The African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) has launched a strategic plan covering the period 2022-27 as a framework towards increasing the African continent’s contribution to global cutting-edge research output to 5% over a period of 10 years.
ARUA is a network of 16 selected flagship research universities in Africa with a common vision to expand and significantly enhance the quality of research carried out by African researchers. The network has been operational since March 2015, when it was inaugurated in Dakar, Senegal.
The alliance has been active in positioning research universities on the continent and sees the higher education sector as key role players in informing and executing the education and development targets of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The strategy has four pillars: enhanced research (see table), expanded and improved graduate training and support, strengthening institutional capability for research management and research advocacy.
Under the broad aim of improving graduate training, ARUA wants universities to have a minimum of 75% instead of 45% PhD holders as academic staff over a 10-year period to help in the development of good quality PhD graduates for other African universities.
“ARUA member universities produce an average of 200 PhDs in a year. It is proposed to double this number over the five-year plan following several supportive interventions at ARUA member universities,” the plan states.
Other strategic objectives include developing strong links between its member research universities, industry and other productive sectors to become a strong and effective advocate for funding research in Africa by national governments and international agencies.
The document mentioned inadequate or poor facilities or infrastructure, inadequate or poor equipment and inadequate or poor human resources associated with ageing as well as the brain drain, adding that there are very few opportunities for capacity-building and retention and limited opportunities for research grants.
As a performance indicator, the target of 27 centres in five years is mentioned in the document. There are currently 13 Centres of Excellence based at ARUA member universities, which are seen as key in advancing research.
Source: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20220608191209159