GALLERY: Times Higher Education brings summit to Africa

Times Higher Education began its Africa Universities Summit at the University of Johannesburg on 30 July. Gauteng Premier David Makhura and former president of South Africa Thabo Mbeki were among the keynote speakers that addressed the summit on its first day.

The two-day summit drew many chancellors and vice chancellors from around the world. The Premier spoke about the confidence that he shares with Times Higher Education which he said would answer many questions and draw expert opinions on answering those questions.

He said he hoped the next few days of this summit would spend time reflecting on and sharing expertise on ideas on the role of Africa’s Universities and defining the African agenda.

“This summit is also taking place at a time when our continent continues to grow, as a new frontier for economic growth and a source of hope for many economies elsewhere as other countries face economic difficulties,” the Premier said, adding that despite concerns of declining commodities and instability in certain parts of the continent, Africa’s prospective remained very positive.

“We look to this summit to answer some critical development challenges that we face as a continent,” he said. Some of the questions the Premier said he hoped the summit would answer, was what kind of infrastructure investments Africa needs to make to higher learning institutions so that they can play a leading role in the ongoing efforts of transformation and modernisation. He pointed out that the summit brings Africa’s leaders and policy makers from different sectors of society together.

Mbeki said the summit was gathered at the University of Johannesburg to consider the important matter of moving Africa’s universities forward.

He pointed to the Dakar Summit which was held in Senegal four months ago, which also had similar points of framework as the Times Higher Learning Africa Universities Summit. Mbeki said that one of the concerns currently facing education on the continent was increasing student enrollment, teacher-learner ratio and the participation of women.

“This summit must address matters of curriculum development, attend to the matter of employability of graduating students in our state, economy and communities,” said Mbeki.

He noted that there were concerns about students having adequate access to books and journals, information communication technology as well as infrastructure that would enable universities to teach and students to learn. “There needs to be focus on expansion of knowledge through research, publication and optimised learning, as well as generating funds to facilitate this complex processes on a sustainable basis,” he said.

“To solve these challenges that we are facing as a continent it’s also about being in the right mindset to bring about important changes which are a matter of common cause,” said Mbeki.