Strengthening Higher Education, Science and Technology in Africa

Preparation for Summit of the Committee of Ten Heads of State and Government Championing Education, Science and Technology in Malawi (January, 2017) Background to the Committee of 10 Heads of State and Gov. Championing Education, Science and Technology in Africa

• Maputo July 2014: Meeting of 40 VCs, AUC Commission Chair, and Commissioners of HRST and DREA held to discuss issues affecting Higher Education in Africa • AUC Chair: Offered to host a session of African HoS and Government session on Higher Education in Africa

• Linked to First Higher Education Summit held in March, 2015 Dakar, Senegal, Organized by Government Senegal, Trust Africa, AAU and other partners

• June 2015 HoS Summit (South Africa) endorsed Committee of 10 Heads of States with HE, Macky Sall as its Coordinator

• Committee of 10 announced at RUFORUM 2016 Biennial Conference in Cape Town by AUC Chair Committee of 10 Champions for ES&T

1. President Macky Sall, Senegal (Coordinator) 2. President Ernest Bai Karoma, Sierra Leone 3. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Egypt 4. Beji Caid Essebsi, 5. President Bongo Odimba, Gabon 6. President Idriss Deby Itno, Chad 7. President Peter Mutharika, Malawi 8. President Have Geingob, Namibia 9. President Uhuru Kenyatta, Kenya; and 10. President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Cape Town Ministerial Communique, Oct 2016 • Ministerial Round Table at 5th African Higher Education Week and RUFORUM Biennial Conference, South Africa . • The meeting attended by 11 Governments of Benin, Egypt, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, South Africa and Uganda • Preceded by a meeting of technical experts from respective Governments. Meeting recommended:

• A Core Planning Committee be formed by the African Union Commission to lead the preparation of the planned meeting in Malawi of the Committee of 10 HoS; 1.1 Provide technical support to the Committee of 10 Meeting; and, 1.2 The planned meeting of Heads of State, private sector and academia, planned for March, 2017 in Mauritius; 1.3 A Core Planning Committee be constituted by AUC to include Malawi, Mauritius, Egypt, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, AAU, FANRPAN and RUFORUM; and, 1.4 The African Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank be approached to participate and support the meeting arrangements and support Higher Education initiatives in Africa Other recommendations:

• Called for a Marshall Plan to escalate postgraduate training and staffing in African universities. • African Governments and Development partners increase long-term funding to the HE, and particularly for postgraduate and postdoctoral training; • Provide incentives for the private sector and high net worth individuals to enhance investments within the higher education sector, particularly postgraduate training; Objectives of the process

• Agree on key issues and priorities for strengthening Higher Education, S&TI that require high level policy commitment by African Ministers and Heads of State and Government; • Engage with high net worth individuals in Africa to invest in the African higher education sector; • Obtain commitment by African Governments to national and regional investments in Higher Education, Science and Technology. Approach

Activity 1: Preparation of basic key background papers/documentary, Nov 2017-January 2017 • Provide selected Analytical studies to provide evidence for decision makers • Identification of the key issues, challenges related to HE • Build on previous studies, meeting such as the 1st African HE Summit (Dakar, 2015)

Activity 2: Regional Consultations on Strengthening African Higher Education • Dakar Senegal, November, 2016 • Planning meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi (Nov/December, 2016) • Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (December, 2016) Activities (cont)

Activity 3: Meeting with the RECs • A follow-up meeting with representatives from the five sub-regions, including with regional economic communities

Activity 4: Engagement to mobilize private sector support (January 2017) • Engagement requested from His Obasanjo • Initial Meeting with Private Sector representatives in Cape Town (Dec 2016) • Back to back meeting with High net worth individuals with the meeting of the committee of Ten Heads of States Activities (cont)

Activity 5: Meeting of Committee of 10 HoS and Government Championing Higher Education, Science and Technology in Lilongwe, Malawi, Mid- January 2017 • Convene, together with the Government of Malawi, a meeting of the Committee of ten • Lead to the overall HoS Summit (Addis Ababa in January 2017) Activity 6: Meeting in Addis, end Jan 2017 • Committee meeting to discuss details of implementation of declaration with African Union. Activity 7: Meeting in Mauritius with PS, Higher Education and Heads of State (AUC, President of Mauritius)

Activity 8: Presentation of report to Key Partners, April-June 2017 • A summary report of the activities undertaken and key steps for moving forward will be documented into a concise report and shared with partners by the Committee. This presentation

1. Seek input on the process proposed (dates to be confirmed with AUC) 2. Seek for guidance and participation of Higher Education agencies, stakeholders, and development partners in the process; 3. Institutions to fund their own participation 4. Engagement of key actors critical to success

5. Comments by email: [email protected] [email protected]

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