Thinking about the future of higher education and the African university

In the course of 2021, a team of experienced researchers affiliated to the Human Sciences Research Council as well as several top universities and research organisations in Africa have interviewed 35 thought leaders and asked them to 'reimagine the African university'. 

These thought leaders include current and former university leaders, higher education specialists, student and youth leaders, higher education funders, and leaders of NGOs. The responses received are insightful, fascinating and provocative. On their own, every interview presents a vista onto a horizon not too far away. Among the first matters to be noted is, of course, that there is no single kind of African university; the future of African higher education is precisely in its diversity and differentiation. It is in recognising that a diverse society and economy must provide for a diversity of educational pathways and locally relevant offerings. 

Edited transcripts are being published progressively on the website of the project at the HSRC. 

At the same time, some of the most striking thoughts presented by the interviewed thought leaders are being distilled by UWN journalist and copy editor Mark Paterson and I into articles that are being published weekly in the University World News Africa edition, since February 2022. They are all freely available for further study at the UWN website. 

 The publication schedule for the UWN articles (and transcripts on the HSRC website) is below (and may be subject to change).

	Interviewee	Interviewer	Date of interview	Date of publication
1	Prof Goolam Mohamedbhai	Prof Crain Soudien	17-May-21	14-Feb-22
2	Prof Mogobe Ramose	Prof Catherine Odora Hoppers	21-May-21	21-Feb-22
3	Prof Reitumetse Mabokela	Prof Relebohile Moletsane	10-May-21	1-Mar-22
4	Mr Rekgotsofetse Chikane	Prof Thierry Luescher	20-May-21	6-Mar-22
5	Prof Dzul Razak	Prof Catherine Odora Hoppers	30-Jun-21	16-Mar-22
6	Prof Catherine Odora Hoppers	Prof Crain Soudien	11-Mar-21	23-Mar-22
7	Prof Neil Turok	Prof Crain Soudien	21-Jun-21	28-Mar-22
8	Prof Adam Habib	Prof Crain Soudien	25-May-21	4-Apr-22
9	Prof Madeleine Arnot	Dr Alude Mahali	21-May-21	Apr-22
10	Prof Paul Zeleza	Prof Crain Soudien	1-Jul-21	Apr-22
11	Dr Tade Aina	Dr Alude Mahali	12-May-21	Apr-22
12	Ms Lihle Ngcobozi	Prof David Everatt	8-Jul-21	May-22
13	Prof Saleem Badat	Prof Crain Soudien	12-May-21	May-22
14	Dr Rajesh Tandon	Prof Relebohile Moletsane	3-May-21	May-22
15	Prof Claudia Frittelli	Prof Thierry Luescher	26-May-21	May-22
16	Prof Phil Cotton	Prof Sharlene Swartz	29-Oct-21	Jun-22
17	Prof Peter Materu	Prof Sharlene Swartz	16-Nov-21	Jun-22
18	Prof Sabelo Ndlovu-Gatsheni	Prof Relebohile Moletsane	15-May-21	Jun-22
19	Prof Issa Shivji	Prof Crain Soudien	21-Jun-21	Jun-22
20	Prof Laura Czerniewicz	Mr Krish Chetty	10-May-21	Jun-22
	and many more to come...