar-es-Salaam. In response to these changes, the University of Dar-es-Salaam embarked on a self-controlled strategic planning exercise starting in 1989. The model adopted by the University of Dar-es-Salaam and the lessons learnt are summarized in this paper.

Academic Entrepreneurship in South African HEIs

This article first identifies the principal forces that impact on and shape entrepreneurially-oriented higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa, and then analyses the degree to which those institutions have succeeded in becoming entrepreneurial. The results reveal that South Africa's HEIs are still in the initial phases of entrepreneurial development. This is attributable largely to factors particular to a developing country in a social transformational phase and faced with restricted social and economic capital.