- Parce qu’une transformation profonde et durable des systèmes et des pratiques politiques, économiques, sociaux, environnementaux et culturels dans les pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest et au-delà exige l’existence et la croissance d’une masse critique de femmes et d’hommes disposant de savoirs, de savoir-faire, et de capacité à appréhender des situations complexes et à innover dans tous les domaines et que l’enseignement supérieur est la clé de la formation de ces ressources humaines indispensables.
- Parce qu’avec la population la plus jeune au monde, le taux d’accès à l’enseignement supérieur n’est que de 7 % en Afrique, contre 76 % dans les pays occidentaux. L’enseignement supérieur accuse plusieurs retards car seuls 5% des personnes en âge d’aller à l’université y ont accès et aucune université d’Afrique occidentale ne figure dans le classement des 500 meilleures universités du monde.
- Parce qu’avec la pandémie de la Covid-19, seuls 29 % des établissements d’enseignement supérieur africains étaient en mesure de passer rapidement à l’enseignement et à l’apprentissage en ligne, contre 85 % en Europe. De nombreux établissements d’enseignement supérieur africains n’étaient pas prêts à faire ce passage au numérique les obligeant ainsi à suspendre les cours.
- Parce que les universités africaines ne sont pas assez outillées pour être des pôles de recherche dynamiques. D’ailleurs, l’Afrique ne consacre que 0,59 % de son PIB à la recherche et au développement, contre une moyenne mondiale de 1,79 %. Par conséquent, l’ensemble du continent africain, qui compte 1,3 milliard d’habitants, produit moins de publications scientifiques (1,01%) que le Canada (3,60 %), qui compte 37,7 millions d’habitants.
- Parce que, sachant que l’Afrique comptera environ 2,5 milliards d’habitants, soit 25,5 % de la population mondiale en 2050, l’un des défis majeurs de l’enseignement supérieur est d’avoir des offres transformatrices afin de faire de cette croissance explosive un dividende démographique plutôt qu’une catastrophe pour l’Afrique.
- Parce que l’enseignement supérieur en Afrique de l’Ouest est soumis à l’exigence de se réinventer pour inscrire le processus de digitalisation dans le renouvellement des pédagogies et la facilitation de l’accès aux enseignements.
- Parce que l’enseignement supérieur africain connaît des difficultés dans le respect de l’équilibre sur le genre. En effet, dans toute l’Afrique subsaharienne, 75 % des filles commencent l’école, mais seulement 8 % la terminent, et elles sont encore moins nombreuses à poursuivre leurs études dans l’enseignement supérieur. Seules 64 femmes pour 100 hommes sont inscrites dans l’enseignement supérieur.
Comment réformer l’enseignement supérieur en Afrique de l'Ouest ?
How to reform higher education in West Africa ?
Pourquoi ce thème ?
Quels sont les principaux sujets à explorer ?
- Quelles sont les modalités d’accès à l’enseignement supérieur, le modèle d’organisation des facultés, et le processus de sélection des offres de filières?
- Quelles sont les conditions d’apprentissage dans les universités/centres de formation?
- Quels sont les défis liés à la qualité des enseignements, de la gestion du personnel enseignant et administratif à l’entretien et la maintenance des infrastructures en passant par les systèmes d’évaluation?
- Quels sont les modèles de financement des universités dans les pays de l’Afrique de l’Ouest?
- Quels sont les modèles de financement des bourses des étudiants et les défis liés au respect des critères de mérite et de transparence?
- Comment améliorer l’adéquation entre l’offre de formation des universités et école de formation et la demande des entreprises?
- Comment intégrer les alternatives proposées par le numérique pour la mise à jour des logiciels pédagogiques et l’amélioration de l’accessibilité à l’enseignement supérieur?
Comment participer au débat ?
- Les contributions des experts des questions débattues sont bienvenues mais les observations, témoignages, points de vue et propositions de tous les citoyens le sont tout autant.
- Nous souhaitons recevoir en particulier des articles qui font référence à un ou des pays précis, s’appuient sur des exemples et qui font émerger des propositions de réforme.
- Vous êtes également invités à envoyer une courte interview audio/vidéo, ainsi qu’un récit oral de vos expériences sur ce sujet et de vos suggestions sur de possibles réformes.
