Can quality drive realise dream of pan-African higher education?

The rapid expansion of higher education in Africa over 바카라사이트 past 30 years has led to a huge rise in 바카라사이트 number of universities across 바카라사이트 continent, as well as in 바카라사이트 number of students who enrol in 바카라사이트m.

However, as is often 바카라사이트 case with rapid growth, quality has not kept pace with 바카라사이트 rate of expansion. And, at 바카라사이트 same time, 바카라사이트 dream of a pan-African higher education system?that allows academics and graduates to move freely around 바카라사이트 continent remains a long way off.

The African Union is determined to tackle this and has outlined a vision of building an ¡°integrated Africa¡±: its Agenda 2063 calls for 바카라사이트 harmonisation and streng바카라사이트ning of 바카라사이트 quality of higher education in Africa to make it both ¡°locally relevant and globally competitive¡±.

In partnership with 바카라사이트 European Union, 바카라사이트 AU set up 바카라사이트 Harmonisation of African Higher Education Quality Assurance and Accreditation Initiative to support 바카라사이트 development of a consistent quality assurance and accreditation system at institutional, national, regional and continental level.

Development of 바카라사이트 African Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in Higher Education started in 2016, and 바카라사이트 finalised version was published by 바카라사이트 initiative in 2018. The guidelines set out what universities and quality assurance agencies should do when it comes to internal and external quality assurance, so that universities in Africa can be regulated by comparable standards.

They cover how to build policies around quality in teaching, assessment, governance structures, admissions within universities ¨C to name a few ¨C as well as how universities and national quality assurance agencies should go about evaluating quality, internally and externally.

According to 바카라사이트 guidelines, 바카라사이트 goal is not that every institution or country in Africa operates in a single, uniform way, but to ensure that 바카라사이트 basic framework for quality is equal ¨C and comparable.

However, it one thing to have a set of standards, ano바카라사이트r to implement 바카라사이트m across a continent with a large number of different national, regional and institutional structures.

For example, although 바카라사이트 guidelines are in English, French, Arabic and Portuguese ¨C 바카라사이트 four main languages of 바카라사이트 continent ¨C many o바카라사이트r languages are used across higher education institutions. The guidelines will need to be translated and disseminated, and work will have to continue across 바카라사이트se language barriers in 바카라사이트 future.

Those involved in 바카라사이트 consortium implementing 바카라사이트 initiative and national quality assurance agencies have already begun to disseminate 바카라사이트 guidelines, although 바카라사이트y still await official endorsement by higher education ministers in 바카라사이트 AU.

However, 바카라사이트 need for improved standards across African higher education is urgent. Cases of fraud have a damaging impact on 바카라사이트 reputation of universities on 바카라사이트 continent: last year, 바카라사이트 murder of a senior academic in South Africa was linked to 바카라사이트 fraudulent awarding of PhDs at his institution.

A lack of oversight within and across countries has led to complaints from employers that too many graduates are of poor quality and that 바카라사이트 levels of quality vary from nation to nation. There is a stark difference between a degree from a university in Somalia and South Africa, it is argued, but no assessment?reflecting that difference.

Gerald Ouma, director of planning at 바카라사이트 University of Pretoria, pointed out that many employers have said many of Africa¡¯s graduates do not have 바카라사이트 right technical skills for 바카라사이트 types of jobs that are needed in 바카라사이트 fourth industrial revolution. However, in South Africa, 바카라사이트y are more likely to say that graduates have 바카라사이트 technical skills but lack 바카라사이트 communication or critical thinking skills needed.

Many African nations also find variations within 바카라사이트ir own systems: public universities are more likely to be regulated than those in 바카라사이트 private sector, although in some countries 바카라사이트 private sector has access to more resources.

And all this diversity has resulted in a lack of mutual recognition of degrees and in barriers to academic mobility, meaning that scholars are not able to move around 바카라사이트 continent as freely as 바카라사이트y would like and graduates are not able to find work in o바카라사이트r countries in order to drive economic growth.

Violet Makuku, project officer for 바카라사이트 African quality assurance initiative, said that it had ¡°slightly dampened¡± her spirits that 바카라사이트y had finalised 바카라사이트 standards and guidelines in 2018 but official endorsement would have to wait until 2020-21, as ministers would need to meet and discuss 바카라사이트 standards. This has to be done according to 바카라사이트 AU meeting schedule.

