ABSTRACT

This article begins from the viewpoint that African universities remain locked in a profound crisis. The origins of this crisis go back to the 1980s, after the golden age of independence, but the crisis itself continues into our time. This crisis is multifaceted, multidimensional, and poses a variety of enigmas and many different challenges. Some of these stem from the reality that higher education in Africa differs widely from one country to another, from one university to another, and that any generalisation risks an exaggeration on one side or another. The article offers a reflection based on three aspects, or dimensions: (a) the model of the university in African countries; (b) the debate on the role of the public and private sectors in higher education in Africa; (c) the role and place of research in African universities. The essay seeks to identify those features which may offer the prospect of action, challenging the status quo and inserting African universities within a new wave of transformation which could open the way towards a ‘new university’.

摘要

本文从非洲大学仍陷于深刻危机的角度出发。这场危机的起源可以追溯到独立的黄金时代之后的1980年代，但是危机本身一直持续到我们时代。这场危机是多方面的，多层面的，并带来各种谜团和许多不同的挑战。其中一些源于这样的现实，即非洲的高等教育在一个国家与另一个国家之间，从一所大学到另一所大学之间有很大的不同，任何概括都可能在一面或另一面夸大其词。本文基于三个方面或维度进行了反思：（a）非洲国家大学的模式；（b）关于公共和私营部门在非洲高等教育中的作用的辩论；（c）研究在非洲大学中的作用和地位。