Philanthropy and Higher Education in Africa
Philanthropy and Higher Education in Africa
How do US foundations influence higher education in Africa?
In his article, “How do US foundations influence higher education in Africa? “ Fabrice Jaumont discusses the support from American foundations for higher education in Africa and raises questions about the added value of their contributions, the predominant use of English, and the broader question of the influence of international philanthropy. Among the initiatives he cites is the Partnership for Higher Education (see below). This is a topic he has researched in detail in his book, Unequal Partners: American Foundations and Higher Education Development in Africa.
Supporting Higher Education and Research in Africa
The Carnegie Corporation of New York has a long history of supporting higher education in Africa. Their recently released report, Investments in Higher Education and Research in Africa 2010 - 2019, provides details about that support from 2010 to 2019 under its Next Generation of African Academics and Diaspora Linkages Initiatives, and support for higher education policy and research. The Carnegie Corporation was part of the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa, a collaboration of seven American foundations that worked together from 2000 to 2010 to strengthen African higher education institutions. The report, Accomplishments of the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa, 2000–2010, proves details about this $440 million collaborative partnership among seven foundations and provides details on joint initiatives and each foundation's contributions and accomplishments. .
Supporting the Next Generation of Scholars
For emerging scholars, funding for research and being part of a network of peers play an important role in their professional development. The Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation African Fellows Program is building a cohort of African scholars researching issues related to violence and aggression.
Harnessing the talent of young scholars is at the center of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program that provides financial, social, and academic support during their higher education journey. They partnered with Restless Development to create a research group of young scholars in the network, the Youth Think Tank. In 2020 they produced the report, Spotlight on Youth Entrepreneurship. It includes recommendations for development practitioners, policymakers, and academics about how they can support small-scale entrepreneurs and employment opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Mastercard Foundation has also taken note of the special circumstances of displaced youth. They commissioned the report, A Bridge to the Future: From Higher Education to Employment for Displaced Youth in Africa to identify programs in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Nigeria supporting higher education and employment for youth, refugees, and internally displaced populations.
Gender disparities in higher education is an ongoing concern. According to UNESCO (2019), women comprise only 24% of the staff in higher education institutions across sub-Saharan Africa. The article, “The Gender Gap In Universities and Colleges in Sub-Saharan Africa,” from Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA) is based on their report, Demographics of African Faculty Pilot in Ghana , that highlights gender inequality in education and how to address it. ESSA has partnered with the REAL Centre at the University of Cambridge to develop the Africa Education Research Database
The COVID-19 pandemic impact on education has been devasting. But it has also provided an opportunity for reflection and preparations for future disruptions. In Mauritius, the Higher Education Commission produced the report, A Framework For Building Resilience In Higher Education Institutions. It documents the practices the country’s public and private higher education institutions developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to an overview of the higher education landscape, it also analyzes how lessons from the pandemic can help to create a more relevant and resilient higher education system in the country.
National education policies and regional cooperation are essential in developing a competitive workforce across Africa. The Association for the Development of Higher Education in Africa (ADEA) is a pan-African institution that serves as forum for policy dialogue about education in Africa. It is a network for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers and brings together education ministries, African organizations, and development cooperation agencies. The following are only a few of its publications on higher education in Africa.
Impact of COVID-19 on Africa's Education: Reflecting on Promising Interventions and Challenges, towards a New Normal - Published in September 2020 this report is the final report from an ADEA ongoing process to assess the pandemic's influence on education in 14 African countries. It examines country-led initiatives to mitigate the pandemic's impact on education, highlights knowledge gaps, and makes recommendations to improve the education delivery system.
Delivering Education at Home in African Member States aAid the Covid-19 Pandemic: Country Status Report - ADEA conducted a pilot survey to understand how the education shutdown during the pandemic and subsequent switch to distance learning affected education in 12 countries, The responses provided information on national strategies, learning platforms, and community engagement.
The Association of African Universities (AAU) was established by African universities to promote cooperation among African universities and the international community. In 2021 in collaboration with e-Learning Africa, AAU launched a learning management system, the AAU-eLearnAfricaLMS. This platform provides African universities with tools to support online education.
University World News Africa Edition
This global news source on higher education issues has an Africa Edition. It highlights new research and includes commentary and special reports. Among recent articles are "Study Highlights Students' Resilience despite COVID Challenges" which discusses a report on student well-being in Kenya and "University systems in 45 countries have barely been studied" an article highlighting the gaps in research on on higher education in Africa.