- Vous pouvez demander à ce que votre identité ne soit pas publiée même si elle doit être connue de WATHI ; dans ce cas choisissez un pseudonyme et envoyez une biographie qui donne une idée de votre domaine d’expertise ou de votre activité professionnelle.
- Vous pouvez soumettre des articles courts (500 à 1000 mots) ou plus longs (1500 à 2000 mots). La taille maximale des contributions est de 2000 mots. Les articles courts ont cependant plus de chances d’être sélectionnés et publiés par le WATHI. Tous les articles doivent être accessibles au grand public, structurés et soignés.
- Nous vous invitons à accompagner la soumission de votre article d’une biographie de 50 mots maximum et, de préférence, d’une de vos photos de très bonne qualité.
- Envoyez vos articles à partir d’ ici ou à l’adresse: infowathi@wathi.org
- Le Débat se passe aussi sur les comptes Facebook et Twitter de WATHI :
Why this theme?
- Because a profound and sustainable transformation of political, economic, social, environmental and cultural systems and practices in West African countries and beyond requires the existence and growth of a critical mass of women and men with knowledge, know-how, and the capacity to apprehend complex situations and to innovate in all fields, and higher education is the key to the training of these indispensable human resources
- Because with the youngest population in the world, the rate of access to higher education is only 7% in Africa, compared to 76% in Western countries. Higher education is lagging behind as only 5% of university age people have access to it and no West African university is listed in the top 500 universities in the world.
- Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, only 29% of African higher education institutions were able to move quickly to online teaching and learning, compared to 85% in Europe. Many African higher education institutions were not ready to make the transition to digital, forcing them to suspend courses.
- Because African universities are not adequately equipped to be dynamic research hubs. Moreover, Africa devotes only 0.59% of its GDP to research and development, compared with a world average of 1.79%. As a result, the entire African continent, with a population of 1.3 billion, produces fewer scientific publications (1.01%) than Canada (3.60%), with a population of 37.7 million.
- Because, knowing that Africa will have about 2.5 billion people, or 25.5% of the world’s population in 2050, one of the major challenges for higher education is to have transformative offerings to make this explosive growth a demographic dividend rather than a disaster for Africa.
- Because higher education in West Africa is subject to the requirement to reinvent itself to include the process of digitalization in the renewal of pedagogies and facilitation of access to education.
- Because African higher education is experiencing difficulties in the respect of gender balance. In fact, in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa, 75% of girls start school, but only 8% finish, and even fewer of them continue their studies in higher education. Only 64 women per 100 men are enrolled in higher education.
What are the main topics to be explored?
- What is the modus operandi of access to higher education, the organisational model of faculties, and the selection process for course offerings?
- What are the learning conditions in universities/training centres?
- What are the challenges related to the quality of teaching, from the management of teaching and administrative staff to the maintenance of infrastructure and evaluation systems?
- What are the funding models for universities in West African countries?
- What are the funding models for student grants and the challenges of meeting merit criteria and transparency?
How to participate in the debate?
- Contributions by experts in the issues discussed are welcome. So are observations, accounts, opinions, and recommendations from all citizens.
- We particularly welcome articles that refer to one or more specific countries, are based on concrete examples and include recommendations for action and reform.
- You can submit short articles (500-1000 words) or longer ones (1500-2000 words). Although the maximum length of a contribution is 2000 words, short articles are more likely to be selected and published by WATHI. All articles must be accessible to the general public, well written and structured.
- Without having to write a structured article, you can send your comments, observations, and recommendations to infowathi@wathi.org. The most relevant contributions will be published on the website.
- You can also submit a short audio or video recording to share your experiences and concrete reform proposals.
- We invite you to send your article with a 50-word biography and preferably a good picture of yourself.
Contributions
Wathinotes
Les wébinaires de WATHI
Autres ressources vidéos
Autres ressources
Pour aller plus loin
Enjeux et perspectives d’une réforme institutionnelle : les universités africaines face au processus de Bologne, Hamidou Nacuzon Sall
Beyond Reforms: The Politics of Higher Education Transformation in Africa, Tade Akin Aina, 2009
Challenges of Higher Education in Africa and Lessons of Experience for the Africa – U.S. Higher Education Collaboration Initiative, Teshome Yizengaw, 2008
Programme de réformes prioritaires 2013/2017 de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche au Sénégal
Innovative Considerations in Curriculum Content and Delivery Methods in Nigerian Higher Education and Management Implication, A.C. Njoku, 2011
Intégration et usages des Technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) dans l’Éducation en Afrique : Situation de l’enseignement supérieur en Côte d’Ivoire(2003-2005, Maomra Jean-Jacques Bogui, 2007
Liens utiles
ALU Education
ALU’s fresh approach to 21st-century education can now be experienced in two amazing locations: the fast-growing innovation hub of Kigali, Rwanda, and the island paradise of Mauritius. Both campuses offer ALU’s unique learning model alongside undergraduate degree programmes while delivering an immersive and transformative student experience through the ALU Alive programme.
