The concept of a “smart university” is the future of the internationalization of higher education in Africa

At the end of November 2021, the 11th Virtual Conference of the African Network for Internationalization of Education (ANIE) was held, dedicated to regional and global cooperation in higher education and adaptation strategies for the future of African higher education after COVID-19.

Speaking at the conference, the Secretary General of the Association of African Universities, Professor Olusola Oyovole, outlined his views on the transformation and future internationalization of higher education in Africa. He focused on the concept of a smart university, saying that change is is imperative, hence the need for new thinking on how universities operate.

The smart university concept involves technological advances for the effective management, administration and delivery of the main functions and services of the university. The concept of the smart university is an emerging and fast-evolving area that represents the creative integration of innovative concepts using smart software and hardware systems,” he said.

Components of smart universities, he added, include university stakeholders, curricula, pedagogy, software and hardware, technologies, resources, libraries, security and infrastructure.

Oyewole added that African universities ought to embrace the smart university concept as it has various benefits, including enhanced student learning experiences and campus safety, reduction in operation costs, support in data-based decisions, promotion of efficiency, flexibility for learners, advances for university reputation, and it helps with the promotion of internationalisation and knowledge mobility.

Smart universities can, therefore, advance internationalisation, which help to create world-class institutions that attract foreign students and staff into higher education systems for cross-cultural education.

To foster internationalisation in the pandemic period, African universities need to install programmes like instant student exchanges abroad and also embrace staff mobility programmes for lecturers through partnerships and networks, both virtual and institutional, he suggested.

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