Today, there are generally universities in Africa rather than ‘African universities’. The legitimacy of the university in Africa is under serious questions now because of its complicity in racism, patriarchy, sexism, colonialism, capitalism, genocide, epistemicide, linguicide, culturecide, and alienation. In other words, the university in Africa as we know it today is elitist and exclusionary. Therefore, rethinking the idea of the university is fundamental to overcoming its current deficiencies in the Global South. This volume, bringing together a number of national case studies and macro-analyses on the dynamics of changing higher education in the Global South, gestures towards the desired, imagined decolonial African university, which should be a site of multilingualism where African indigenous languages, cosmologies and ontologies become a central part of its identity and soul, intolerant of epistemicides, linguicides, and cultural imperialism, but a site of cognitive and social justice that fully embraces the idea that all human beings are born into valid, useful, relevant and legitimate knowledge systems.
Today, there are generally universities in Africa rather than 'African universities'. The legitimacy of the university in Africa is under serious questions now because of its complicity in racism, patriarchy, sexism, colonialism, capitalism, genocide, epistemicide, linguicide, culturecide, and alienation. In other words, the university in Africa as we know it today is elitist and exclusionary. Therefore, rethinking the idea of the university is fundamental to overcoming its current deficiencies in the Global South. This volume, bringing together a number of national case studies and macro-analyses on the dynamics of changing higher education in the Global South, gestures towards the desired, imagined decolonial African university, which should be a site of multilingualism where African indigenous languages, cosmologies and ontologies become a central part of its identity and soul, intolerant of epistemicides, linguicides, and cultural imperialism, but a site of cognitive and social justice that fully embraces the idea that all human beings are born into valid, useful, relevant and legitimate knowledge systems.
This book presents the most comprehensive and most thorough study of the developments in South African higher education and research after the first democratic elections of 1994 – that is of post-Apartheid South African higher education. This volume will provide its readers with a detailed insight into the new (i.e. post-1994) South African higher education system. The large number of experienced authors and editors involved in the book guarantees that the reader will be introduced in the new SA higher education system from a large number of perspectives that are presented in a consistent and coherent way. This book will be of interest to scholars, students, administrators, policymakers and politicians interested in South Africa, higher education and research, and policy analysis. "Publications on higher education are not new. But this volume, which is the first of its kind as a collective effort of tracing and examining the twists and turns taken by processes of change in the South African higher education system in a context of profound societal and global transformation, adds a fresh dimension to the debate. In its examination of the extent to which the changes were in line with policy intentions, particularly with regard to equity, democratisation, responsiveness and efficiency, and how a new institutional landscape started emerging, it makes a momentous contribution to the current debate about higher education restructuring." Njabulo Ndebele, Vice-chancellor, University of Cape Town and Chair of the South African Association of University Vice-chancellors "This book addresses a rich variety of issues on South African higher education. It puts these in the relevant context of the process of globalization and it shows that the South African experiences offer us a lot to learn. Highly recommended for those who are intrigued by the innovations taking place in South African higher education as well as for those who intend to grasp the effects of globalization." Frans van Vught, Rector Magnificus and founding Director of the Center for Higher Education Policy Studies, University of Twente, The Netherlands "Reflection is a crucial ingredient to learning. In this book on higher education we have reflections on a unique period in the history of a country that managed its transition to democracy in a way that was unique, but from which we can all learn. Higher education in South Africa played a vital role in that transition and was part of the many tensions, choices and influences. They have been thoughtfully captured." Brenda Gourley, Vice-chancellor, The Open University, UK and board member, Centre for Higher Education Transformation. "No contemporary higher education system has changed as dramatically as that in South Africa. This book, rich in data, examines the changes that took place and offers insights into how change frequently cannot be predicted. The analysis captures the excitement, high expectations, remarkable successes, and failures in the transformation of the apartheid system of higher education. This excellent study provides rich fare for comparative analysis." Fred M. Hayward, American Council on Education Pilot Project, Executive Vice President, Council for Higher Education Accreditation, US.
Education in the Global South faces several key interrelated challenges, for which Open Educational Resources (OER) are seen to be part of the solution. These challenges include: unequal access to education; variable quality of educational resources, teaching, and student performance; and increasing cost and concern about the sustainability of education. The Research on Open Educational Resources for Development (ROER4D) project seeks to build on and contribute to the body of research on how OER can help to improve access, enhance quality and reduce the cost of education in the Global South. This volume examines aspects of educator and student adoption of OER and engagement in Open Educational Practices (OEP) in secondary and tertiary education as well as teacher professional development in 21 countries in South America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia. The ROER4D studies and syntheses presented here aim to help inform Open Education advocacy, policy, practice and research in developing countries.
