African universities – working towards an inclusive digital future in a post-COVID-19 world

Abstract

In response to COVID-19 restrictions, many African universities rapidly implemented online learning. This article identifies a set of critical success factors which should inform a university’s decision to adopt online learning. Online learning potentially amplifies existing inequalities among the student population where matters of digital inclusion are not addressed. By analysing documents from a selection of African universities, we review how they responded to lockdown restrictions. Our analysis applies our framework of critical success factors from the university, the educator and the student’s perspectives. These success factors include an institution’s socio-economic circumstances, cultural readiness and e-readiness, participation in decision-making, and educators and students’ personal and household-level circumstances. Our study highlights important learnings and makes recommendations towards an inclusive digital future of African universities in a post-COVID-19 world.