African universities need to carry out reforms in their curricula, change their teaching approaches and methods and re-orient the foci of the education they impart if they are to train and produce graduates fit for the 21st century.
The institutions will need to ‘mount’ courses with learning outcomes that promote skills and competences necessary to build the graduates that meet the needs of the times, collaborating with industry for curricular development to meet market needs, said Professor Olusola Oyewole, the secretary general of the Association of African Universities.
This may also require universities placing more emphasis on micro-credentials, which have been predicted to have the potential to replace degrees in the future, he said.
It will also require them to change their teaching approaches to self-learning, digitalisation and technology-focused learning, he added.
In addition, universities will have to embrace an approach that reduces the focus on certificates in favour of one that places more emphasis on skills, which micro-credentials and technical and vocational education can help with.
“Even more important is the significance of lifelong learning to meet the [needs of] ever-evolving knowledge, in order for anyone to access knowledge, anytime, anywhere, and at any age,” he said.
“Institutions will also need to build collaboration and partnerships. There will be a need for enhanced collaboration and partnerships among institutions for knowledge exchange and experience sharing, more focus on research, innovations, ecosystems and incubators,” he said in a keynote address delivered on Tuesday, 12 November, during the 2024 Africa Universities’ Day commemorations in Accra, Ghana. The strategies, however, will need to be complemented by more investments in education, he added.
Reflecting on the ‘ideal’ graduate
Oyewole defined an ideal 21st-century graduate as one who possesses technical, cognitive, social and emotional skills, in addition to having the ability for critical and creative thinking, who is digitally literate, and who is knowledge-focused.
Digital literacy means having the ability to interpret and use data effectively, which is crucial in decision-making processes. This should be preceded by the ability to gather, analyse and draw insights from data to inform the decisions.
The graduate must also have an entrepreneurial mindset, exhibit ethical values, possess the ability to be resilient and adaptive, and be committed to lifelong learning and holistic education to survive the times.
In addition, the ideal 21st-century graduate must be committed to “civil engagement and global citizenship” and be “culturally responsive”, which is essential in a global world for working in multicultural environments, both within Africa and internationally.
“Graduates should be aware of their role as citizens and be committed to contribute positively to society. This involves engaging in community service, advocating for social justice and participating in democratic processes,” Oyewole told those attending the virtual event.
He emphasised: “Graduates should be aware of global issues such as climate change, human rights and sustainable development. They should be prepared to contribute positively to global challenges while promoting local solutions.”
Among other attributes, graduates also ought to be equipped with the skills to conduct research that contributes to solving local and global challenges. This includes designing research projects, gathering evidence and using critical analysis to derive solutions.
Leadership and teamwork abilities are equally important, in addition to basic skills, including good verbal and written communication skills, and technological competence.
Challenges and funding
But, universities in Africa face challenges, including disparity in access, quality questions, inadequate infrastructure and resources, irrelevant curricula and staffing challenges, massification and limited research funding.
Despite that, they serve as a powerful driver of economic growth, social progress and political stability, playing a critical role in poverty reduction, in improving health outcomes, promoting social development and gender equality, and advancing political stability and good governance.
“We have been working closely with various development partners to promote innovative financing solutions and digital transformation across higher education institutions,” said AAU President Professor Bakri Osman Saeed.
Such efforts are essential for research capacity, scholarships and improving infrastructure – all of which contribute to stronger and more resilient institutions.
They also align with the broader objectives of the African Union’s Continental Education strategy for Africa (CESA 16-25), and the United Nations’ Education 2030 Framework for Action, which both emphasise inclusive, equitable and quality education for all, he explained.
The AAU has fostered partnerships to drive its mission forward, entering collaborations with the African Union Commission, UNESCO, and other bodies to leverage expertise, resources and innovative financing to support African education systems.
‘Crisis of the mind’
To realise her development objectives, while keeping her sovereignty, the African continent needed to come up with a pan-African education system, created for Africa by Africans, to also guard against “miseducation and divisions by former tormentors of the continent”, Dr Julius Garvey of the Marcus Garvey Institute for Human Development told the event.
This will place the future of the continent in the hands of its thinkers – including academia, scholars and the youth, he added, noting that the crisis that existed in Africa is the “crisis of the mind, created through miseducation”.
The AAU is hosting African Universities’ Day celebrations until 15 November in collaboration with its regional offices and strategic partners, with events under the banner of ‘Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa’.
The day is celebrated annually to coincide with the 57th birthday of the AAU on 12 November in Rabat, Morocco, and highlights the contribution of the sector to the development of the continent
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