Harmonization of higher education in Africa and Europe: Policy convergence at supranational level
Abstract
While the Bologna Process in Europe is the leading example, regional efforts towards harmonization of higher education are taking place in every corner of the world. In Africa, such a process has its roots from decades ago, although more coordinated activities are only recent phenomena. This paper looks back at the harmonization processes in Africa and Europe, and argues that although the process in Africa has been influenced by its European counterpart, the former has its own unique features, among other things, in its thematic and sub-regional initiatives. The paper notes similarities and differences between the two processes, appreciates the strengths and shortcomings of the African process, and highlights the importance for the African Union to more effectively utilize its leverage as a coordinating body, with a wider and more meaningful involvement of higher education institutions and other stakeholders. It also calls for more exploration into the potential strengths and risks in harmonization initiatives strongly rooted at sub-regional level.
Received: 06 March 2018
Accepted: 04 May 2018
Published online: 31 May 2018
Downloads
References
African Union. “African Union Heads of State and Government Adopts the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025) As the Framework for Transformative Education and Training System,” 2016. http://www.au.int/en/pressreleases/19702/african-union-heads-state-and-government-adopts-continental-education-strategy.
_____. “Second Decade of Education for Africa (2006-2015): Draft Plan of Action,” 2006. http://www.adea-comed.org/version2/IMG/pdf/SECOND_DECADE_OF_EDUCATION_FOR.pdf.
African Union, and European Union. “The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership: A Joint Africa-EU Strategy,” 2007. http://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/sites/default/files/documents/eas2007_joint_strategy_en.pdf.
_____. “Joint Africa EU Strategy Action Plan 2011-2013,” 2011. http://www.africa-eu-partnership.org/sites/default/files/documents/03-jeas_action_plan_en.pdf.
_____. “Fourth EU-AFRICA Summit: Roadmap 2014-2017,” 2014. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/media/21520/142094.pdf.
Babarinde, Olufemi. “The EU as a Model for the African Union: The Limits of Imitation.” The Jean Monnet/Robert Schuman Paper Series 7, no. 2 (2007). http://aei.pitt.edu/8185/1/BabarindeEUasModellong07edi.pdf.
Batory, Agnes, and Nicole Lindstrom. “The Power of the Purse: Supranational Entrepreneurship, Financial Incentives, and European Higher Education Policy.” Governance 24, no. 2 (April 2011): 311-29. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0491. 2011.01525.x.
Bennett, Colin J. “What Is Policy Convergence and What Causes It?” British Journal of Political Science 21, no. 2 (1991): 215-33.
Bologna Declaration. “The Bologna Declaration of 19 June 1999. Joint Declaration of the European Ministers of Education,” 1999. http://media.ehea.info/file/Ministerial_conferences/02/8/1999_Bologna_Declaration_English_553028.pdf
Cini, Michael. “Intergovernmentalism.” In European Union Politics, edited by Michael Cini, 93-108. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Crosier, David, and Teodora Parveva. The Bologna Process: Its Impact in Europe and beyond. Paris: UNESCO: International Institute for Educational Planning, 2013.
De Wit, Hans. “European Integration in Higher Education: The Bologna Process Towards a European Higher Education Area.” In International Handbook of Higher Education, edited by J.J.F. Forest and P.G. Altbach, 461-82. Dordrecht: Springer, 2007.
DiMaggio, Paul J., and Walter W. Powell. “The Iron Cage Revisited: Institutional Isomorphism and Collective Rationality in Organizational Fields.” American Sociological Review 48, no. 2 (1983): 147-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0742-3322(00)17011-1.
Dolowitz, David, and David Marsh. “Who Learns What from Whom: A Review of the Policy Transfer Literature.” Political Studies 44, no. 2 (June 29, 1996): 343- 57. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.1996.tb00334.x.
Dolowitz, David P., and David Marsh. “Learning from Abroad: The Role of Policy Transfer in Contemporary Policy-Making.” Governance 13, no. 1 (January 2000): 5-23. https://doi.org/10.1111/0952-1895.00121.
