Exploring the Quality of University Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract

The quality of higher education in Africa exhibits considerable geographical variations, with North Africa possessing generally better-resourced and more effective systems compared to the more disadvantaged institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the Sub Saharan context, ongoing challenges such as insufficient funding, outdated curricula, inadequate facilities, limited research outputs, and unequal access persistently hinder the effectiveness and global competitiveness of university education. This chapter critically reviews existing literature on the diverse and interconnected factors shaping the quality of university education in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), focusing on Zimbabwe, Sierra Leon, Eritrea, and South Africa. South Africa is widely regarded as having one of the most
advanced and well-established higher education systems in Sub-Saharan Africa and, as such, serves as a valuable benchmark for assessing the quality of higher education and identifying scalable best practices for the region. Prominent themes identified in the study include persistent underfunding, resulting in deteriorating facilities, insufficient educational resources, and low faculty remuneration which in turn, fails to attract and retain international faculty on the one hand, and causes brain drain of skilled academics on the other hand. Other themes explored are the disconnection between curricula and labour market requirements, and the varying effectiveness of quality assurance mechanisms. Notwithstanding these considerable challenges, the literature indicates promising opportunities for enhancement, such as the transformative capacity of information communication technology (ICT) to broaden access and enhance pedagogical approaches, the rising focus on regional and international collaborations, and the increasing acknowledgment of the significance of industry-academia partnerships. This chapter, therefore, enhances the existing knowledge on higher education in Africa by providing a detailed, region-specific examination of the determinants affecting the quality of university education throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The study recommends that for Sub-Saharan African countries to enhance quality in higher education, there is an urgent need for investments in infrastructure, curriculum modernisation, improvement of quality assurance systems, promotion of academic-industry partnerships, and encouragement of international and regional collaborations to mitigate disparities and establish resilient, future-ready universities.