By Tunde Fatunde. University leaders and stakeholders have expressed unhappiness over the introduction of lower tertiary education admission criteria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board or JAMB – the agency responsible for rules and regulations governing prospective candidates’ admission into tertiary institutions – accusing the board of sabotaging educational quality. More...26 septembre 2017
Vice-chancellors reject lower university entry criteria
By Tunde Fatunde. University leaders and stakeholders have expressed unhappiness over the introduction of lower tertiary education admission criteria by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board or JAMB – the agency responsible for rules and regulations governing prospective candidates’ admission into tertiary institutions – accusing the board of sabotaging educational quality. More...Universities face an age of cyber crime
By Wagdy Sawahel. An increasing number of cyber attacks targeting African higher education institutions and universities points to the need for more effective security and greater emphasis on university-based education and research, according to experts. More...STEM vs humanities – Calls for a more balanced approach
By Gilbert Nakweya. While the past decade has seen increased pressure on African universities to enrol and train more students pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics or STEM subjects, a more integrated approach to development which includes the humanities and social sciences, is starting to receive more attention. More...The African university press – A gloomy picture
By Hans Zell. In the new digital era, with its demand for skills and knowledge, and new technological opportunities, there is now more than ever a need for collaboration among independent African publishers, and that includes university presses – to share experience, skills and professional know-how, which might then also lead to joint publishing projects. More...Research offers ways forward for university presses
The first research to provide an empirically-based overview of African university presses reveals a bleak landscape – but also a group of active presses that are deploying technology to reduce production costs, enhance visibility and widen their reach. It offers ways forward for universities and presses keen to respond to the remarkable growth of research in Africa. More...The costs of losing local research to global publishers
By Veronica Klipp. South Africa boasts an impressive pedigree of scholarly publishing, beginning with the establishment of the University of the Witwatersrand Press, now known simply as Wits University Press or WUP, in 1922, the same year the university was formed. More...Desire for knowledge – Langaa and publishing in Africa
By Francis B Nyamnjoh and Kathryn Toure. Can enhanced circulation of African worldviews help shape the evolution of humanity? This is our vision at Langaa Research and Publishing Common Initiative Group which, along with other African publishers, stirs the imagination and contributes to cultural development and renaissance. More...ABC – Taking African scholarly books to the world
By Justin Cox. African Books Collective, or ABC, is an African owned, worldwide marketing and distribution outlet for more than 3,000 titles from Africa – scholarly, literature and children's books. Founded, owned and governed by a group of African publishers, its participants are 180 independent African publishers from 24 countries. More...Network aims to strengthen African scholarly publishing
By Karen MacGregor. A small group of African scholarly publishers has launched a network for collaboration, experience-sharing and advocacy – and they have invited other publishers of scholarly monographs across Africa to join. Work has already begun on initial projects including building a shared database of peer reviewers and developing peer review standards. More...Universities need imaginative, ICT-enhanced presses
By Thierry Luescher and François van Schalkwyk. Scholarly book publishing is in trouble. Two contrary developments can be observed internationally. On the one hand, there are perceptions in academia of ‘robber capitalism’ on the part of the large commercial publishers as they protect their oligopoly in the face of dissolving spatial barriers and diminishing value add. More...
