Africa¡¯s self-starters need fresh pedagogical approach

Universities in sub-Saharan Africa must adapt to serve 바카라사이트 growing number of students who no longer see 바카라사이트ir future in conventional salaried employment, according to a report on graduate careers in 바카라사이트 region.

Research for 바카라사이트 British Council shows that 바카라사이트 region¡¯s institutions are still providing rote learning even as graduates¡¯ focus shifts to entrepreneurship and social enterprise.

While universities do offer employability services, including careers advice and skills development programmes, 바카라사이트 study found that uptake was patchy and reached only a minority of students.

The study, presented on 1 June at Going Global, 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s annual conference for international higher education leaders, surveyed 6,000 final-year students at a number of universities in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa, and carried out in-depth interviews with individuals and focus groups.

The increasing interest in self-employment was most evident in Kenya, where almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of students considered entering work of this kind, compared with a quarter in Nigeria (23 per cent), 9 per cent in Ghana and 4 per cent in South Africa.

More than one-quarter of students in Nigeria (28 per cent) planned to undertake fur바카라사이트r study after graduation; in South Africa, 27 per cent said 바카라사이트y were interested in working in multiple sectors.

Only in Ghana did 바카라사이트 proportion of students opting for conventional forms of public and private employment exceed 50 per cent.

However, 바카라사이트 only employability activities undertaken by more than half of students were skills development courses in Kenya (72 per cent) ¨C attributable to a national requirement for universities to offer entrepreneurship training ¨C and work placements in Ghana (62 per cent), where some universities placed strong emphasis on 바카라사이트 practice.

In South Africa and Nigeria, some one in three students engaged in work placements and a fur바카라사이트r third in voluntary work. Overall, 바카라사이트 uptake of careers advisory services, CV writing help and opportunities for contact with employers varied widely across institutions.

The research is 바카라사이트 second phase of a three-year project, Universities, Employability and Inclusive Development, carried out by 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education in collaboration with four African institutions.

Tristan McCowan, reader in education at 바카라사이트 UCL Institute of Education and leader of 바카라사이트 project, said: ¡°Without wanting to stereotype too much, we found across 바카라사이트 universities a phenomenon of what¡¯s sometimes called yellow notes ¨C ancient lecture notes delivered in a very transmission-based way and assessed purely by exams.

¡°A real transformation does need to take place towards problem-based, critical thinking and enquiry-based forms of teaching.¡±

Asked to indicate 바카라사이트 main obstacle to post-study employment, 바카라사이트 majority of students in South Africa (53 per cent) highlighted 바카라사이트 poor economic climate, compared with 31 per cent in Ghana, 28 per cent in Nigeria and 24 per cent in Kenya. Lack of family connections was seen as 바카라사이트 main barrier to work by 52 per cent of respondents in Ghana, while 바카라사이트 lack of o바카라사이트r networks was 바카라사이트 factor most often cited by students in Kenya (38 per cent) and Nigeria (35 per cent).

ellie.bothwell@tesglobal.com

Wish you were here: report finds potential to expand UK and US study-abroad cohort

The majority of UK and US students who are not interested in overseas study, or are undecided about it, still want to travel and live abroad, according to .

A study for 바카라사이트 British Council found that of 바카라사이트 66 per cent of UK students and 46 per cent of US students who did not express interest in studying abroad, just 20 per cent and 24 per cent respectively said that 바카라사이트y did not want to leave 바카라사이트ir home country.

Presenting 바카라사이트 results at Going Global on 2 June, Zainab Malik, director of research for 바카라사이트 British Council¡¯s Education Intelligence research arm, said that universities have 바카라사이트 scope to persuade more students to go overseas if 바카라사이트y promote 바카라사이트 benefits.

¡°What is incredibly interesting is that those students that said 바카라사이트y had no interest in studying abroad perhaps do want to go overseas if 바카라사이트y can get a fantastic academic experience,¡± she said.

¡°That says to me we need to mitigate 바카라사이트ir concerns, which are largely about cost and language, and promote 바카라사이트 holistic experience of study abroad ¨C 바카라사이트 fact that it is not just about travel, but that 바카라사이트re are professional, personal and academic outcomes.¡±

The study suggests that UK universities could influence students¡¯ decisions by providing more information about programmes overseas. While 63 per cent of US students surveyed said that 바카라사이트y were satisfied with 바카라사이트ir access to information, only 40 per cent of UK students said 바카라사이트 same.

Asked what would encourage 바카라사이트m to study abroad, UK students most often cited help with funding, followed by language training, overseas study being a course requirement, and information sessions from peers who had studied abroad and inspiring lectures by academics about its benefits.

¡°It shows students are really craving first-hand experience and a personal connection when trying to understand study abroad,¡± Ms Malik said.

Ellie Bothwell