The Universality of the University: Rethinking Global Ideals in African Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53103/cjess.v5i6.409Keywords:
Universality, University, Universal Academic Values; Indigenous Knowledge; DecolonisationAbstract
Universities perform three main functions: research, teaching, and community/societal service. As higher education institutions, they have long been associated with universal values such as academic freedom, the pursuit of truth, and the dissemination of knowledge. Rooted in European intellectual traditions, these ideals have been adopted and adapted across different regions of the world, including Africa. However, the application of such universal ideals within African higher education systems raises fundamental questions about relevance, cultural identity, and epistemic justice. This paper explored the conflict between the global idea of the university and the contextual realities of higher education in Ghana and other African countries. Using a qualitative research approach, specifically document analysis through an extensive literature review, the study found that universal academic ideals in Africa were transmitted through colonial legacies, adapted to support post-independence nation-building and developmental priorities, and contested amid political, economic, and epistemic constraints. The outcome is a hybrid model that retains the symbolic features of the “universal” university while reflecting Africa’s socio-cultural realities. Nonetheless, tensions persist between international expectations and local imperatives, particularly concerning autonomy, meritocracy, funding, decolonization, and community engagement. The paper argues for a more pluralistic model of universality that accommodates local agency while maintaining global engagement.
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