Drezner, Daniel W. “Globalization and Policy Convergence.” International Studies Review 3, no. 1 (2001): 53-78. https://doi.org/10.1111/1521-9488.00225.
European Higher Education Area [EHEA]. “Members – European Higher Education Area and Bologna Process,” 2017. https://www.ehea.info/pid34250/members.html.
Hahn, Karola, and Damtew Teferra. “Tuning as Instrument of Systematic Higher Education Reform and Quality Enhancement : The African Experience.” Tuning Journal for Higher Education 1, no. 1 (2013): 127-63. http://www.tuningjournal.org/public/site/01/7_Tuning_as_Instrument_of_Systematic_Higher_Education_Reform_and_Quality_Enhancement.pdf.
Heyneman, Stephen P. “The History and Problems in the Making of Education Policy at the World Bank, 1960-2000.” International Journal of Educational Development 23, no. 3 (2003): 315-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1479-3679(04)06002-5.
Lulat, Y. G. M. “The Development of Higher Education in Africa: A Historical Survey.” In African Higher Education: An International Reference Handbook, edited by Damtew Teferra and Philip G. Altbach, 15-31. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003.
Marginson, S., and G. Rhoades. “Beyond National States, Markets and Systems of Higher... – Google Scholar.” Higher Education 43, no. 3 (2002): 281-309. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C22&q=Beyond+national+states%2C+markets+and+systems+of+higher+education%3A+A+glonacal+Agency+Heuristic&btnG=.
Meyer, J. W., Frank, D. J., Hironaka, A., Schofer, E., & Tuma, N. B. “The Structuring of a World Environmental Regime, 1870-1990.” International Organization 51, no. 4 (1997): 623-51. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C22&q=The%21+structuring%21+of%21+a%21world%21+environmental%21+regime&btnG=.
Mohamedbhai, Goolam. “Towards an African Higher Education and Research Space (AHERS) – A Summary Report,” 2013. http://www.adeanet.org/en/system/files/resources/ahers_summary_report.pdf.
Neave, Guy. “The Bologna Declaration: Some of the Historic Dilemmas Posed by the Reconstruction of the Community in Europe’s Systems of Higher Education.” Educational Policy 17, no. 1 (January 25, 2003): 141-64. https://doi.org/10.1177/0895904802239290.
Nienhüser, Werner. “Resource Dependence Theory – How Well Does It Explain Behavior of Organizations?” Management Review 19, no. 1&2 (2008): 9-32. https://doi.org/10.5771/0935-9915-2017-2-192.
Onana, Charles Awono, Olusola Bandele Oyewole, Damtew Teferra, Pablo Beneitone, Julia González, and Robert Wagenaar. Tuning and Harmonisation of Higher Education: The African Experience. Bilbao: University of Deusto, 2014.
Oyewole, Olusola. “The African Quality Rating Mechanisms: The Process, Prospects, and Risks.” In Fourth International Conference on Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa and Capacity Building. Bamako, 2010. http://ifgu.auf.org/media/document/KEYNOTE_Oye_AQRM_Process-Prospect_and_Risks_2.pdf.
Sall, Hamidou Nacuzon, and Baye Daraw Ndjaye. “Higher Education in Africa: Between Perspectives Opened by the Bologna Process and the Commodification of Education.” European Education 39, no. 4 (2007): 43-57. https://doi.org/10.2753/EUE1056-4934390403.
Samoff, Joel, and Bidemi Carrol. “The Promise of Partnership and Continuities of Dependence: External Support to Higher Education in Africa.” African Studies Review 47, no. 1 (2004): 67-199. https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C22&q=The+Promise+of+Partnership+and+Continuities+of+Dependence%3A+External+Support+to+Higher+Education+in+Africa+&btnG=.
Sehoole, Chika, and Hans de Wit. “The Regionalisation, Internationalisation, and Globalisation of African Higher Education.” International Journal of African Higher Education 1, no. 1 (2014): 217-41. http://dx.doi.org/10.6017/ijahe.v1i1.5648.
