16 African countries sign new Arusha Convention on degree recognition

In Africa Analysis, Janice McMillan in South Africa urges universities to rethink pedagogy and the complex relationship between knowledge, skills and values if they are to engage students as committed, thoughtful and civic-minded young citizens. Eric Fredua-Kwarteng and Francis Ahia maintain that Ghana’s plan to convert polytechnics into technical universities is misguided and panders to elitist views about universities.
In Africa Features, Alecia D McKenzie reports on the adoption by 16 African countries of a revised Arusha Convention on the recognition of qualifications.
Munyaradzi Makoni charts the year-long ordeal in prison of University of Alexandria chemistry and physics assistant professor Dr Mohamed Abdelhamid Kharaba after he fell foul of the Egyptian authorities, and Patrício Langa argues that a new higher education ministry in Mozambique should institutionalise practices and structures and promote a bottom-up approach with input from universities and other stakeholders.
In Commentary, Diana Jane Beech maintains that the recruitment process for researchers in Europe needs to be overhauled to ensure it is fair, transparent and open to all.
Igor Chirikov describes how students in Russia accept without question the poor quality of their universities. And in Ukraine, Sonja Knutson and Valentyna Kushnarenko find higher education reforms paving the way to a more international future – but ongoing hostilities in the east could affect hopes for change.
Karen MacGregor – Africa Editor. More...