Regional
East African Nations Sign Cross-Border Fees Deal
Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have signed a deal that harmonizes tuition fees at local rates for students from the three countries wishing to study at an institution in one of the other signatory countries. The move is part of a plan to harmonize education in the East African Community (EAC); however, it excludes Tanzania and Burundi, the EAC’s two other country members, and this has raised some concerns. Previously, incoming students have paid international student fees priced in U.S. dollars.
The agreement was created under the tripartite ‘coalition of the willing,’ [1] an economic partnership that has also produced a standard gauge railway, a refinery, a pipeline and energy projects since emerging last year. This is the coalition’s latest move to encourage greater movement between the three countries, after having abolished work permit fees in 2013 and launching the East African Single Visa to boost tourism, meaning that visitors will only need one shared visa to tour all three countries.
However, barriers still remain to harmonizing education in the region. At the moment, there is no standardized credit transfer system in place that would allow students to complete parts of their degree in another country.
The “absence of a regional quality assurance system, academic credit system, and qualification framework affecting harmonization of curricula and education systems” are among the major hurdles to harmonization, according to the Inter-University Council for East Africa [2]’s 2011-2016 roadmap.
– The PIE News [3]
March 24, 2014
World Bank Approves $150 Million in Funding for 19 Centers of Excellence
The World Bank in April approved US$150 million to fund 19 university-based centers of excellence in seven countries in West and Central Africa. Nearly half of the funding will go to universities in Nigeria, which will host 10 of the centers.
The centers will develop high-level training and research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines, as well as in agriculture and health. The Africa Centers of Excellence [4] project was formally launched at the Association of African Universities’ conference of rectors, vice-chancellors and presidents in Libreville, Gabon, last year.
Starting in West and Central Africa the initiative aims to promote regional scientific specialization, to help deliver quality training and research and to meet a growing need for high-level STEM skills.
The 19 new centers of excellence are:
- Federal University of Agriculture, Nigeria: agricultural development and sustainable environment
- Bayero University, Nigeria: dryland agriculture
- Benue State University, Nigeria: food technology and research
- University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria: oil field chemicals
- Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria: science, technology and knowledge
- Redeemers University, Nigeria: genomics of infectious diseases
- Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria: neglected tropical diseases and forensic biotechnology
- University of Jos, Nigeria: phytomedicine research and development
- University of Benin, Nigeria: reproductive health and innovation
- African University of Science and Technology, Nigeria: materials
- University of Ghana: training plant breeders, seed scientists and technologists
- University of Ghana: cell biology of infectious pathogens
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana: water and environmental sanitation
- Universite de Lome, Togo: poultry sciences agriculture
- Universite Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal: maternal and infant health
- Gaston Berger University, Senegal: mathematics, informatics and ICT
- Universite d’Abomey-Calavi, Benin: applied mathematics
- Universite de Yaounde I, Cameroon: information and communication technologies
- Institut International d’Ingenierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement, or 2iE: water, energy and environment sciences and technologies.
– World Bank News Release [5]
April 15, 2014
Burundi
New University Committed to Rural Development in East Africa
A new university has opened in northeast Burundi, committed to promoting higher education and research for rural development in the poverty- and war-stricken Great Lakes region. “Building peace, prosperity and hope is the important message of our university,” said the first rector of East Africa Star University, Czech philosopher Dr Marek Hrubec in an interview with University World News.
East Africa Star University [6] in Cibitoke province, about 45 miles from Burundi’s capital Bujumbura, received official recognition via a ministerial order in February, with support from the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research and the National Commission for Higher Education.
As its name implies, East Africa Star University will offer higher education to students from across the East African Community, whose member countries are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
The university began admitting students last August, in anticipation of receiving official approval, and began teaching some courses in February including in public health, economics, sociology, psychology and information technology.
– University World News [7]
April 25, 2014
Mauritius
Welsh University to Open This Year
Aberystwyth University in Wales is the latest institution to announce plans [8] to open a campus in Mauritius. It expects to launch four undergraduate degrees and one masters program in September, and to locate in a new residential campus near the capital Port Louis next year.
Working with Mauritius-based Boston Campus Limited, a modern branch campus for up to 2,000 students will be developed at Quartier Militaire, 8 miles from the capital Port Louis, in time for the 2015 academic year.
Aberystwyth will be the second British university to set up a full branch campus in Mauritius. Middlesex University opened one in 2010. It will initially offer a masters in international business and bachelor degrees in accounting and finance, business finance, business management, and management with law. The programs are subject to approval of the home university’s senate and accreditation by the Mauritius Tertiary Education Commission.
– University World News [9]
April 26, 2014
Morocco
English Gains Favor Over French as Language of Higher Education
Morocco’s Minister of Higher Education Lahcen Daoudi announced in April that the government is moving to boost the position of English in Moroccan universities, stressing that English is the language of scientific research.
After the Secretary General of the Independence Party Hamid Chabat called for the adoption of English instead of French as the second official language in Morocco, Daoudi announced that the government is to adopt English in Moroccan universities.
Talking to Al-Yaoum 24, Douadi declared that his ministry would adopt English as the language of instruction in engineering and medical programs, while also stating that the ministry is to make “English proficiency a condition for obtaining a doctorate.’’
Daoudi also stated that the country needs to move away from the French Baccalaureate system in secondary education, saying that “French is no longer useful,” and that while “French is important in France and Africa, Morocco must have educational frameworks for more languages.”
– Morocco World News [10]
March 29, 2014