30 March 2023  Issue No: 399

Amid a burnout epidemic, academics should shift their thinking from ‘What is wrong with us?’ to ‘What is wrong with the system?’ and leaders have to stop the glorification of being busy, prevent staff from being overloaded and prioritise slow scholarship that allows time to think and plan.

An International Academy of Scientific Francophonie – l’Académie Internationale de la Francophonie Scientifique – has been set up in Morocco to advance the use of French as a scientific language, which has been on the decline despite a growth in the day-to-day usage of French, including in Africa.

The curriculum framework for a Southern African masters degree in climate change and sustainable development envisages graduates who, upon completion of the qualification, are committed to making a difference in the field in their countries, Africa and globally. The framework was presented at a workshop of the Southern African Regional Universities Association.

There is no single understanding of the relationship between higher education and the public good shared across constituencies in South Africa, but a common view is that the state is central to achieving a public good role of higher education – and needs to do more to enhance the higher education system’s efficiency.

At the age of 80, Rob Jeffrey obtained a PhD from the University of Johannesburg for research the university described as “an independent economic analysis of the electricity generation industry in South Africa and an assessment of the best course of action that the country can take to develop its electricity generation resources”.

It is a busy Friday inside Kiziba Camp in Rwanda as refugees are attending different activities. Francine Izabayo sits inside one of the classrooms revising courses. She is a refugee student and attends all her classes inside the camp. It is a campus within the camp known as Kepler Kiziba.

To what extent does higher education in Sub-Saharan Africa promote the public good? In their exploration of the public good role of universities, researchers in a special edition of the Journal of Higher Education in Africa touched on colonialism, commercialisation, elitism and corruption as obstacles.

The number of biosafety labs around the world – many of which are located in universities – is increasing steadily as a response to perceived public health concerns. A new report tracks trends that raise biosafety and biosecurity concerns, particularly where biorisk management oversight is weak.

Academic research as a source of information is still trusted by a large proportion of people, which makes it vital that academic publishers around the world look at how to champion open research and empower experts to share their knowledge and perspectives.

The importance of strengthening the role of universities in fostering peace and security through engagement with governments was raised at a global meeting of more than 75 university leaders in Tokyo last week and will be conveyed to political leaders at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima.