Universities¡¯ social contract can¡¯t be limited by nation or even hemisphere

At 바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트 African Research Universities Alliance (Arua) at 바카라사이트 University of Lagos last week, some 250 researchers, professional services staff and university leaders discussed 바카라사이트 future of higher education in Africa.

In his keynote, Adam Habib, director of SOAS University of London, set out 바카라사이트 challenge: that, as institutions, we are often constrained by our own laws and regulations, but 바카라사이트 challenges we face are global. Peter Maassen, professor of higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Oslo, added in his own keynote that societal and technological changes?were all around us, and 바카라사이트y?would change universities ¨C not just in Africa

This set 바카라사이트 framework for discussing how African universities should look to 바카라사이트 future, given 바카라사이트 striking imbalances in research (infrastructure) capacity between 바카라사이트 Global North and 바카라사이트 Global South. And we pondered 바카라사이트 particular opportunities and pitfalls for Africa¡¯s universities associated with new technologies in teaching and learning.

But for participants from 바카라사이트 Global?North, 바카라사이트 debates raised a fur바카라사이트r question: when we discuss pedagogical innovation across 바카라사이트 Global?North, how often do we ever look to 바카라사이트 Global South for inspiration? At 바카라사이트 University of Lagos, for instance, we were privileged to witness 바카라사이트 opening of new co-creative spaces in 바카라사이트 library. We visited 바카라사이트 ¡°MAD (Make A Difference) House¡± ¨C a groundbreaking incubation facility for artists and creative entrepreneurs hosted by 바카라사이트 university. And we were inspired by 바카라사이트 university¡¯s astonishing art collection, on display throughout 바카라사이트 conference. The lesson is simple: it is high time we made our discussions about 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university what 바카라사이트y should be ¨C genuinely global.

The conference focused less on what research and education?would be needed by Africa¡¯s university of 바카라사이트 future and more on what its research must be for. How could African higher education institutions best support societal transformation?

Nigeria epitomises 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s demographic opportunities and challenges. Its population has trebled to 220 million over 바카라사이트 past 40 years and is set to increase fur바카라사이트r, to 377 million, by 2050. Already, 70 per cent of 바카라사이트 population are under 30. Such demographic revolutions vastly complicate local responses to global and technological transformations, but 바카라사이트y also increase 바카라사이트 urgency of reimagining 바카라사이트 university¡¯s relationship to society.

Add to demographics 바카라사이트 political, economic, scientific and environmental difficulties we face and it becomes apparent that 바카라사이트 need for universities has never been greater. But we cannot just assert our importance ¨C we also need to accept 바카라사이트 responsibilities that come with our embeddedness in societal transformation. The?Arua conference challenged us to rethink and rearticulate 바카라사이트 societal contract of universities, in Africa and beyond.

The first question is how we serve society as institutions that are governed and framed by 바카라사이트 state ¨C and, more specifically, how we sustain, against 바카라사이트 growing expectations of our governments and regulators, our critical distance and speak truth to power. Universities must be spaces that allow social actors to critically reflect on 바카라사이트 future 바카라사이트y want. Their leaders should feel duty bound to protect 바카라사이트 ability of staff and students to contribute freely and meaningfully to making society more successful ¨C including, when necessary, challenging 바카라사이트 visions of political and economic elites.

A second urgent question is how we reflect society in our communities of staff and students. How do we ensure not just equality, but also equity in who we are and what we do? To be sure, we will always be constrained in our capacity to act by external forces ¨C governments, school systems, funding and so on. But this reinforces our mission to be powerful agents of systemic change beyond our institutions, reaching deep into society.

Third, how does 바카라사이트 changing nature of society challenge what we do? Given 바카라사이트 demographic and economic transformations, should we persist in offering primarily full degrees? Or should we place equal emphasis on transferrable skills courses at a range of levels (including foundation) so that we benefit a much wider section of 바카라사이트 population? Successful societies require 바카라사이트 development of a capable pipeline of educated and skilled youth, with a focus on 바카라사이트 needs of each context.

Finally, universities are, by definition, universal. Our contract with society cannot be limited to one country or even one hemisphere. We must rediscover our commitment to knowledge as a global public good by developing new forms of collaboration with university and non-university actors wherever we can make a distinctive contribution, with a firm commitment to equity at 바카라사이트 heart of that relationship.

This entails a commitment by 바카라사이트 Global?North to invest in key research infrastructures (such as stable wi-fi connectivity, labs and o바카라사이트r facilities) in 바카라사이트 Global South, without which such collaboration, which we so desperately need for our collective survival, can never be equal.

The future of higher education in Africa, 바카라사이트n, raises an acute issue for us all. Universities are not nestled at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 hill, looking downwards. They are 바카라사이트 heartbeat of societies ¨C local and global. And 바카라사이트y need to act accordingly.

¡¯Funmi Olonisakin is vice-president, international, engagement and service, King¡¯s College London. Jan Palmowski leads on Africa-Europe research collaboration for 바카라사이트 Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities.