Internationalization of African Higher Education in the time of emerging global realities

Abstract

This paper aims at exploring opportunities and challenges of internationalization of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Africa so as to  encourage South–South partnership. In order to achieve this objective, desk review of experiences coupled with historical sketch were  employed. Qualitative review of experience was selected to examine the comparative viewpoints of challenges and opportunities in  internationalization. The approach and materials consulted were chosen depending on policy relevance and appropriateness to the context. Accordingly, research-based documents were thematically organized and analyzed. As African universities are part of the wider Global HEIs, academic activities of HEIs in the South are positively and adversely influenced by institutional culture and technological advancement of the North. Although Africa is endowed with strong communal culture and natural resources, most HEIs are in the ivory tower detached from real-life-situations and far from addressing existing and emerging problems of the society. Based on research findings and institutional examples, internationalization of higher education in Africa lacks experience and heavily relies on Western approaches, and considered as weak in terms of resource and network. Hence, the findings focus on how to maximize homegrown approaches for HEIs in Africa and address limitations in the direction of mobility and ICT.