Higher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 21st Century

This book contributes to the understanding of regional and global perspectives on the development and challenges the higher education sector in sub-Saharan Africa faces in the era of globalization. It focuses on the critical aspects of the higher education sector in the Global South, with a particular emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. It brings together empirical, theoretical and philosophical perspectives from researchers in some of the leading universities in sub-Saharan Africa. The book highlights the higher education sector's stages of growth and development and the contemporary challenges it faces in aligning its goals and capacity globally, and maintaining its image and public identity locally. This book covers neoliberal educational reforms, leadership and governance, pedagogy, technology, the global knowledge economy, and digital advancement. It delves into how the nature and practice of learning, teaching, research, and community engagement as core functions of higher education are re-oriented to contribute to societal transformation in Africa. Further, the book discusses the implications of contemporary issues in higher education: internationalization, employability, leadership and management, and accountability and autonomy in teaching, research, and community engagement.



Ben Kei Daniel, PhD, SMIEEE, is Professor of Higher Education and the Head of the Department of Higher Education Development Centre at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Ben teaches Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED), research methodology (Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Methods), and Educational Technology. Ben obtained his PhD Jointly in Educational Technology and Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada in 2007. At Otago, he is the convenor for Educational Technology strategic initiatives. 
 
Ben is an international award-winning research methodologist with extensive theoretical and practical experience in several research methodologies. He is a Chief Editor of the Research Methods section-Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics. His main research involves investigating Big Data and Learning Analytics issues in Higher Education. Also, Ben is researching what constitutes 'best practice teaching' in research methods. He has published over 170 peer-reviewed publications, including five books, and holds professional memberships with several associations and professional bodies, key among them include membership with the Board of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research (NZERC), the Council of Australasian University Leaders in Learning and Teaching (CAULLT), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and the International Society for Artificial Intelligence in Education (IAIED). He is also a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). 
 
Ronald Bisaso, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Higher Education and Deputy Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) at Makerere University, Uganda. He holds a doctorate of philosophy in Administrative Science, specialising in Higher Education Management from the University of Tampere in Finland. He also holds a Master of Science in Educational and Training Systems Design from the University of Twente in the Netherlands, and a Bachelor's Degree of Arts with Education from Makerere University. His re-search and publication interests include: higher education leadership and management in sub-Saharan Africa, higher education and socio-economic development, organisational change, and capacity building in higher education organisations. Professor Bisaso is a member of the Steering Group of the Worldwide Universities Net-work (WUN) Global Challenge in Higher Education and Research (GHEAR).