2021 ASHE/CIHE Award for Significant Research on International Higher Education U.S. Power in International Higher Education explores how internationalization in higher education is not just an educational endeavor, but also a geopolitical one. By centering and making explicit the role of power, the book demonstrates the United States’s advantage in international education as well as the changing geopolitical realities that will shape the field in the future. The chapter authors are leading critical scholars of international higher education, with diverse scholarly ties and professional experiences within the country and abroad. Taken together, the chapters provide broad trends as well as in-depth accounts about how power is evident across a range of key international activities. This book is intended for higher education scholars and practitioners with the aim of raising greater awareness on the unequal power dynamics in internationalization activities and for the purposes of promoting more just practices in higher education globally.
This book considers the work of the preeminent scholar on decoloniality, Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni, as a means of examining the development of decoloniality discourse and considering the future direction of the African knowledge economy. Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni has been instrumental in the construction of theories and ideas necessary for advancing a decolonial system of education and epistemology. This book considers how Professor Ndlovu-Gatsheni’s work has helped to shape our thinking both on Mugabe and the history of Zimbabwe, and beyond to the broader questions of race, liberation, higher education, and the future of decolonial studies. Renowned author Professor Toyin Falola then invites us to consider the dangers of continued repression of African epistemologies, and the enormous benefits of an alternative knowledge economy in which a diverse multiplicity of ideas drives our understanding of the world on to new heights. Unpacking the various conceptual leanings of decoloniality through the works of one of its leading lights, this book will be an essential read for researchers across the fields of African Studies, Race Studies, Philosophy, and Education.
This study has been undertaken by five scholars from different parts of the world in the context of the 2005-2006 New Century Scholars Programme 'Higher Education in the Twenty- First Century', of the Fulbright Programme.
This innovative Research Agenda critically reflects on the state of the art and offers inspiration for future higher education research across a variety of geographical, disciplinary and theoretical perspectives. It explores the impact of Covid-19, and the need to re-engage with the Global South and reconsider conventional paradigms and assumptions. Leading international contributors address a set of salient issues, ranging from research on macro-level themes to meso and micro-level phenomena.
A deep-seated issue persists in postgraduate educationone that threatens the relevance of academia in our diverse and evolving world. The problem at hand is the Western-centric nature of postgraduate education, where research paradigms, methodologies, and theoretical frameworks overwhelmingly reflect a Western worldview. This rigid adherence to Western ideologies has left indigenous communities on the periphery of academic discourse, denying them the opportunity to engage with their knowledge systems and practices. Despite the richness and prevalence of indigenous knowledge, the existing educational structure remains a barrier to their inclusion. This disconnect is not only an academic concern but also a societal one, as it hinders sustainable development and stifles the voices of indigenous scholars and students. Global Perspectives on Decolonizing Postgraduate Education serves as a compelling solution to the problem at hand. It offers a comprehensive roadmap to decolonize postgraduate education, infusing it with indigenous approaches, paradigms, theories, and methods. Through critical examination and practical strategies, this book empowers academics, curriculum designers, and postgraduate students to embark on a transformative journey.
Identifies five critical issues with which higher education institutions in the developing world must grapple as they respond to changing external contexts, offers examples of institutional responses to these issues, and considers these within a systems perspective which recognizes that each response impacts how institutions handle other critical issues. Half of the students enrolled in higher education worldwide live in developing countries. Yet, in many developing countries, government and education leaders express serious concerns about the ability of their colleges and universities to effectively respond to the pressures posed by changing demographics, new communication technologies, shifts in national political environments, and the increasing interconnectedness of national economies. This book identifies five critical issues with which higher education institutions in the developing world must grapple as they respond to these changing contexts: seeking a new balance in government-university relationships; coping with autonomy; managing expansion while preserving equity, raising quality, and controlling costs; addressing new pressures for accountability; and supporting academic staff in new roles. These papers offer examples of institutional responses and consider these within a systems perspective that recognizes that each response has a rippling effect impacting institutions' responses to other critical issues. Only as government and education leaders understand the interwoven nature of the problems now facing colleges and universities and the interconnections among the intended solutions they seek to implement can they offer effective leadership that strengthens the quality and improves the relevance of higher education in their countries.
