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Shaping public higher education in Africa

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Honourable Abdullahi Godah Barre (Minister: Education, Culture and Higher Education, Federal Republic of Somalia), Prof Mohamed Ahmed Jimale (Rector, Somalia National University), Dr Ahmed Omar Alasow (Dean: Faculty of Engineering, Somalia National University), Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal & Vice-Chancellor, Unisa), Prof Thenjiwe Meyiwa (Vice Principal: Research, Postgraduate Studies, Innovation, and Commercialisation, Unisa) & Prof Veronica McKay (Acting Vice Principal: Teaching, Learning, Community Engagement and Student Support, Unisa)

In a meeting held on 21 February 2019, Unisa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Somalia National University (SNU) to respond to the intellectual and academic needs of the African continent in advancing academic research, research programmes, and processing conflict resolution and disputes.

The Honourable Abdullahi Godah Barre, Minister of Education, Culture and Higher Education of the Federal Republic of Somalia, ambassadors, vice-principals and representatives from the South African Department of Higher Education gathered to reflect and celebrate the partnership’s cooperative and collaboration efforts.

The MoU intends to cooperate in establishing closer links in education and research in areas of mutual interest, where such collaboration may contribute to the efficiency, productivity and overall success of the activities. In addition, it stipulates that both parties will secure project funding from various sources to implement capacity-building initiatives. It is valid for a period of three years and renewable.

In his welcome address, Prof Mandla Makhanya, Unisa’s Principal and Vice-Chancellor (VC), said it was important and appropriate for parties to be honest and commit to education that was sustained. "We have to be guaranteed that our public higher education system is strengthened because it’s a pillar of the future." He mentioned that the influx of private higher education has nowhere to go, because it has a crippling element built into it and it’s divisive once again in the context of nation building. "It is not meant in anyway, to produce a society that we aspire to have, it produces societies that are from inception divided and drive a divisive agenda. The primary focus is nation building that is built on a platform of peace and that unifies the nation on the question of language," the VC noted.

In his discussion points and response, Godah Barre remarked that all these sketched and shared dreams in the agreement required an educated skill. He comprehended that Unisa was spearheading many areas and he appreciated its capacity to lend a helping hand. "We feel we can be supported and play a role, too, in the future," he said. "We are moving in the right direction politically; there’s much improvement and we also expect our elections in two years’ time and request a great deal of support."

The minister identified all areas that needed attention in his country and public higher education, stating with confidence that Unisa would be able to help, although it had its own challenges.

The meeting was a prestigious platform for sharing histories, success stories, and challenges in an attempt to pave a way and shape public higher education on the African continent.

Prof Khehla Ndlovu (Vice Principal: Strategy, Risk and Advisory Services, Unisa), Hon Abdullahi Godah Barre (Minister: Education, Culture and Higher Education, Federal Republic of Somalia), Prof Mohamed Ahmed Jimale (Rector, Somalia National University), Dr Ahmed Omar Alasow (Dean: Faculty of Engineering, Somalia National University), Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal & Vice-Chancellor, Unisa) & Dr Martin Rupiya (Institute for African Renaissance Studies, Unisa)

* By Lesego Ravhudzulo, Journalist, Department of Institutional Advancement

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Publish date: 2019-03-06 00:00:00.0

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