The 14th Annual Conference of the African Network for Internationalisation of Education (ANIE), held in Accra, Ghana, from October 9-11, 2024, marked a significant milestone in the internationalization of higher education in Africa. Among the highlights of this year’s conference was the much-anticipated launch of the International Practitioners Group (IPG), an initiative aimed at uniting and empowering internationalization practitioners across Africa’s higher education institutions (HEIs).
The IPG was launched to address the growing need for a dedicated platform where professionals involved in internationalization can share best practices, foster collaboration, and build the capacity necessary to support the international offices in African universities. As the process of internationalization grows more complex and significant within African HEIs, the unequal capacity to carry out these functions has become increasingly evident across the continent. IPG was created as a response to this challenge.
IPG seeks to be a unified platform that promotes:
- South-South and Global Collaborations: Building deeper and meaningful partnerships within Africa and with international stakeholders to advance the internationalization agenda.
- Contextualized Internationalization: Tailoring the process of internationalization to fit the unique contexts of African universities, ensuring it addresses continental challenges and opportunities.
- Capacity Building: Empowering international office practitioners through training, resources, and development programs.
- Workshops and Seminars: Organizing events that provide practical tools and strategies for those working in international offices, helping to raise the standards of their operations.
- Advocacy: Encouraging the establishment of fully-fledged international offices in African HEIs where they do not exist, and supporting their growth and development where they do.
Internationalization is becoming a cornerstone of African higher education as universities recognize the need to prepare students for a globalized world. The ability to engage in meaningful partnerships, exchange programs, and research collaborations across borders is increasingly vital. However, as internationalization grows in significance, it has become clear that not all universities have the same resources or capacity to manage these processes effectively. The IPG aims to level this playing field by supporting institutions that are lagging behind, while also helping stronger institutions reach new heights in their international engagement.
Leaders from various African universities came forward during the launch to express their support for IPG and their vision for its role in the future of African higher education. Dr. James Oteino Jowi and Dr. Lavern Samuels shared statements emphasizing the importance of creating a network of practitioners who can learn from one another and work together to raise the standard of internationalization across the continent.
The IPG is an open platform, and practitioners from international offices across Africa are encouraged to join. By becoming part of this group, members will gain access to a network of professionals committed to the growth of internationalization in African HEIs, opportunities for capacity-building, and resources to help overcome the challenges faced in international offices.
To join or learn more about IPG, interested parties can contact the group via blairj@anienetwork.org or sboadi-kusi@ucc.edu.gh.
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