Africa’s universities and scholars need to take centre stage in the ‘Africa Rising’ narrative, embracing an important role in the development of the African Agenda.

This was the message Gauteng Premier David Makhura imparted to delegates at the inaugural two-day Africa Universities Summit, where scholars, academic leaders and universities gathered to share ideas and develop new and innovative ways of ensuring higher education institutions in Africa contributed to the development of the continent.

The summit, hosted by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Times Higher Education, aimed to provide a platform to “move Africa's universities forward and build [a] shared global legacy”.

Makhura hoped the summit would answer some critical development questions facing the continent, encourage investment to uplift higher education institutions to deliver the type of graduates needed, as well as unpack the Pan-African research and scholarship required, to support the African Union's Agenda 2063.

“The potential for innovation and economic development in a knowledge society lies in [ensuring] a more prominent role for institutions of higher learning, as well as combining elements from these institutions, industry and government to generate new institutional and social forms of [knowledge] production, transfer and application,” he said.

UJ Vice Chancellor Ihron Rensburg said beforehand that Africa’s universities were integral to the continent’s renewal and revitalisation.

“Our challenge is to nurture universities with diverse missions and to contribute magnificently towards Africa’s high-skilled-people, research and innovation needs. In this manner, we must all contribute to realising Africa’s century,” he concluded.