LAUSR

ABSTRACT This article begins from the viewpoint that African universities remain locked in a profound crisis. The origins of this crisis go back to the 1980s, after the golden age of independence, but the crisis itself continues into our time. This crisis is multifaceted, multidimensional, and poses a variety of enigmas and many different challenges. Some of these stem from the reality that higher education in Africa differs widely from one country to another, from one university to another, and that any generalisation risks an exaggeration on one side or another. The article offers a reflection based on three aspects, or dimensions: (a) the model of the university in African countries; (b) the debate on the role of the public and private sectors in higher education in Africa; (c) the role and place of research in African universities. The essay seeks to identify those features which may offer the prospect of action, challenging the status quo and inserting African universities within a new wave of transformation which could open the way towards a ‘new university’.