By Wagdy Sawahel. Resident medical students from the University of Algiers are continuing a five-month strike over their working and training conditions. More...

By Wagdy Sawahel. Higher education institutions and scientific research centres in Egypt will be exempt from tax and customs duties as part of new measures aimed at stimulating research and innovation in the country. More...

By Kudzai Mashininga. A Harare court has ruled that University of Zimbabwe Vice-chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura has a case to answer for allegedly awarding former first lady Grace Mugabe a doctor of philosophy degree ‘corruptly’ in 2014, hence he must stand trial. More...

By Maina Waruru. Two new mobility funds have been launched by the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), aimed at encouraging African researchers to work together and with their Indian counterparts to better address health and development challenges. More...

By Christabel Ligami. The Association of African Universities (AAU) has opened its Eastern regional office in Sudan in a bid to increase the association’s visibility and proximity to its member universities, as part of a broader move to open regional offices throughout the continent. More...

By Gilbert Nakweya. Emphasising the importance of partnerships in the development of science and technology in his country and describing science as a “very serious business”, Rwandan President Paul Kagame said science had a place in society “whether we support it or not”. However, “we would be the ones losing if we didn't support it for the benefit of our people”, he said at a presidential panel of the Next Einstein Forum (NEF) held last week in the Rwandan capital of Kigali. More...

By Brendan O'Malley. University World News (UWN) is proud today to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Africa edition and partner University World News – Africa. Launched on 30 March 2008 by its founding editor Karen MacGregor, who was also one of the global edition’s joint founding editors, it has grown to play a vital and respected role in reporting on higher education developments across the continent to readers in Africa but also worldwide. More...

By Sharon Dell – Africa Editor. Over the last 10 years, University World News – Africa has filled an important gap as a provider of news and analysis related to higher education in Africa – a role noted by many of the contributors to our special report published today to commemorate our 10-year anniversary. Providing an insightful overview of the past 10 years, UWN Africa founder and former editor Karen MacGregor looks back at the dramatic developments in the sector over the past decade and the role of the publication in tracking these.
   Other contributors to the special report include Teboho Moja who reminds us of the role of UWN Africa in covering African issues that were and still are overlooked by other media sources; Goolam Mohamedbhai who speculates, from a highly informed position, about the future of higher education in Africa over the next 10 years; and Nico Cloete and Francois van Schalkwyk who write about the formation and contribution to higher education of the Higher Education Research and Advocacy Network in Africa.
   Ahmed Bawa takes a more focused look at the South African higher education sector, while Damtew Teferra highlights concerns around global policy shifts impacting higher education in Africa.
   A number of our regular writers – from North, East and West Africa – share their expertise and experiences of higher education in their regions over the past 10 years, while some of our distinguished readers and contributors from around the globe tell us why they value University World News – Africa. We are grateful for the encouraging comments.
   In News from the African continent this week, Gilbert Nakweya reports on discussions by a presidential panel held at the Next Einstein Forum in Kigali, Rwanda last week, while Christabel Ligami covers the opening of an Association of African Universities regional office in Khartoum, Sudan. Maina Waruru writes about the launch of two new mobility programmes by the African Academy of Sciences, and Kudzai Mashininga covers the latest developments in the Grace Mugabe PhD degree case in Zimbabwe.
   In two features from South Africa, Primarashni Gower writes about the launch in South Africa of a mentorship programme from Australia which draws on university students to help high school pupils pursue higher education opportunities, and Mark Paterson covers a controversial take on the ongoing decolonisation debate in South Africa.
   In Africa Analysis, Wondwosen Tamrat and Damtew Teferra discuss the merits of greater support for the private higher education sector in Africa.
   I hope you enjoy this bumper edition and I extend our thanks to all of you for your loyal readership, interest and support over the years. More...

By Brendan O'Malley – Managing Editor. University World News is proud to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Africa edition today. In a Special Report, Karen MacGregor, founder and former editor of the Africa and global editions of University World News, looks back at the dramatic developments in African higher education over the past decade and the role of the publication in tracking them.
   Other contributors to the special report include Teboho Moja who reminds us of the role of University World News – Africa in covering African issues that were and still are overlooked by other media sources; Goolam Mohamedbhai who speculates, from a highly informed position, about the future of higher education in Africa over the next 10 years; and Nico Cloete and Francois van Schalkwyk who write about the formation and contribution to higher education of the Higher Education Research and Advocacy Network in Africa.
   In our World Blog this week, Alex Usher counters recent gloomy predictions about the future of internationalisation of higher education, putting forward an optimistic case for continued rapid increases in student mobility.
   In Commentary, Hanne Smidt asks if European universities are agile enough to cater to the increasing demand for lifelong learning or whether other more flexible actors who can work in shorter timeframes will take over provision. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak rejects predictions that traditional universities are staring at their own slow demise in the face of increasing competition from alternative, particularly online, providers, and suggests that universities reinvent themselves using today’s technologies. And Wondwosen Tamrat and Damtew Teferra say progressive government policies in African countries can help harness private higher education institutions as effective partners for development.
   In Features, Mark Paterson covers a controversial take on the ongoing decolonisation debate in South Africa, which asks why students are focusing their discontent on colonialist academics rather than the existing ruling class. More...

The University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point has proposed dropping 13 majors in the humanities and social sciences – including English, philosophy, history, sociology and Spanish – while adding programmes with ‘clear career pathways’ as a way to address declining enrolment and a multimillion-dollar deficit, writes Valerie Strauss for The Washington Post. More...