In an era where youth empowerment and education are at the forefront of Africa’s development agenda, academicians in the East African region are pushing for a groundbreaking initiative.
The recently concluded African Forum on Higher Education, organized by UNESCO and held in Nairobi, spotlighted the urgent need for harmonizing university courses and fees across East Africa.
This call to action aims to foster economic growth, innovation, and sustainable development by equipping the continent’s young people – who by the way make up the majority of Africa’s population – with the right knowledge and skills to conquer the job market.
At the heart of this initiative is Dr. Fuad Obsiye, Vice President for Academic and Research at the University of Hargeisa. During a press interview at the sidelines of the Nairobi event, Dr. Obsiye passionately emphasized the need for a cohesive educational framework that transcends national borders. He highlighted the University of Hargeisa’s strides in aligning its curriculum with international standards and ensuring rigorous quality assurance, which by his own account, consequently makes higher education both locally relevant and globally competitive.
“The harmonization of university courses/programs will foster collaboration, cultural exchange, and elevate the quality of education across the region,” Dr. Obsiye asserted. The University of Hargeisa has already seen significant success in harmonizing its postgraduate courses/programs and is advocating for this approach to be extended to undergraduate programs, in the medium to long run.
Drawing inspiration from the European Union’s Bologna Process, which has successfully harmonized higher education systems across Europe, Dr. Obsiye sees a similar potential for East Africa.
The Bologna Process created a European Higher Education Area, promoting student mobility and mutual recognition of qualifications. Dr. Obsiye believes that East Africa can replicate this success by adopting a coordinated approach involving governments, universities, and regional bodies.
However, the path to harmonization is fraught with challenges. Currently, varying national education policies, financial constraints, and the need for a unified quality assurance framework are significant hurdles. Yet, the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) is making headway with the East African Qualifications Framework for Higher Education (EAQFHE), which aims to standardize qualifications and promote student mobility.
Dr. Obsiye’s vision represents a bold step towards an integrated and competitive higher education system in East Africa. By learning from the EU’s experience and addressing the region’s unique challenges, East African universities can work together to provide high-quality education that meets the needs of their students and societies.
As East Africa stands on the brink of educational transformation, the harmonization initiative heralds a new dawn; one where young Africans are empowered with knowledge and skills to drive the continent’s progress.