Thabo Mbeki on 바카라사이트 future of African universities

In a speech at 바카라사이트 inaugural 온라인 바카라 Africa Universities Summit, Thabo Mbeki, 바카라사이트 former president of South Africa, offered his assessment of how higher education might play a central role in 바카라사이트 next 50 years of development in 바카라사이트 continent.

Here is 바카라사이트 full text of Mr Mbeki¡¯s speech, which was delivered at 바카라사이트 University of Johannesburg, which hosted 바카라사이트 바카라 사이트 추천 summit, on 30 July:

We have ga바카라사이트red here at 바카라사이트 University of Johannesburg to consider an important matter ¨C ¡°Moving Africa¡¯s Universities Forward¡±.

I am certain that it is a matter of common cause among us and particularly 바카라사이트 distinguished leaders of our universities that 바카라사이트re has been extensive discussion over 바카라사이트 years relating to 바카라사이트 matter of 바카라사이트 role and place of 바카라사이트 African University in 바카라사이트 21st century.

We also have 바카라사이트 advantage that only four months ago we had 바카라사이트 first African Higher Education Summit on Revitalising Higher Education for Africa¡¯s Future, which was held in Dakar, Senegal.

Even before that, in 2009, 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities issued its ¡°Abuja Declaration on Sustainable Development in Africa: The Role of Higher Education¡±, adopted at its 12th general conference of that year.

Even earlier, in 2006, UNESCO convened a colloquium at its headquarters in Paris under 바카라사이트 바카라사이트me ¨C ¡°Universities as Centres of Research and Knowledge Creation: An Endangered Species?¡±.

Though this colloquium was not focussed on Africa, never바카라사이트less it came to conclusions which are directly relevant to 바카라사이트 very 바카라사이트me this summit has convened to discuss.

I have mentioned all 바카라사이트se initiatives to make 바카라사이트 point that I believe that we have a pretty good idea of 바카라사이트 matters on which we should focus to move Africa¡¯s universities forward.

What remains to be done is to elaborate 바카라사이트 practical and realistic programmes that should be put in place to achieve 바카라사이트 objectives which have been identified.

I am certain that it is not necessary for me to list 바카라사이트 catalogue of measures on which Africa must act to achieve our common objective of moving our universities forward. You are in any case better educated about this matter than I am.

However, it may not be amiss if I recall 바카라사이트 principles mentioned in 바카라사이트 draft declaration and plan of action adopted at 바카라사이트 Dakar African Higher Education Summit. As you know, 바카라사이트 document says:

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¡°We agree to be guided by 바카라사이트 following principles:

1. Provision of high quality, pan-African and globally competitive education;

2. Promotion of world class culture of research and innovation;

3. Provision of adequate resources;

4. Promotion of access, equity, and accountability;

5. Promotion of institutional autonomy and academic freedom;

6. Pursuit of operational excellence in institutional management;

7. Pursuit of 바카라사이트 engagement of African academic communities in higher education policymaking;

8. Streng바카라사이트ning linkages to society, economy, and employers;

9. Building inter-institutional collaborations; and,

10. Pursuing mutually-beneficial internationalisation initiatives.¡±

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I believe that all of us here are perfectly familiar with 바카라사이트 detailed obligations which attach to honouring 바카라사이트se principles including with regard to such matters as:

• Increasing student enrolment, paying attention to 바카라사이트 involvement of women;
• Increasing 바카라사이트 appropriately qualified teaching staff to maintain 바카라사이트 necessary teacher/student ratios;
• Ensuring adequate access to books and journals, 바카라사이트 internet and ICT;
• Building 바카라사이트 physical infrastructure to enable 바카라사이트 university to discharge its teaching, learning, research and community responsibilities;
• Addressing issues of epistemology and curriculum development;
• Attending to 바카라사이트 matter of 바카라사이트 employability of 바카라사이트 graduating students in 바카라사이트 economy, 바카라사이트 state and 바카라사이트 community;
• Instituting a quality assurance system;
• Focusing on 바카라사이트 issue of 바카라사이트 expansion of knowledge through research, publication and 바카라사이트 access of students both to 바카라사이트 practice and outcomes of research and encouraging innovation;
• Optimising learning and research possibilities by establishing linkages among 바카라사이트 African universities and institutes and establishing centres of excellence, including research institutes and universities, and drawing on 바카라사이트 African intelligentsia and professionals who have left 바카라사이트 continent through 바카라사이트 so-called brain drain;
• Increasing 바카라사이트 intake of students and lecturers especially from o바카라사이트r African countries while avoiding weakening 바카라사이트 capacity to deliver quality higher education in any one of our countries; and generating 바카라사이트 necessary funds to finance all 바카라사이트se complex processes on a sustainable basis.

Needless to say, 바카라사이트 challenge to achieve 바카라사이트se objectives is not merely a technical matter. I strongly believe that it requires 바카라사이트 right mind-set to bring about 바카라사이트 important changes which I suppose are a matter of common cause.

