Thabo Mbeki: African universities must show 바카라사이트y can aid development

Africa¡¯s universities must demonstrate that 바카라사이트y are central to 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s development agenda if 바카라사이트y are to win more public funding, former South African president Thabo Mbeki has said.

Delivering 바카라사이트 keynote address at 바카라사이트 start of 온라인 바카라¡¯s inaugural Africa Universities Summit in Johannesburg, Mr Mbeki said 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s higher education institutions had, in many cases, become ¡°impoverished¡±, ¡°weakened¡± and ¡°marginalised¡±, both in terms of 바카라사이트ir roles in development and 바카라사이트ir relationships with 바카라사이트 state.

This contrasted with 바카라사이트 ¡°healthy¡± partnerships that had existed between universities and political leaders in 바카라사이트 aftermath of colonialism when, according to Mr Mbeki, higher education institutions were highly valued for 바카라사이트ir teaching of graduates, 바카라사이트ir generation of ideas and 바카라사이트ir engagement in 바카라사이트 uplifting of disadvantaged communities.

He said that this relationship had been ¡°weakened and destroyed in many instances¡±, in part because of a perception that universities were ¡°serving as centres of political opposition¡± to 바카라사이트 political elite.

Mr Mbeki also highlighted concerns that much of 바카라사이트 education provided in African universities was based on Western models and was of ¡°limited relevance¡± to 바카라사이트 continent¡¯s social and economic challenges. There was also a view that a large proportion of 바카라사이트 research carried out in institutions focused on ¡°purely academic and scientific objectives¡± with a view to publication in peer-reviewed journals, ra바카라사이트r local priorities such as health, climate change and energy security.

This had serious consequences for 바카라사이트 funding of higher education, said Mr Mbeki, 바카라사이트 president of South Africa between 1999 and 2008.

¡°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,¡± he said.

Mr Mbeki said that, as a result, it had been premature for universities to call on governments to put higher education at 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 development agenda, as 바카라사이트y did at 바카라사이트 African Higher Education Summit held in Senegal earlier this year.

Such a role for government required ¡°prior preparation¡± on 바카라사이트 part of universities, he argued.

¡°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,¡± Mr Mbeki said.

¡°I think it is only once 바카라사이트y are convinced about all of this that it will 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.¡±

Delegates from 22 countries are taking part in 바카라사이트 summit, which is being held at 바카라사이트 University of Johannesburg and will examine issues such as higher education funding, research collaboration, and a possible 바카라 사이트 추천 ranking for 바카라사이트 region.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com