23 June 2022  Issue No: 365

Calls for investment in transdisciplinary research in Africa in order to achieve progress in science and innovation as tools to deal with challenges that are impeding social and economic transformation of the continent have dominated proceedings at the Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress.

The Southern Africa Development Community, or SADC, has expressed concern over the failure by some countries in the region to fully implement the SADC Charter on Women in Science, Engineering and Technology, five years after it was approved by the regional bloc.

Uganda’s Makerere University, which marks its centenary this year, is well known as the oldest university in East Africa and as a cradle of political elites. Some of its halls of residence have long nurtured different traditions. What do they say about cultural influence?

A new book on doctoral training in Africa emphasises its significance for higher education, societal well-being and economic development. Against a backdrop of major impediments, it calls for efforts to overcome them and strengthen programmes that take into account the unique context of Africa.

International students in South Africa whose study visa applications are still pending were granted a blanket extension of their current visa status until 30 June 2022. If any of these applicants elect to abandon pending applications, they are allowed to leave South Africa by this date without being declared undesirable. But what is causing visa-processing delays?

Women still shy away from courses related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. However, Dr Lydie Mpinganzima, a senior mathematics lecturer at the University of Rwanda, says girls should not fear the sciences. She believes mentorship and outreach targeting women students can make a difference.

South Africa can claim to be the home of the most successful higher education system in Africa, as seven of its 26 public universities were ranked among the top 1,000 universities globally in the 19th edition of the QS World University Rankings.

While there has been criticism of some Indian government policies which are perceived as impinging on academic freedom, several other policies encourage greater university autonomy and internationalisation and highlight how important it is to take stock of the everyday social reality in the country.

Higher education institutions need to analyse and, in many cases, appropriate the mechanisms used by successful commercially operated businesses, particularly when it comes to eradicating administrative silos and harnessing data so as to better understand the real needs of all students.

The higher education sector is wasting no time in reaching out to potential overseas partners in the wake of recent Indian policy changes that facilitate tie-ups and joint degrees with foreign universities, but there are still legal and practical issues to be resolved.