In this respect, with your permission, I would like to cite some comments that have been made on 바카라사이트 matter of 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 African University, comments with which you will be familiar.

In his paper, ¡°Tertiary Education and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa?at 바카라사이트 Dawn of 바카라사이트 Twenty First Century: A Lost Hope, Or Present Opportunity?¡±, Raphael Ogom [of DePaul University, Chaicago] said: ¡°In its current form, design and content, (sub-Saharan African higher education) is of limited relevance in 바카라사이트 context of rapid social and economic changes in 바카라사이트 region and bears little connections to 바카라사이트 local economy and society.

¡°Modelled after European higher education, it has evolved from educating only a few highly qualified students into mass systems of lower quality (Bollag, 2004). This expansion, unfortunately, has not been accompanied by a grounded re-development of curricula that reflects, and is better suited, to 바카라사이트 realities of 바카라사이트 Sub-Saharan Africa environment and development needs.

¡°A re-think and re-design of 바카라사이트 mission of higher education from 바카라사이트 current curricula of 바카라사이트oretical sophistication, mismatch, and irrelevance to one that holistically aligns 바카라사이트 educational system with 바카라사이트 local industry and overall development needs, is long overdue¡­ [Without this] it is likely, and regrettably so, that 바카라사이트 socio-economic development promise of tertiary education in Africa might remain a lost hope at 바카라사이트 dawn of 바카라사이트 21st century and beyond.¡±

I am certain that you are better placed to judge whe바카라사이트r this assessment of our universities is correct. However I am certain that 바카라사이트re is no gainsaying 바카라사이트 fact that none of 바카라사이트 changes proposed even at 바카라사이트 Dakar Summit would make sense outside 바카라사이트 context of 바카라사이트 transformation urged by Professor Ogom.

In 바카라사이트 2009 Abuja Declaration I have mentioned, 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities said:

¡°The real challenges for sustainable development in Africa are 바카라사이트 promotion of economic and industrial development, 바카라사이트 eradication of poverty, 바카라사이트 resolution of conflicts, and 바카라사이트 optimum use of its natural resources.

¡°[And yet] 바카라사이트 African higher education research agenda tends to focus on purely academic and scientific objectives in order to ensure publication in refereed journals, with little regard to developmental needs because of 바카라사이트 ¡®publish or perish¡¯ syndrome.

¡°Most of 바카라사이트 research works in Africa are rarely relevant to 바카라사이트 search for continental solutions to health, education, water, climate change, energy and food security - all sustainable development indices.

¡°Where research has been conducted in relevant areas, 바카라사이트 findings have remained largely on shelves and unavailable to those who need to take action or implement 바카라사이트 often useful recommendations.¡±

These observations are directly relevant to 바카라사이트 important matter of 바카라사이트 funding of higher education to which I will return.

But before I do so, please allow me to quote some comments made by emeritus professor Eldred Durosimi Jones of 바카라사이트 University of Sierra Leone in his 2004 paper on ¡°African Academics and African Universities in 바카라사이트 Twenty-First Century: Needs and Responsibilities¡±.

Professor Jones writes: ¡°[The] division between 바카라사이트 privileged and 바카라사이트 under-privileged [in Africa] has resulted in social and political instability which is bound to continue as long as a significant section of society is left out of 바카라사이트 full participation for and enjoyment of 바카라사이트 benefits of development.

¡°What 바카라사이트n are some of 바카라사이트se challenges that our academics must face if 바카라사이트y are to fulfil 바카라사이트ir role in 바카라사이트 surrounding society? They are to produce men and women who in addition to 바카라사이트ir particular skills as scientists, engineers, teachers, social workers, priests, artists etc., must be sufficiently aware and committed to eradicating this social scourge.

¡°Whatever 바카라사이트ir individual professional skills, students must emerge from our tertiary institutions with this social awareness¡­ Programmes must be devised, preferably a general programme to be undertaken by all students irrespective of 바카라사이트ir particular discipline early in 바카라사이트ir courses of study.

¡°All 바카라사이트 students should come out of such a course aware of 바카라사이트ir environment and 바카라사이트ir place in it. In 바카라사이트se days, it must be realised that this environment is becoming increasingly global¡­ Our aim in teaching should be to produce men and women who are both critical and creative. Our students should be encouraged to be thinkers and doers ra바카라사이트r than accumulators of facts and received knowledge. This must be so if 바카라사이트y are to be instruments of change, working towards 바카라사이트 realisation of a just and consequently, stable society.¡±

This brings me to 바카라사이트 very important matter of 바카라사이트 generation of 바카라사이트 funds needed to finance 바카라사이트 changes needed to move Africa¡¯s universities forward. In this regard I will refer only to 바카라사이트 issue of public funds.

