Revisiting African Higher Education in Line with the Ideals of Pan-Africanism: Bringing Agenda 2063 Aspirations to the Forefront

Abstract

Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want’ defines new ambitions for Africa by indicating where the leaders want to see the continent by the year 2063. It also recognizes that the aspirations set in this agenda cannot be achieved spontaneously, but requires a conscious and deliberate efforts and actions to create a generation that will derive the Agenda and defend Africa’s interests. In this context, academic and research institutions, specifically Higher Education Institutions, play a key role as they enhance change via innovation and knowledge. The role of higher education in helping the realization of Agenda 2063 can be matched with many targets listed in the Agenda. This paper attempts to uncover the role of higher education in ensuring the realization of the Agenda. Firstly, it presents, in a coherent manner, different aspirations scattered through the Agenda having direct relation with higher education and higher education institutions. Secondly, it illustrates the key role of higher educations in empowering African people and preparing them for the realization of Agenda 2063’s aspirations. It specifically calls for increasing access to education adopting different modes including: African Virtual and E-Universities, non-degree awarding vocational trainings to increase creativity by increasing knowledge of science and technology. It also calls for creation and expansion of scholarship opportunities through higher education institutions’ partnership with the private sector, to ensure that finance will not be an impediment for talented African children with the potential to transform the continent. Thirdly, the paper calls for revision of African higher education’s curricula to derive attention to teaching Pan-African ideals, values, literature and culture. This comes from the aspirations of the Agenda that calls for African identity including revitalization and modernization of traditional institutions, and adoption of African languages as official working languages. In this regard, the paper brings the idea of launching graduate program curricula that offer specialization in African studies, African literature and Developmental Studies from African perspective. Mobility programs among African universities, in the form of Academic staff and Student Exchange programs, for experience sharing and creation of common understanding on African matters is another proposal of this paper to empower higher education in Africa and align their businesses with this big continental agenda.