A Study On Harmonization Of Higher Education:a Strategy For African Association Of Universities

Integration is an important topic for the development of Africa. Harmonization of Higher education in Africa has flourished since the 21st Century. Association of African Universities(AAU), as a regional organization for collaborating, established by African Union, is playing the more and more important role in this process.This research takes Higher Education integration strategy of African Association of universities as the research object, using literature method, case method and other methods to sort out, analyze and summary the strategy.In except of introduction, this thesis has six chapters. Chapter one, it analyses the strategy background from four perspectives as the mission of AAU, the features of African higher education institutions, the process of Higher Education integration,development crisis in Africa. Then, it analyses the two main strategic texts "Strategic Plan 2011～2015"& "Core Programme 2013-2017", to summarize strategy goals and focus.Chapter two to five, is the in-depth study of the four strategic focus, namely "Regional capacity building strategy". "Quality assurance network strategy" "Information construction strategy". "Academic cooperation and communication strategy".The first is Regional capacity building strategy, including building abilities from administrative, teaching, research, and social service. It takes "Mobilisation-Regional-Capacity-Initiativ(MRCI)" as a typical project to analyze strategy implementation. This strategy has the achievements as core competence improved, policy brief produced, and partnership with other organizations significantly enhanced.The second is Quality assurance network strategy, including establishing internal, external,and finally the whole continent of quality assurance system. It chooses "AfriQAN" as a typical project to analyze implementation. This strategy makes quality assurance report released, the number of quality assurance agencies increased, quality assurance mechanism of improved.The third is Informatization construction strategy, including the development of degree thesis database, research & education network, selecting DATAD to analyze. The strategy made study resource significantly increased, study ways further reformed, information technology professionals significantly increased.The forth is the Academic cooperation and communication strategy, including promoting the flow of academic staff, academic cooperation, cooperation with other organizations on Higher Education,using "Academic Staff Exchange program(ASE)" as an example to analyze implementation. It promoted the professional development of faculty and staff, more importantly, solved the problem of teachers shortage, improved the quanlity of research and teaching.Chapter six is the summary of Higher Education integration strategy of AAU, to analyze the characteristics, experience, and challenge of this strategy.The final conclusions of this research are as follow:1.The Higher Education integration strategy of AAU has characteristics, as the integrity of strategic planning, the focus of the strategy, the continuity of the implementation of the strategy and the innovation of strategic adjustment.2.The Higher Education integration strategy of AAU has achievements, based on those experience:Internally, building unique and core value; externally, relying on the effect of universities, the authority of government, the material and technical support form development of partnership etc.3.The Higher Education integration strategy of AAU is still facing challenges as limited authority from the organization, unfit the implementation of the policy, lack of project assessment, the impact of the external environment etc.4.Chinese Higher Education Institute can try to produce it own strategic planning determine the strategic focus, make strategies through scientific and rational procedures, strengthen strategic advocacy, timely assess and summary strategy and so on.5.In order to promote Higher Education integration in Africa, the education cooperation between Africa and China can development of human resources training programs, support network of quality assurance in Africa on fund and technology, aid informatization construction, set up scholarship, and work together with other development partners etc.