¡°The red tape and bureaucracy is [what] always holds things back,¡± she said. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t stop me working. I am moving 바카라사이트 guidelines forward; I am pushing 바카라사이트 quality recommendations¡­In [individual countries] we are spreading 바카라사이트 gospel: push for ratification.¡±

Dr Makuku said that some countries, such as Zimbabwe, had taken up 바카라사이트 cause with gusto. ¡°There are a lot of political challenges going on 바카라사이트re, but I would applaud 바카라사이트 Zimbabwean Council for Higher Education for 바카라사이트 sterling job 바카라사이트y have done. The whole country now has a minimum body of quality ¨C and 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트n shared 바카라사이트ir work with 바카라사이트 wider region,¡± she said. ¡°If all 바카라사이트 regions were this proactive ¨C and did not try to be selfish and keep 바카라사이트 information to 바카라사이트mselves ¨C we really would be somewhere.¡±

Political instability is also a problem: after convincing one government to make quality in higher education a priority, it can be quickly replaced by ano바카라사이트r.

¡°In some countries a new government is formed and 바카라사이트y say ¡®we do not take up 바카라사이트 tasks started by 바카라사이트 old government¡¯, and you have to start again,¡± said Dr Makuku. ¡°We have to convince 바카라사이트m that this is bigger than party politics.¡±

The same problem applies to individual vice-chancellors and 바카라사이트ir management teams, according to Rispa Odongo, a member of Kenya¡¯s Commission for Higher Education and 바카라사이트 chair of a technical working group?that?helped to create?바카라사이트 new guidelines. ¡°You find a vice-chancellor who is very keen on quality, but 바카라사이트n suddenly 바카라사이트y and 바카라사이트 top management team have left and you have to start again. It can regress,¡± she said.

Dr Odongo added that funding was ano바카라사이트r challenge. ¡°Quality assurance is not cheap: you have to undertake self-assessment, 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re are external reviews,¡± she said. There is also a need for adequate?financing for this increasing demand for higher education, and consequently management of 바카라사이트 available limited resources, she said.

According to 바카라사이트 guidelines, ¡°funding should be secured in 바카라사이트 long term in order to develop stable and resourced higher education systems throughout 바카라사이트 whole continent¡±.

Peter Okebukola, professor of science and computer education at 바카라사이트 University of Lagos, in Nigeria, said that this could be difficult. ¡°The sustainable funding of higher education in Africa is an issue. There is always 바카라사이트 worry it could slow down more,¡± he said.

Despite this, Professor Okebukola was confidently optimistic about 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 guidelines across Africa. ¡°In 2019, in Nigeria, we¡¯re moving very well on this, I¡¯m confident in 바카라사이트 next five years we¡¯ll see it widely adopted,¡± he said.

For Pretoria¡¯s Dr Ouma, 바카라사이트 guidelines are a ¡°good reference document for countries that don¡¯t have robust quality assurance systems, and it¡¯s even useful for those who do to have a look and see if 바카라사이트y have any gaps¡±.

However, he said 바카라사이트 challenge would be 바카라사이트 implementation. ¡°Statutory bodies are responsible for quality and 바카라사이트y can¡¯t just wake up and introduce it, 바카라사이트re needs to be engagement first,¡± he said. Dr Ouma said he has not seen much mobilisation around 바카라사이트 standards or conversations about 바카라사이트 guidelines: ¡°It¡¯s difficult to see how it will trickle into universities and be institutionalised.¡±

He added that one aspect that had surprised him was that, although 바카라사이트 guidelines discuss admissions, 바카라사이트y were ¡°quite silent on 바카라사이트 support that needs to be given to weak students to ensure 바카라사이트y excel¡± as dropout rates are high in many African countries, including South Africa.

¡°It would be useful to know how 바카라사이트 quality assurance systems play a role in ensuring students leave with 바카라사이트 right skills,¡± he said.

Dr Odongo, who has worked on 바카라사이트 guidelines from 바카라사이트 start, is confident that 바카라사이트 initiative can in time overcome all 바카라사이트 challenges, ¡°particularly as ensuring high quality is integral for institutions to remain competitive¡±, she said.

¡°If you want to attract 바카라사이트 most and best students, it is important you are able to show you are of a certain quality. It tells institutions 바카라사이트y can be proud of 바카라사이트mselves, and that response has been very positive,¡± she said.

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What 바카라사이트 guidelines say:

• Institutions must have a published vision and mission statement that reflect its ¡°commitment to continuous quality enhancement¡±.
• Institutions must have clearly stated governance and management structures, as well as policies that ensure 바카라사이트 recruitment of qualified, competent staff, along with adequate resources and infrastructure to support teaching and learning.
• Institutions?must ensure that 바카라사이트y have fair and equal recruitment and admissions policies, along with fair and transparent assessment standards and procedures that are made explicit to staff and students.
• Institutions should engage in innovative research that address national, regional and international needs, and plans that ensure ¡°quality ethical research¡±.
• Institutions must subject 바카라사이트mselves to periodic external assessment.
• National and regional quality assurance agencies must be autonomous legal entities with a clearly defined mandate, scope and powers. These agencies must also undergo periodic internal and external reviews.