Sesay, Amadu. “The African Union: Forward March or About Face-Turn?” Claude Ake Memorial Papers, 2008. http://nai.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:278874/FULLTEXT01.pdf.
Sorbonne Declaration. “Sorbonne Joint Declaration. Joint Declaration on Harmonization of the Architecture of The European Higher Education System,” 1998. http://media.ehea.info/file/1998_Sorbonne/61/2/1998_Sorbonne_ Declaration_English_552612.pdf.
Vaira, Massimiliano. “Globalization and Higher Education Organizational Change: A Framework for Analysis.” Higher Education 48, no. 4 (2004): 483-510.
Watson, Pam. “Regional Themes and Global Means in Supra-National Higher Education Policy.” Higher Education 58, no. 3 (2009): 419-38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9203-3.
Woldegiorgis, Emnet Tadesse. “Conceptualizing Harmonization of Higher Education Systems : The Application of Regional Integration Theories on Higher Education Studies.” Higher Education Studies 3, no. 2 (2013): 12-23. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v3n2p12.
_____. “Historical and Political Perspectives: On Regionalization of African Higher Education.” In Regionalization of African Higher Education:Progress and Prospects, edited by Jane Knight and Emnet Tadesse Woldegiorgis, 29-46. Rotterdam, Boston, Taipei: Sense Publishers, 2017.
Woldegiorgis, Emnet Tadesse, Petronella Jonck, and Anne Goujon. “Regional Higher Education Reform Initiatives in Africa: A Comparative Analysis with Bologna Process.” International Journal of Higher Education 4, no. 1 (2015): 241-53. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v4n1p241.
Woldegiyorgis, Ayenachew A. “The Indelible Footmarks of the World Bank in the Higher Education of the Developing World : The Case of Ethiopia.” International Journal of Research Studies in Education 3, no. 3 (2014): 93-106.
Authors are required to sign and submit a copyright transfer agreement after acceptance but before publication of their manuscript. To that effect, they receive, from the Managing Editor of Tuning Journal for Higher Education, a standard copyright assignment form designed along the following lines:
1. Authorship:
The author who signs the copyright transfer agreement must be the sole creator of the work or legally acting on behalf of and with the full agreement of all the contributing authors.
2. Copyright and Code of conduct:
a) Authors warrant that their work is original; has not been previously copyrighted or published in any form; is not under consideration for publication elsewhere; its submission and publication do not violate TJHE Ethical Guidelines for Publication and any codes (of conduct), privacy and confidentiality agreements, laws or any rights of any third party; and no publication payment by the Publisher (University of Deusto) is required.
b) Authors are solely liable for the consequences that may arise from third parties’ complaints about the submitted manuscript and its publication in Tuning Journal for Higher Education (TJHE).
c) Authors grant to the Publisher the worldwide, sub-licensable, and royalty-free right to exploit the work in all forms and media of expression, now known or developed in the future, for educational and scholarly purposes.
d) Authors retain the right to archive, present, display, distribute, develop, and republish their work (publisher's version) to progress their scientific career provided the original publication source (Tuning Journal) is acknowledged properly and in a way that does not suggest the Publisher endorses them or their use of the wortk.
e) Authors warrant that no permissions or licences of any kind will be granted that might infringe the rights granted to the Publisher.
3. Users:
Tuning Journal for Higher Education is an Open Access publication. Its content is free for full and immediate access, reading, search, download, distribution and reuse in any medium or format only for non-commercial purposes and in compliance with any applicable copyright legislation, without prior permission from the Publisher or the author(s). In any case, proper acknowledgement of the original publication source must be made and any changes to the original work must be indicated clearly and in a manner that does not suggest the author’s and or Publisher’s endorsement whatsoever. Any other use of its content in any medium or format, now known or developed in the future, requires prior written permission of the copyright holder.
1.jpg)
1.jpg)
.jpg)
1.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
