30 January 2020  Issue No: 258

Over the last two decades, there has been intense debate about the value of humanities and social science degrees against those of science, technology, engineering and mathematics – with the latter coming out on top, owing largely to perceptions of improved graduate employment prospects. But now scholars in the humanities and social sciences are fighting back against allegations of academic freeloading.

Social work education in Ghana is often based on Western models which are imposed on the country through teachers, textbooks and consultants, even though they are not culturally relevant or effective. Indigenisation is needed to make social work education, practice and research culturally relevant.

As membership of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture or RUFORUM grows, stakeholders are concerned about the practicality and benefits of a larger consortium. Some members say it’s time to discuss a regional approach.

A reader responds to our recent coverage of allegations of flaws in the university accreditation process run by the National Universities Commission of Nigeria.

South African university leaders have recognised the value of social media in communicating with academic communities and others. However, as with any public engagement, social media communication requires an informed approach, and sometimes, a thick skin.

The needs of contemporary society are changing and so must higher education. It must adapt to the bio-tech revolution, for instance, and find ways to make innovation work for all people, as well as teaching creative thinking, which now is as important as knowledge acquisition.

As Australia burns and the global climate emergency proceeds, now is the time for universities to become leaders for global action against climate change by pledging to teach students to prepare humanity to mitigate the effects of the wave of extinction events to come.

Natural disaster-prone Japan, which focuses heavily on earthquake-prediction research, technologies and countermeasures, is allocating new funds for building resilience against climate change-related typhoons and flooding, and will also boost flood and earthquake resistance measures as host to the Olympic Games this year.