President of the American University of Nigeria, Dr. DeWayne Frazier, is among the top educational administrators and global thought leaders attending this year's Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Forum opening in Pretoria, South Africa, on Thursday, September 21.
The conference, co-sponsored by the University of South Africa (UNISA), has the theme 'Developing and Enhancing Quality Education in Africa'. The event coincides with UNISA's 150th anniversary.
According to the organizers, the forum will include "an exclusive data masterclass examining THE Impact Rankings metrics and methodology with a focus on university performance for these SDGs."
AUN's President Frazier's contribution will focus on 'Quality Education in Africa: Achievements so far and What is needed Next'.
President Frazier, looking forward to the conference, stated: "I am deeply honored with the opportunity to be a keynote speaker at the Times Higher Education University Impact Forum 2023. Africa is one of the youngest, fastest growing continents in the world and it is estimated in the next decade that the ten fastest growing cities in the world will all be on the continent. Burgeoning populations, especially under the age of 25, provides its own unique challenges to countries. The demand for quality education, opportunity and equity is one of the key challenges of the first part of this century and together we must find collective solutions."
According to the conference organizers, among their stated agenda is: "To achieve quality education in Africa, continued investment in education infrastructure, teacher training and curriculum development is needed, as well as building on the progress already made in increasing access to education and reducing gender disparities."
President DeWayne Frazier, his co-presenters, and the audience will evaluate the extent to which African countries are meeting the need for quality higher education, what successful strategies they are adopting to improve the quality of higher education, particularly in rural areas and for disadvantaged learners, and the lessons that can be learned from successful higher education initiatives in Africa and how can they be replicated or scaled up both within and outside of Africa.
Ms. Mpine Makoe, Executive Dean of the College of Education, University of South Africa, and Mr. Martin Oosthuizen, Executive Director of Southern African Regional Universities Association, will moderate the session where the AUN President, Dr. Frazier, will deliver is speech.
Other contributors and discussants at the session will be Dr. Sakhela Buhlungu, Vice-chancellor, University of Fort Hare, Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, Pro vice-chancellor, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana, and Ms. Denyse Webbstock, Senior Director of institutional planning evaluation and monitoring, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.