NEWS Updates
ZAMBIA: Top university rocked by protests
The University of Zambia was rocked by violent protests last week over the government’s failure to pay student allowances. Riot police were called in as students’ barricaded roads and stoned vehicles, and had to seal the institution to restore order. The country’s oldest university has been disrupted by unrest every year for the past decade.

AFRICA: Backing grows for African research chairs
Linda Nordling
Support is growing for a bid to persuade the G8+5 nations to fund 1,000 senior research positions in African universities. The Academic Chairs for Africa initiative would require the rich G8 countries and the emerging economies that now attend the group’s gatherings – Brazil, China, India, South Africa and Mexico – to commit US$100 million per year over a five-year period.

NAMIBIA: Government snubs new degree courses
Moses Magadza
The academic futures of 73 students who registered for two newly-introduced degree programmes at the Polytechnic of Namibia last year are uncertain after the government refused to recognise the degrees or provide the students with loans. New applications for the same courses this year have also been thrown into confusion amidst conflicting reports from the polytechnic and the Ministry of Education.

EGYPT: New schools at oldest private university
Ashraf Khaled

This month has been action-packed for the American University in Cairo, Egypt’s oldest independent higher education institution founded 90 years ago. At high profile ceremonies attended by Egyptian and foreign dignitaries, the university launched three new schools – of global affairs and public policy, business, and graduate education.

NIGERIA: Call for trade unions in private universities
Tunde Fatunde

Private universities began to be established in Nigeria about a decade ago. They have refused to permit trade unionism among students and staff, allowing only loose associations with very strict guidelines. But there is a growing call for unions to be able to operate in private higher education, to promote democratic governance. Opponents are preparing to resist such a move.

AFRICA: Plan to reform agricultural higher education
Wagdy Sawahel

An initiative to reform and develop agricultural higher education in 29 African countries has been approved by the Islamic Development Bank. The plan includes curriculum development and an online directory for agriculture science education resources, among other things.

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