22nd COREVIP Ends With Africa-Chinese MOU on Higher Institutions 

 

The 22nd COREVIP has ended in Windhoek with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Association of African Universities AAU and the China Association of Higher Education.

 

The Conference also ended with the renewal of partnerships between African universities and Latin American countries.

 

The China -AAU Memorandum of Understanding was signed symbolically on the last day of the conference on China Africa University Consortium, to formalise the relationship between the African higher institutions and China.

 

President of the AAU, Prof. Saeed Bakri, said the relationships between other countries of the world and Africa were thoroughly reviewed during the COREVIP 2023.

 

According to Prof. Bakri, Presidents, Vice-chancellors and Rectors as well as delegates who attended COREVIP 2023 said that for Africa’s higher education to benefit from Global North and Global South, the relationships must develop into true partnerships.

 

“The global north and global south, we mean  countries like Argentina, China, Mexico and the rest of them had similar challenges that we are facing presently following some historical background, they produce similar problems and challenges so we taught that experiences are extremely important, especially some of them achieve a breakthrough in the development of their higher education and we believe we can learn from them”

 

“We just signed our collaboration with the China Association of higher education and some memorandum of understanding has already been signed between Chinese and Africa universities”

 

Prof. Bakri expressed hope in the MOUs and partnership with the Association of Chinese Higher Education which according to him has over 3000 institutions.

 

He applauded the turnout and attendance of Latin America in the conference saying they have made a great commitment to partner with Higher Education in Africa.

 

Lead delegate from the European Association based in Spain with chapters in Africa, India, and Latin America, Director of strategy and development OBREAL Global (a University and Research Association) , Dr. Nicolas Patrici, said his organisation will work to promote inter-regional approaches to higher education.

 

Dr Patrici said his Association will build up common solutions along with Africa to place the African voice and the Latin American voice in the world so as to be stronger together.

 

According to him, “Weed to recognise ourselves with the AU and the AAU, a few years ago with the AU and the AAU we started to look up to opportunities to move regions that had been distanced closer”

 

“With governments of Argentina, Brazil and to see how Africa and Latin America can move closer in higher education aspect, we have organised a meeting hosted by the Ministry of Education of Argentina and the AU Commission, the AAU and all persons from regions of Africa to have intergovernmental dialogue and the university dialogue because we feel when governments talk, this initiative was the first attempt to bring regions together to repeat their action in July 2024 in Addis Ababa and to contribute to the year of education in Africa.

Educational Mobility Program in Africa

On Global Gateway Africa Europe Investment Package and Programme, the Manager of European Co said that the flagship initiative on youth mobility for Africa promotes learning mobility opportunities within Africa and between Africa and the EU.

 

“The initiative contributes to the Youth Action Plan in External action (2022-2027) and the commitments made at the 6th EU-AU summit in 2022, supporting our common ambition for 2030 and the AU Agenda 2063.

 

EU contributes the sum of 970 Euro until 2027 in Africa under the theme Education and Research.

 

Hakami further disclosed that the objective is to increase inclusive and demand-driven learning mobility opportunities and collaboration within Africa and the EU, through exchanges, scholarships and cooperation projects.

 

A student of the University of Namibia, Lineekela Shipikit, a benefit of the Erasmus plus  programme of the EU in Czech Republic said education is

Interlinked with politics, in that policies and decision-making from the state level can enhance such educational mobility programmes.

 

“Thus, strengthening diplomatic ties with different countries around the globe specifically educational ties can help increase the presence of embassies and operations of consulates in Africa”

 

“This can help reduce challenges arising such as traveling to the nearest country to make a visa which is a long and costly process for students” Shipiki added.

 

Also, Nigeria’s scholar, Abdulkarim Oloyede, Associate Professor, at the University of Ilorin, said African countries are not fully united, he said unity on the continent will strengthen higher education and support learners’ mobility.

 

“There are challenges even in traveling within Africa due to encumbrances in documentation and Visa issues.

 

Prof. Abdikarin Adan Hussein, Himilo University Somali, called for support for countries in Africa presently facing challenges in keeping their universities open.

 

Meanwhile, the Sec-Gen of the AAU, Prof. Olushola Oyewole said in closing that Universities on the African continent have resolved to commit themselves to pursuing excellence in the higher education system

 

Dominica Nwabufo