Скачать или смотреть Advancing Equitable Collaboration, Knowledge Creation & the African Agenda by Prof Puleng LenkaBula

The Conference of Rectors, Vice-Chancellors, and Presidents of African Universities (COREVIP) held in Windhoek, Namibia, in July 2023, served as a critical juncture for redefining the trajectory of African higher education. Professor Puleng LenkaBula, the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa (Unisa), emerged as a leading voice during this assembly, articulating a vision where higher education institutions (HEIs) are not merely sites of instruction but moral agents of societal transformation. Under the overarching theme of "Advancing Excellence in African Higher Education," LenkaBula argued that the pursuit of academic excellence is inseparable from the establishment of genuine, equitable, and ethical partnerships. Her discourse was rooted in the necessity of dismantling historical hierarchies in knowledge production and fostering a collaborative ecosystem that prioritises the developmental needs of the African continent.
The Moral and Ethical Imperative of Partnerships
Professor LenkaBula’s address at COREVIP 2023 centred on the "moral and ethical obligation" of universities to engage in partnerships. This perspective aligns with broader academic discourse on the "civic university," which posits that institutions have a duty to serve the public good through collaborative engagement. In the African context, this obligation is amplified by the need to address historical inequities and the "coloniality of knowledge." LenkaBula emphasised that partnerships should not be extractive—where Western institutions utilise African data or subjects without equitable benefit—but should instead be based on mutual respect and shared intellectual property. This ethical framework is essential for ensuring that research outcomes contribute directly to the resolution of local challenges, such as poverty, health disparities, and climate change.
Advancing Excellence through Equitable Collaboration
The theme of "Advancing Excellence" was interpreted by LenkaBula as a call to elevate the quality and impact of African research on the global stage. She noted that excellence cannot be achieved in isolation; it requires a "synergy of expertise" across borders. However, she cautioned that for these collaborations to be effective, they must be "genuine and equitable." This involves a shift in the power dynamics of international research, moving away from the "North-South" model where the Global North dictates the research agenda. By fostering "South-South" collaborations and more balanced "North-South" agreements, African universities can ensure that their unique perspectives and indigenous knowledge systems are integrated into the global body of knowledge.
Knowledge Creation and the African Agenda
A significant portion of LenkaBula’s insights focused on the role of HEIs in driving the African Union’s Agenda 2063. She argued that knowledge creation must be intentional and aligned with the continent's strategic goals. This requires a move toward transdisciplinary research that bridges the gap between traditional academic silos and practical application. LenkaBula highlighted that Unisa, as a pioneer in open and distance e-learning (ODeL), plays a pivotal role in democratizing access to this knowledge, thereby fostering an inclusive environment where excellence is not restricted to an elite few. The "Windhoek Declaration" and the discussions at COREVIP underscored that the future of African higher education lies in its ability to produce "transformative knowledge" that empowers citizens and stabilises economies.
Institutional Leadership and Global Competitiveness
Professor LenkaBula also touched upon the necessity of robust institutional leadership to navigate the complexities of modern higher education. For African universities to be globally competitive, they must invest in digital infrastructure and human capital. She advocated for a leadership style that is both visionary and pragmatic, capable of securing the resources necessary for high-level research while maintaining a steadfast commitment to the university's social mission. The emphasis on "excellence" at COREVIP was thus a multi-faceted goal: achieving high rankings and citations, but more importantly, achieving excellence in service to the African people through ethical and collaborative innovation.
Would you like to explore the specific strategies Professor LenkaBula proposed for integrating indigenous knowledge systems into mainstream academic research, or are you more interested in the technological advancements Unisa is implementing to support equitable collaboration across the continent?