6 October 2022  Issue No: 377

One of the most serious threats facing higher education and the scientific enterprise in South Africa is the rising tide of xenophobia in the halls of academia. At the root of the problem is the lack of understanding of what a university is, and is not, writes the President of the Academy of Science of South Africa, Professor Jonathan Jansen.

Africa is the continent with the youngest population in the world, and so needs to expand effective higher education, but the public sector cannot cope with the demand, so private institutions have a role to play, says Dr Jonathan Louw, group CEO of Honoris United Universities, a pan-African tertiary education network.

Much of the science that is needed for climate action is in place and the onus is on governments, corporates and civil society to make the mitigation of climate change an immediate priority. But, in a dangerous post-truth age, climate change scepticism is a real concern, says researcher Heidi-Jayne Hawkins.

COVID-19 has forced universities to re-evaluate their telos – their value and purpose – undergirding their teaching and research functions, business models, governance and institutional cultures, and external engagements. It comes at a time of fierce epistemological and ontological contestation, writes Paul Zeleza, former vice-chancellor of the United States International University Africa.

Investing time and expertise to negotiate a transparent Framework Research Agreement is highly recommended to address the challenges associated with contracts, including intellectual property negotiations, and where the intention of both the industry partner and a university is that of a long-term research collaboration with several projects.

High unemployment in Nigeria, especially among the youth, has become a worrisome trend. With an estimated population of 200 million, the overall unemployment rate is 33.3%, but the figure for young people was 42.5% in 2020, according to the last available figures of the National Bureau of Statistics.

Young and upcoming African researchers should not pursue science to become famous, but for the fun of it and out of curiosity – and that might well also be the best way to advance their scientific careers, said Dr Art McDonald, the Nobel Prize winner in Physics in 2015.

Professor Lydia Aziato has just been named the vice-chancellor of the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho in Ghana’s Volta Region. She is the fifth woman vice-chancellor in Ghana. The child of peasant farmers, Aziato did not allow her background to become a barrier to her success.

Understanding more precisely the academic penalties shown by recent research to be attached to studying in a language that is not one’s mother tongue is becoming an increasingly relevant exercise given the significant growth in student mobility currently being seen around the world.

Universities can play a leading role in transforming society, but this requires a merit system and research and education funding conditions that recognise the value of engagement with society as well as impact on society, International Association of Universities President Pam Fredman tells University World News.