18 June 2020  Issue No: 274

Campus-based solutions won’t be sufficient for the imminent surge of Africans seeking enrolment in African institutions and, post COVID-19, university leaders need to treat quality assurance processes seriously to build sustainable online or blended learning offerings and be ready for future big disruptions.

Malawi universities are counting the cost of a COVID-19 lockdown that has been in place since 23 March, which the government has now said will end on 13 July. The closure of public and private universities across the country left tertiary institutions reeling, and students say they are happy that a resumption of their studies is now in sight.

A win for all academic staff, and a stark warning to university administrators to follow correct procedures and respect its own tribunals – that is how several commentators and stakeholders are describing the recent string of separate court victories against Uganda’s Makerere University, involving two staff – including outspoken feminist and human rights activist Dr Stella Nyanzi – and one PhD student.

When Dr Charles Murigande retired recently as the deputy vice-chancellor in charge of institutional advancement at the University of Rwanda, social media was flooded with congratulatory messages. A former minister of education and of foreign affairs, advisor to the president, ambassador to Japan and vice-chancellor, Murigande has inspired many. University World News spoke to him about his role at the university, his vision for its future and his plans for retirement.

Reduced food and nutrition security, particularly for the poor, as a result of COVID-19 prompts an immediate policy response. In the fourth of a six-part dialogue series hosted by the Alliance for African Partnership or AAP, university leaders discussed the lessons learned from and policy responses to economic, food security and livelihood impacts of COVID-19 in Africa. The next webinar – dealing with the mental health impacts of COVID-19 in Africa – is on 24 June.

Higher education needs to learn from the last recession and do more than implement superficial changes. We need a radical rethink. Educators, policy-makers, employers and investors must urgently give thought to what a post-COVID world should look like and what role universities should play.

In disruptive times, universities in developed and developing countries need to work together to share ideas on how to promote the kind of innovation, creativity and meaningful learning that will be needed for the future. Building a positive and respectful relationship is critical.

Asian universities have gained ground with record representation in the top 100, while the United States, United Kingdom and other European countries have seen an overall decline in performance in the QS World University Rankings 2021, reflecting increased competition in global higher education.