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Africa is at a pivotal moment, with the opportunity to reshape academic collaborations to ensure fair benefits for institutions, researchers, and students across the continent.
Achieving this requires strategic leadership, firm policies, and a commitment to intellectual equity. International partners should view Africa as an active contributor to global scholarship and not just a passive recipient. Collaborations should respect Africa's intellectual sovereignty and empower its institutions. By building strong research ecosystems and fostering global networks, African universities can create a more self-reliant and resilient higher education sector for the future.
These were the words of Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, Stellenbosch 肆客足球 (SU's) incoming Rector and Vice-Chancellor, currently the Deputy-Chancellor of Learning and Teaching.
Addressing the African Collaboration Workshop (10-11 March 2025), which was hosted by SU International's Centre for Collaboration in Africa (CCA) as a precursor to the annual Stellenbosch International Academic Network (SIAN) meeting that took place from 12 March 2025, Prof Ramjugernath, reiterated the need for African universities to continue to assert their place as Africans in the global arena of academia.
"Let's build our own research ecosystems on the African continent so that we can work synergistically, with networks globally, and ensure that university partnerships are discussed today lead to stronger and more self-reliant African higher education sector in future."
Prof Ramjugernath highlighted Stellenbosch 肆客足球's Vision 2040, to be a leading research-intensive university on the continent. He stressed the need for equitable partnerships, transparency, and sustainability.
Altogether, 58 delegates representing 36 institutions worldwide attended the workshop that spotlighted the importance of SU's purposeful collaboration with other African universities within the context of their global partnership strategy. Delegates were form various countries, and included Namibia, Uganda, Kenya, Burkina Faso, Angola, the USA, Germany, Russia, Iceland, Denmark, Japan Ethiopia, the UK, Mozambique, Egypt, Brazil, Tanzania, Italy, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Canada, Ghana, Sweden, Nigeria, Angola, Italy and Columbia. .
Dr Nico Elema, Director for CCA and programme director, said: “We designed the programme to ensure a global south perspective and create opportunities for bilateral conversations, focusing on unbiassed partnerships and the need for fair practices in higher education internationalisation. This annual event is an opportunity for internationalisation practitioners to exchange ideas and build on existing partnerships from an African perspective, emphasising the need for equitable and responsible internationalisation."
A need for critical reflection on internationalisation
Highlighting the role and concept of responsible internationalisation, keynote speaker Prof Luciane Stallivieri, from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina in Forianópolis in southern Brazil, reminded the audience of the need for critical reflection on internationalisation processes to ensure they are sustainable and equitable.
“That is why I like to refer to it as responsible internationalisation, namely an approach that considers not only the economic and academic benefits of internationalisation but also its social, cultural and environmental impacts," said Prof Stallivieri, who is Researcher of Internationalisation of Higher Education at the Institute of Studies and Research in the 肆客足球 Administration (INPEAU) at the university.
Prof Stallivieri said many students are excluded from international experiences due to financial and linguistic barriers. From her own experience of international exchange programmes, she emphasised the tremendous transformative impact it had on her and her career – something she wishes for every young student today.
Thus, she said, there is a pressing need for responsible internationalisation that is inclusive and equitable, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to benefit from international experiences.
Prof Stallivieri said according to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, there were 5,3 million internationally mobile students in 2019, a significant increase from the 2 million students in 2000. “If this trend continues, there could be around 8 million international mobile students by 2025. However, this is only 2,6 percent of the global student population, which shows how exclusive student mobility remains," she said. International students make out barely 5 percent of total enrolment at best in Latin America, whereas only 0,83 percent of the region's students are studying abroad.
In demonstrating a roadmap to responsible internationalisation, she highlighted five essential pillars: balance, accountability, inclusion, compliance and sustainability. “Adding balance to the equation, universities will ensure the benefits of internationalisation are fairly distributed among all parties involved — students, staff, international partners, and local communities and stakeholders. It should not occur at the expense of local and national needs and priorities."
