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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 May 2016
The National Consortium for Study in Africa (NCSA) was founded in 1994 by the then 15 National Resource Centers for African Language and Area Studies. The primary agenda of the NCSA is to promote high-quality and accessible study-abroad programs for North American students in Africa. In addressing this agenda the NCSA initial membership had a particular, but not exclusive, interest in programs at African universities for North American students. This particular bias develops out of a long-standing commitment on the part of National Resource Centers to work with peer institutions in Africa. African universities, their faculty, and their students are essential partners in collaborative initiatives in research, teaching, and project work, and in the continuing process of generating knowledge on Africa across the disciplines. Consequently, from its inception the NCSA has viewed its goal of expanding high-quality programming in Africa as a natural outgrowth and expansion of its members’ linkages with African universities.
1. Visitors came from the universities of Dar es Salaam, Ghana-Legon, Natal, and Zimbabwe.
2. Universities visited included the following: in Kenya—Egerton University, Kenyatta University, University of Nairobi; in South Africa—University of Durban-Westville, University of Natal-Durban, University of Natal-Pietermaritzburg, University of Zululand; in Tanzania—University of Dar es Salaam; in Uganda—Makerere University, Institute for Teacher Education at Kyambogo; in Zambia—University of Zambia; in Zimbabwe—University of Zimbabwe.
3. Exceptions to this situation are indicated in the individual reports on my campus visits. In addition, most of the universities visited are investigating creative alternatives for housing international students.
4. It is important to note that a number of African campuses have an excellent record in completing the academic year. For example, two of the campuses visited that have hosted numerous American programs have a good record in this matter. Although the University of Zimbabwe has been troubled with student demonstrations every year in the past decade, it has managed to complete the requisite days to finish the academic year with the exception of 1989. The same is true for the University of Dar es Salaam, which currently hosts seven U.S. university/college programs on its campus.
5. Interestingly, independently of each other, a number of administrators and faculty indicated that one of the real benefits of having American students in the classroom is that they encourage discussion and dialogue, which the informants agreed is not part of the culture of learning in the typical African university classroom.
6. For example, (a) provided with adequate information students could bring with them text materials from the United States, (b) students can take part in study groups that make efficient use of scarce materials, instead of competing for the materials to use on an individual basis, and (c) students can learn to use materials in a timely fashion—reading ahead of schedule so as not to compete for materials at times of peak demand.
7. Faculty absenteeism has been explained, in part, by the frustration and apathy felt by faculty because of gross inadequacy in salary and in academic support provided by the university. Many faculty members are “forced” to supplement their income by off-campus economic endeavors.
8. With the exception of the University of Zululand, all 11 institutions have plans to be fully semesterized by 1999. See individual campus reports to ascertain the progress toward semesterization on a specific campus.
9. This is particularly true of three of the universities visited in South Africa, the exception being the University of Zululand.
10. This program is at Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, and will be coordinated in the United States by Ohio University. For details of this program see the report on the visit to Kenyatta University.
11. The example of Kalamazoo College should be noted in this regard. Kalamazoo College has for a long time offered exemplary programs in Africa (Senegal, Sierra Leone, Kenya, and more recently, Zimbabwe). Kalamazoo has built into to its agreements with African host universities a form of reciprocity that provides full scholarships to Kalamazoo for students from the host institution. Commendably, this arrangement has continued even when domestic politics has halted Kalamazoo’s sending students to a particular country, as has been the case with Fourah Bay College in Sierra Leone. Kalamazoo College continues to offer scholarships to undergraduates from Sierra Leone even though American students have not been able to attend Fourah Bay College for more than five years.
12. Legislation has been introduced in South Africa that would mandate that all international students pay the real cost of tuition when they attend a South African university.
13. An example of this type of arrangement is provided by the recent agreement between the University of Natal (Durban and Pietermaritzburg) and the University of California system. In addition to paying the full tuition and being responsible for his or her own room and board, each participating American student will be assessed a $4,000 surcharge for the academic year. This assessment will be prorated for students participating for one semester or for the four-week “winter” session.
