Enhancing Global engagement Competence. Africa Asia Collaboration Challenges, Opportunities, Prospects: Experience of a Leading African University.

1. Enhancing Global
engagement Competence
Africa Asia Collaboration Challenges, Opportunities,
Prospects: Experience of a Leading African University
Part I

2. Presenters
Bola Udegbe
Paul Oghinan
Aderonke Oni
Office of International Programmes,
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
www.ui.edu.ng

4. Overview
 There has been a dramatic increase in Asian investments and
businesses in Africa
- involved in many sectors and many African
countries
 Collaboration in terms of Higher Education is minimal
 Significant improvement in quality of Asian Higher Education sector
 Consequences: engagement in a milieu of low levels
understanding/knowledge, tolerance, respect and mutual
advantage/learning
How do institutions that traditionally have little collaboration tap into the
new trend in African-Asian economic engagement for the mutual benefit
of both continents?

5. African Higher Education is at the
heart of development of Africa
 Revitalization of Higher Education is a crucial goal
 The first continental summit of the first African higher
Education occurred in Dakar Senegal, from March 11-
12, 2015.
 The set the stage for development of decisions and
actions points which have implications for transforming
higher education in Africa.

6. Introduction
Emphasis has been on
Africa a destination for
• new investments/
business opportunities
particularly by Asian
countries such as China,
Korea, India
• development assistance,
Japan
• recruiting students to
increase the
international profile of
universities
• scholarship/grants

7. Introduction
Minimal levels
- Institutional level
collaboration
- Individual Scholar level
collaboration arising
from low levels of
exposure, networking,
faculty/staff exchange, ,
joint curriculum
development, etc.

8. Some AHE summit highlights on
internationalization (1)
 Research Internationalization is one of
the indispensable points for boosting the scientific
power of Africa’s research universities. But most
universities do not have clear policies and strategies on
managing international cooperation, and in the rush to
embrace engagement they run the risk of prioritizing
quick gains and income generation rather than
sustainability and qualityInternational cooperation – Boosting African
research, Robert Tijssen, University World News, Africa Edition, 08 March
2015, Issue 147

9. Three priorities that should guide the
revitalization of universities in Africa
-strong data and
-better-prepared students.
-partnerships
Kofi Annan, Keynote address; Higher Education and Africa’s
Socio-political progress, University World News, Africa Edition,
15 March 2015, Issue 148

10. How can we strengthen African-Asian higher education partnership for
mutual growth?
Based on the experience of a leading university in one of Africa’s
strongest countries, what are challenges, opportunities and
prospects?

11. Part II
 Paul Oghinan

12. Conclusion
 Give the strengths that exist in both Higher Education of both continents, there are several prospects
including
- Innovative strategies that fosters capacities for mutual understanding and learning
- Research collaboration on global challenges of mutual interest
- Bilateral, multilateral regional networking between and among universities
- Development of curriculum/ programmes to enhance mutual understanding
- Debates/ discourse to inform policies/actions by government and industry
- Faculty/student exchange
- Thematic projects
- Joint/dual degree
- Area studies