RESEARCH IN AFRICAN HIGHER EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND MANAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR REFORM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Higher Education in Africa has made little progress in respect of fulfilling their mandates and missions to generate applied and policy-relevant knowledge as inputs to sustainable national development process. This is attributable to research output, which has lagged behind their training accomplishments. In making these claims, and considering the fact that research is a defining character of higher education and the moving force behind the socio-economic, political, scientific and technological development of any nation, the paper starts by discussing the concept of research. This is followed by an assessment of the importance of research in the overall development of the economies of nations and the global community. It then ex-rays the challenges to research in higher education in Africa. Thereafter, it discusses the management opportunities for research in African higher education for reform and sustainable development. The paper concludes by calling on leaders of African countries and the management of higher educational institutions to adopt, monitor and implement policies that will enhance research amongst other reforms for sustainable development in Africa.