[Issue 8] Media Monitoring: Extract of Press News on Higher Education in Africa

1. University World News

Do we provide the right support for migrant academics? (Global)

Academics move from one country to another for myriad professional reasons, including the pursuit of a more prestigious academic position or the furtherance of research opportunities. Migrant academics rarely make such international moves for better teaching or pedagogic opportunities. Yet most migrant academics are expected to teach in their new environments, often without any formal induction or training. The limited training that is available to them is through learning and teaching workshops or postgraduate programmes that adopt a one-size-fits-all approach. Such events and programmes rarely take into account the migrant academics’ previous teaching experience, culture or approach and are tailored more for academics who are new to teaching. The migrant academic is, therefore, likely to experience pedagogic dissonance or discomfort in their new teaching environments. Although there have been references to pedagogic dissonance in the past, no clear definition has been offered for what the term really refers to. Our use of pedagogic dissonance is derived from social psychologist Leon Festinger’s theory of dissonance and refers to the discomfort experienced when academics engage with teaching and learning beliefs or values or culture that may be inconsistent with their own. The degree of dissonance experienced by migrant academics in their teaching is likely to be influenced by a multitude of factors. Here we outline some of these key aspects. Click this Link for more details

2. University World News

The importance of understanding inward student mobility (Africa)

The inward student mobility patterns in Africa can be understood not only through the number of mobile students moving to other countries, but also through a close exploration of the reasons that dictate the patterns at continental level. Although additional examples from the continent could always be thought of, examining African trends with particular focus on Kenya, Ghana, Uganda, Egypt and South Africa – known for relatively better performances of their universities in regional and global rankings, a major attraction for international students – provides useful insight. As reported in The PIE News, Kenya draws a substantial number of international students from more than 60 nationalities across the world. While international students make up 10-15% of students in some Kenyan universities, the representation is dominated by those from the East African region. A rate of participation similar to Kenya is prevalent in Uganda. A 2012 report from the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education indicates that the number of international students in Uganda has risen from 3,000 students in 2004 to about 16,000 in 2010. Most foreign students in Uganda come from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Click this Link for more details

3. Daily Monitor

Mastercard speaks out on Makerere bursary freeze (Uganda)

The MasterCard Foundation has confirmed suspension of the scholars’ programme for 2018/2019 over what it says are concerns over internal processes Makerere University must address immediately. “The MasterCard Foundation has requested that Makerere University suspends the 2018/19 school year recruitment of scholars into the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Programme. The Foundation is concerned about internal processes that need to be addressed at the university,” the e-mail response reads in part. The Foundation says only the current scholars will continue to benefit from the programme while no clear indication has been given on whether new students will be admitted under the programme again. “The Foundation will continue to support all current MasterCard Foundation Scholars at Makerere University with the comprehensive package and leadership development offered by our programme,” the e-mail adds. The confirmation comes after Daily Monitor broke the news of how the sex-for-marks scandal has stained the reputation of Makerere University, forcing the Foundation to act. One of the complainants involved a female beneficiary of the programme. Our sources said the foundation had written to the university, raising concerns over the sex scandal and demanded a status update and steps taken to address the problem, a development, which the university spokesperson, Ms Rita Namisango, confirmed. Click this Link for more details.

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