1. Internationalizing higher education in Africa: Funding versus Impact
James Otieno Jowi
Executive Director
African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE)
CIMO Conference
3rd -4th May 2012, Helsinki Finland

2. Africa & the Knowledge society
Worlds 2nd largest continent
At the peri pheri of the Knowledge society
Developing -Home to 32 of worlds 38 HIPC countries
Faces numerous challenges- poverty, low literacy rates, gender disparities 50% of countries may not attain universal PE by 2015
Gross Enrolment in HE is 5%
Accounts for 1.5 % of research productivity
Spends less than 0.3% of GNP on research

3. Today’s Globalized World
Flow of people, culture, ideas, values, knowledge, technology and economy across borders, facilitating a more interconnected and independent world”
Knowledge Counts

4. Challenges Facing Africa's HE
ICT
Governance
INTERNATIONALIZATION
HIGHER
EDUCATION
INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES
FUNDING
DEMAND

5. Internationalization of HE in Africa
Globalization/Internationalization- old phenomena/new realities
Main drivers of change in HE
Varied definitions and meanings
Diverse implications for HE in different contexts
Varied manifestations/developments in Africa
Africa responds in ways peculiar to its circumstances
Differing rationales, challenges, risks etc
New opportunities, attendant risks & challenges
Internationalization is not only unavoidable but inevitable
Worldwide, it is a central/strategic issue in HE
Africa is part of golobalized world
Has to respond to opportunities & challenges of internationalization
Institutional, national, international strategies.
Fragmented & weak capacity

6. Europe-Africa HE Relations
Modern HE in Africa- recent phenomenon
Modeled on European traditions
North- key player in dev of Africa's HE
Institutional capacity, policies & cultures
Infrastructure, curricular issues
Research & knowledge production
Consequences- realities
Continued developments in recent years
So….the past and the present have been of shared experiences….especially with some countries in Europe

7. What does Africa want from Internationalization
IAU 3rd Global Survey -2009
Main Rationales: Research/institutional capacity
Main risks: Brain drain, curricular influences, commercialization, unfair collaborations
Main Challenges: Funding, capacity, infrastructure, ICTs, quality, policies, strategies, resources, institutional barriers
The unknown? & unintended consequences
*Arusha Convention-mobility/harmonization
*Plan of Action for 2nd Decade of Education in Africa
*Africa's Higher Education & Research Space (AHERS)
*ANIE?

8. Benefits/opportunities for Africa
Strengthening research capacities of African institutions
Developing new generation of scholars for Africa
Collaborations/structured partnerships
Strengthening of research/ sharing research outcomes
Training in specialized knowledge areas/ development of expertise
Development of Africa's centers of excellence
Innovations in programs and provision
Africa's presence in global knowledge society
Opportunities for reverse mobility/ stemming brain drain
Use of infrastructure/ facilities
Cultural diversity…..new ways of doing things
International experience

9. What is going on in Africa
Africa is growing in different aspects!
Rapid expansion of the HE sector
New intra- Africa initiatives
Implementing Arusha Convention- Harmonization of Degree Structures, Credit Transfer, Quality Assurance
Strengthening Africas Higher Education & Research Space (AHERS)- Research, Training of New Generation, Centres of Excellence
New developments in ICT- OERs/ODL/Teaching, learning& research
Building on Regional Initiatives (AAU, CAMES, IUCEA, SARUA, )
Growing mobility
Regionalization of internationalization

10. How can we create impact?
1st & 2nd ANIE conferences discussed the challenges
3rd conference 2011 brought together university leaders, policy makers and academics to discuss way forward.
Theme: Internationalization of HE in Africa: Where to focus funding and create real impact
Organized jointly with British Council & National Universities Commission (NUC)- Nigeria
Key outcomes

11. Rationale/objectives
Increasing awareness of the role international higher education partnerships can play in Africa’s development;
Increasing understanding of how universities can work together to support the internationalisation of higher education agenda in Africa;
Identify areas of weakness and potential for development partners and African governments to support towards the development and improvement of higher education sector in Africa.

12. Priority Areas Institutional strengthening
Develop & strengthen research capacity of institutions
Social relevance/ Local solutions (MDGs)
Build the African academic community
Invest in the new generation of scholars and leaders
Strengthen & link to on-going Africa’s initiatives
Renewed role of African governments
Enhance opportunities for post graduate training and research
Strengthen academic quality and curriculum innovations
Build strategic relations with African universities…..then with other universities.
Governance/leadership
Information sharing/access/equity/quality
Develop & support regional centers of excellence
Invest in and take advantage of ICTs
Africanization of internationalization
Address barriers to collaborations/ partnerships
Implement regional and continental frameworks

13. Some challenges Unfair collaborations/imbalances
Unintended consequences
Brain drain
Priority shifts
Institutional drawbacks
Academic quality
Regional frameworks
Funding/ resources
Clarity of overall goals
Regionalization of internationalization
Anti-intellectual global developments
The usual suspects….traditions of cooperation

14. Lessons The complexity of partnerships i.e. contexts/priorities
Shared ownership of partnerships
Trust and transparency amongst partners
No size fits all!
Clear division of roles and responsibilities
Joint planning and implementation of partnership plans.
Expectations & outcomes
Partnership champions…
Effective and regular communication
Funding maintenance/Sustainability
Commitment and supportive institutional infrastructure
Monitoring/evaluation

15. Email. sec@anienetwork.org