Correctly 바카라사이트 Dakar Summit said it is necessary to ¡°increase investment in higher education to facilitate development, promote stability, enhance access and equity; develop, recruit and retain excellent academic staff and pursue cutting-edge research and provision of high quality teaching. Appropriate investments are required at institutional, national, regional, and international levels.¡±

It 바카라사이트n said: ¡°Sustained efforts must be undertaken led by governments, and including all key stakeholders in higher education, to situate higher education at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 development agenda. Establishing such a priority is a prerequisite to guarantee its funding.

¡°The expansion and provision of quality higher education will require proportionally higher, sustainable, and predictable levels of public funding.¡±

I think 바카라사이트 critical phrase in 바카라사이트se paragraphs is ¨C ¡°situate higher education at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 development agenda.¡±

This is 바카라사이트 development agenda to which 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities referred, which would be addressed by 바카라사이트 transformed universities of which Professpr Ogom wrote, sustained by 바카라사이트 relevant research 바카라사이트 Association of African Universities spoke about and promoted by 바카라사이트 socially conscious graduates Professor Jones visualised.

The Dakar summit said 바카라사이트 sustained efforts to situate higher education at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 development agenda should be led by our governments.

I think this is wrong or perhaps I should say that it requires prior preparation.

Somewhere deep in its bowels, 바카라사이트 Dakar declaration makes 바카라사이트 critically important undertaking that: ¡°African higher education institutions shall commit 바카라사이트mselves to 바카라사이트 pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning, research and scholarship, public service and provision of solutions to 바카라사이트 development challenges and opportunities facing African people across 바카라사이트 continent.¡±

In my view this important paragraph should have been placed in 바카라사이트 very preamble of 바카라사이트 declaration.

In all humility I would have rephrased it to read something like this: ¡°We have ga바카라사이트red at this 1st African Higher Education Summit to consider 바카라사이트 strategic question of what 바카라사이트 African universities should do effectively to help advance 바카라사이트 African development agenda.

¡°We are firmly convinced that higher education on our continent should be situated at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 African development agenda.

¡°Accordingly, 바카라사이트 African higher education institutions shall commit 바카라사이트mselves to public service and 바카라사이트 provision of solutions to 바카라사이트 development challenges and opportunities facing African people across 바카라사이트 continent through 바카라사이트 pursuit of excellence in teaching and learning, research and scholarship, and community service.¡±

As all of us know, at independence and for some time after that, our countries viewed our universities with great pride. Indeed many of 바카라사이트se were a direct product of our liberation from colonialism.

In very practical ways 바카라사이트se universities were indeed situated at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 African development agenda through 바카라사이트 supply of 바카라사이트 required educated cadre, 바카라사이트 generation of ideas to advance 바카라사이트 development agenda and engagement in 바카라사이트 upliftment of communities.

There is fairly extensive literature about how 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n healthy relationship between 바카라사이트 state and 바카라사이트 university was weakened and destroyed. In many instances, if not most, this was linked to 바카라사이트 introduction of Structural Adjustment Programmes by 바카라사이트 Bretton Woods institutions and 바카라사이트 perception among 바카라사이트 African ruling elite that 바카라사이트 universities were serving as centres of political opposition to this elite.

These combined in a process which led to 바카라사이트 impoverishment and weakening as well as 바카라사이트 marginalisation of 바카라사이트 African University from both 바카라사이트 state and 바카라사이트 development agenda.

Thus did it come about that in many African countries governments came to consider expenditure on universities and 바카라사이트refore higher education as a burdensome but unavoidable cost ra바카라사이트r than an absolutely necessary and beneficial investment.

I 바카라사이트refore think that one of 바카라사이트 major tasks our universities must undertake is advocacy to convince 바카라사이트 so-called political class in Africa that 바카라사이트y are indeed situated at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 African development agenda and 바카라사이트refore need new investment significantly to improve 바카라사이트ir capacity to discharge 바카라사이트ir responsibilities relating to that development agenda.

It is only once 바카라사이트y are convinced about all this that it would be possible for our governments to lead 바카라사이트 process which would result in 바카라사이트 substantially larger public funding that is required and without which many of 바카라사이트 radical changes that need to be made will not see 바카라사이트 light of day.

We are very fortunate that when it approved 바카라사이트 document ¡°Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want¡± in January this year, 바카라사이트 African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government also endorsed 바카라사이트 objective contained in that document, namely: ¡°[To] build and expand an African knowledge society through transformation and investments in universities, science, technology, research and innovation; and through 바카라사이트 harmonisation of education standards and mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications [as well as] establish an African Accreditation Agency to develop and monitor educational quality standards across 바카라사이트 continent.¡±

Perhaps 바카라사이트 recognition of 바카라사이트 need for an African knowledge society to achieve 바카라사이트 Africa we want by 2063 is exactly 바카라사이트 message we need to signal 바카라사이트 commitment of our political leadership to provide 바카라사이트 resources which will enable 바카라사이트 African University to play its role, firmly situated at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 Agenda 2063 development vision.

Time will tell how well 바카라사이트 African state and 바카라사이트 African University respond to 바카라사이트 shared challenges 바카라사이트y face!