24 March 2022  Issue No: 352

The African and European unions’ innovation agenda is truly ground-breaking. Political elites in the United Kingdom, United States and Australia, and even those in China and Russia, would do well to take heed of the development philosophy that underlies this transcontinental plan.

Higher education institutions in South Africa are at the helm of building an innovative, knowledge-rich and resilient society. Yet, they are often criticised for producing graduates who are not ‘fit for purpose’ because of a disconnect between industry requirements and university curricula.

As a continent, we must move from climate theory to climate action and, therefore, it is critical to build alliances and partnerships between different role-players in terms of climate change. This calls for the inclusion of local contexts and indigenous knowledge in climate adaptation strategies, says Professor René Pellissier.

Indigenous knowledge systems must be incorporated in African university curricula across the continent in order to help resurrect nation-building and decolonisation projects that have been put on hold. The goal is to promote cognitive justice, according to Ugandan higher education thought leader Catherine Odora Hoppers.

Ethiopia’s current initiatives in space science and technology suggest its potential to play a significant role in the region. But space society and related institutions should be supported in their efforts by schools and universities, which are key in spearheading efforts in this field.

A solar park on the campus of Cameroon’s University of Yaoundé I has been able to stabilise the electricity supply that the academic community desperately needed. A reason for the erratic hydro-power supply that affects all sectors of society is water supply deficits, exacerbated by climate change.

A new report by Higher Education Strategy Associates based on comprehensive global research of higher education worldwide reveals fascinating data about the Global North, unpacking the extent, patterns and drivers of declining student numbers and other key trends currently confronting the sector.

Egyptian students who fled from Ukraine will be able to resume their studies in their homeland. In addition, several eastern European countries, including Romania, Hungary and Serbia, will allow students who were previously studying at Ukrainian universities to complete their studies at their universities and higher education institutions.

The slow response of United Kingdom higher education to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine shows a need for more coordinated collective action and is part of a pattern of behaviour. If UK universities value their autonomy, they should take decisive action more quickly.

The United Kingdom needs to end the outdated division between businesspeople and students when it comes to its visa system. International students bring multiple benefits to the country, including to the UK’s levelling up agenda and its ambitions for the education export sector.

All universities and colleges in Shanghai – which has around 30 universities and a similar number of colleges – are in lockdown amid the COVID-19 resurgence in Eastern China, China’s state broadcaster has reported, as multiple Chinese cities face the worst COVID outbreaks since early 2020.