In Africa, a strong push for capacity, quality and relevance in higher education

At the recent Africa Higher Education Summit, I saw encouraging signs that African countries are investing in higher education. But while enrollment is increasing in tertiary education, there is still the need to improve the quality and relevance of programs. Today, Africa needs to urgently build the scientific and technological capacity to add value to its agricultural produce, minerals, oil and gas—as well as to meet urgent development needs.  There is in fact growing demand from African countries for holistic support to education at all levels, starting from early childhood development programs through to higher education, with a focus on equitable access for all.
 
Here are my main takeaways from the summit: 

The African Higher Education Summit, a three-day continental summit held in Dakar, Senegal, focused on revitalizing higher education for Africa’s future. The event served as a forum discussing themes such as policy harmonization across African universities, sustainable investment models, diversity, graduate employability, gender, governance, and the role of research.

Follow the World Bank Group Education team on Twitter @wbg_education.