This document summarizes the keynote speech on internationalization of higher education in Africa given by Akilagpa Sawyerr at the 2006 International Conference of the International Association of Universities. The speech addresses: 1) The historical context of internationalization in higher education globally and in Africa. 2) Contemporary challenges for internationalization in African higher education systems including asymmetric power relations between the global North and South, and a tendency to treat Africa as an export market for foreign higher education. 3) Initiatives by African countries and institutions to participate internationally, but reliance on Northern financial support resulting in predominantly North-South relationships rather than South-South.

1. INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES<br />2006 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE<br />Internationalization of Higher Education: New Directions, New Challenges<br />AFRICA AND THE INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION<br />By<br />Akilagpa Sawyerr<br />Secretary-General<br />Association of African Universities<br /><asawyerr@aau.org><br />[NOTES FOR A PRESENTATION]<br />MAIN FOCUS: Contemporary context of internationalisation and its special challenges for Africa higher education.<br />A. Introduction: Context of Internationalisation<br />1Higher learning historically rooted in transnationalism – in Africa (Al Aqsa Mosque, Library of Alexandria, Timbuktu) + Medieval Europe<br />a) Characterised by movement of<br />oOf people – students, teachers oOf ideas/knowledge<br />2Clear continuities in contemporary situation of internationalisation:<br />oMobility - of scholars, students, now “campuses”<br />oCurriculum – content, sharing, etc.<br />oCollaboration of institutions/Depts/labs/scholars<br />3Equally clear discontinuities<br />Contemporary context of internationalisation characterised by:<br />1. Global imbalances and asymmetries<br />a. Of power relations - political/economic/military<br />•e.g., differential lobbying capacity of states in support of national institutions/interests<br />b. Of differential access to knowledge generation capacity/use, i.e., basis for equal participation<br />2. “Hegemony”<br />a. Paradigms, sources and canons of “knowledge”<br />b. The politics of knowledge production and use:<br />•selective privileging of different categories of knowledge (modern/Western vs. folk/traditional - e.g., “what kind of knowledge is patentable?”)<br />•geographic concentrations of high-level knowledge generation<br />& dissemination -> international division of labour: tracking global inequalities<br />3. “Commodification” of knowledge: implication of knowledge in national (as distinct from institutional) competitiveness<br />4. Commercialisation of education -> changing the nature of the relationship of<br />•individuals<br />•institutions<br />•countries<br />to each other? to knowledge and science?<br />-> What “internationalism”?<br />B. Contemporary Challenges for African HE<br />1.“Dependent” economies ↔ dependent internationalisation,<br />2.Issues of resources shortfalls; poor ICT capacity & connectivity; enrolment explosion, but low participation rates<br />3.Initiatives of African countries & institutions for self-development and international participation<br />a. Internationalisation of curricula<br />b. International exchange programmes c. International research collaboration<br />¾ Relations mostly North/South, not enough South/South<br />¾ Because invariably dependent on Northern financial support<br />(govt/foundation, etc.)<br />4.Responses from the “North”<br />a. Rhetorical solidarity?<br />b. Instances of genuine (balanced) partnerships & collaboration with developed country institutions<br />c. Pronounced tendency to treat Africa as HE “export market”:<br />i. source of fee-paying students &<br />ii. revenue from licensed courses,<br />iii. provision of educational services, iv. venue for satellite campuses, etc.?<br />d. GATS<br />5.Africa Commission Report/Gleneagles Declaration, 2005; G8 Moscow meeting (2006) declaration on education: emphasis on international solidarity: contradictory domestic policies in some G8 and other developed countries, driving local institutions to commercialise internationalisation<br />– Rhetoric? Reality?<br />C. Conclusion<br />6.Important task for academics and their associations to resist national/international policies driving towards commercialisation of internationalisation<br />2<br />