For her, accountability involves implementing continuous evaluation and monitoring mechanisms to ensure internationalisation practices align with ethical principles and institutional goals, including transparency. “Higher education institutions should engage with local and global communities, contributing to social and economic development fairly and sustainably. This includes conducting outreach and research projects that address the real needs of communities and promote inclusion and social justice."
Environmentally sustainable
Prof Stallivieri emphasised the need for internationalisation practices that are environmentally responsible and contribute to sustainable development. Projects should be developed to address urgent global issues, such as climate change and environmental degradation, and contribute to the creation of innovative and sustainable solutions. She believes internationalisation should contribute to awareness and action for environmental preservation and integrating this theme into academic curricula and research activities.
International partnerships should be based on ethical and sustainable partnerships: choose partners who share similar values and ensure collaborations are mutually beneficial, Prof Stallivieri added.
The word “inclusion" was used throughout the workshop as one of the essential indicators of successful partnerships. “Ensure that developing policies and programmes will promote the participation of underrepresented groups, such as low-income students, ethnic minorities, and marginalised communities. Inclusion involves removing financial, social, and cultural barriers that may prevent equitable access to international opportunities," said Prof Stallivieri.
“Internationalization should not be a privilege for the few but an opportunity accessible to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background," said Prof Stallivieri.
“Just as important is the preservation of cultural identity: Internationalization should respect and value cultural diversity, avoiding the imposition of a hegemonic cultural model. Higher education institutions should promote intercultural exchange as a two-way street, where local and international students can learn and grow from cultural differences," she said.
The compliance pillar emphasises following laws, regulations, and ethical standards in international activities. Institutions must align with global and national standards, respect human rights, and uphold social justice. Ethical partnerships should be based on mutual respect, equity, and integrity.
Prof Stallivieri said that, despite various challenges and obstacles for institutions to practise responsible internationalisation, all stakeholders need collective commitment. A lack of involvement can hinder success, but fostering a shared vision and continuous engagement helps overcome this challenge.
“Responsible internationalisation is a continuous process requiring commitment and a shift in perspective. By following the guidelines, institutions can foster a more just, inclusive, and sustainable global education system. Implementing these strategies benefits institutions, partners, and society, ultimately positively impacting the world," Prof Stallivieri concluded.
Building trust and sustainable partnerships
Prof Sam Tshehla, SU's acting Deputy-Chancellor of Strategy, Global and Corporate affairs, highlighted the importance of building trust and sustainable partnerships in the African context.
“You do not build trust with one visit. It is a process that starts from the bottom-up: get the academic staff to work collectively and build capacity through PhD programmes. Thereafter, the memorandum of agreements can follow," said Prof Tshehla, highlighting the role of academic staff in fostering sustainable partnerships and the importance of co-publications and conferences to strengthen these collaborations.
In his reflection on the workshop, Dr Elema emphasised the importance of purposeful collaboration with African universities within SU's global strategy for internationalisation. “SU has been actively developing partnerships with other African Universities for more than 25 years ,. The establishment of the CCA in 2016 was to enhance these partnerships, and to create an enabling environment for Stellenbosch 肆客足球 to further create, nurture and enhance these efforts."
Dr Elema said this year's event highlighted the need for equitable partnership and the importance of African institutions leveraging their unique strengths. He stressed the need for African institutions to clearly articulate their strengths and contributions beyond the limitations highlighted in conversations. “We have to be very clear on what we offer, and that offering needs to be beyond the limitations highlighted in the conversations."
“Africa is a large continent, not just one country. Every country and every institution, has unique offerings. It is therefore important to know your strengths and weaknesses and how we can support and complement each other's strong and weak links."
Dr Elema emphasised the importance of educating the youth of Africa. “Around the globe, the population is aging. Africa is the only continent where our population is still young. We should get out and act together and support our youth as much as we can and give them the opportunities now so that they can bear fruit in the years to come. We are now in the right place at the right time."