Africa Industrial Internet Programme
Staggering amounts of data are generated every moment from millions of sensors connected to equipment and devices, especially in asset-rich industries. Unlocking the value of big data will dramatically improve business productivity and make significant bottom line impact. Capitalizing on the Industrial Internet, however, requires a new suite of skills – Data Exploration, Machine Learning Methods, Industrial Application Development and more.
Top 200 Universities in Africa, 2017 African University Ranking
African University
Africa University, in its bid to make higher education accessible to youths in Africa, and being aware of the low income status of the average African family, offers funding to deserving students to assist with payment of their University fees. The University’s Financial Aid Committee is responsible for awarding this assistance. The assistance is awarded on the basis of merit, need and character and it falls into two categories: Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP)
The Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP) supports the future global leaders and promotes the international cooperation in education by inviting talented international students to Korea for an opportunity to conduct advanced studies at higher educational institutions in Korea.
Kofi Annan MBA Scholarships for Developing Country Students
The Kofi Annan Business School Foundation provides fellowships for talented and motivated students from developing countries that allow them to obtain a one-year full-time MBA degree at ESMT. Applicants must be resident in one of the UN’sLeast Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) or Palestine. After graduation, Fellows are expected to commit to returning to their home countries or regions to participate for at least three years in the development of the local or regional economy.
Africa London Nagasaki (ALN) Fund
The Africa London Nagasaki (ALN) Fund is a scholarship fund set up to support African scientists to undertake a Master’s degree in a subject relevant to the control of infectious disease in Africa.The awards will support a candidate to undertake a Master of Tropical Medicine degree at the School of Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nagasaki University, Japan or an MSc at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK.
Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship Programme
The Aga Khan Foundation provides a limited number of scholarships each year for postgraduate studies to outstanding students from select developing countries who have no other means of financing their studies, in order to develop effective scholars and leaders and to prepare them for employment, primarily within the AKDN. Scholarships are awarded on a 50% grant : 50% loan basis through a competitive application process once a year in June or July. The Foundation gives priority to requests for Master’s level courses but is willing to consider applications for PhD programmes, only in the case of outstanding students who are highly recommended for doctoral studies by their professors and who need a PhD for the fulfilment of their career objectives (academic or research oriented).
Women Techmakers Scholars Program
Through the Women Techmakers Scholars Program – formerly the Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship Program – Google is furthering Dr. Anita Borg’s vision of creating gender equality in the field of computer science by encouraging women to excel in computing and technology and become active leaders and role models in the field.
Wells Mountain Foundation Scholarships
WMF’s signature program, Empowerment Through Education (ETE), provides undergraduate scholarships to developing country nationals to study in their home country or a neighboring country. WMF believes it is important to educate people locally and to encourage WMF Scholars to become change agents in their local communities.
WAAW Foundation Scholarships
Scholarships for female African students looking to pursue a STEM-focused undergraduate program (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) at a recognized African university.
TRECCAfrica Scholarships
Master’s and PhD scholarships for African students to gain partial and full funding to study at partnered African universities.
Master’s Degree ABE Initiative
African Business Education Initiative for Youth. This program offers opportunities for young and eligible African men and women to study at Master’s courses in Japanese universities as international students and to experience internships at Japanese enterprises in order to develop effective skills and knowledge in various fields for contributing the development of industries in Africa.
Australia Awards Africa
Australia Awards, a cornerstone of the Australian Government’s development assistance program for Africa, provide access to postgraduate education, training and professional development opportunities for suitably qualified Africans from eligible countries. On their return to the workplace, Australia Awards Alumni are expected to contribute actively to development in their home countries.
VLIR-UOS Awards Scholarships
Graduate scholarships for international students from Africa, Asia and Latin America to study in Belgium on a development-related master’s degree or training program.