Welcome to the online discussion about University 2.0

Dear colleagues,

 Welcome to the first international online discussion "Universities 2.0 in

Africa – Relevance and Possible Way Forward". My name is Virginie Aimard and I am head of the SCIENTIA section at the United Nations University, Vice Rectorate in Europe. I am in charge of facilitating science policy dialogues, and of strengthening capacities in a Higher Education context with a special focus on Africa. With the SCIENTIA team, we are committed to promote innovative knowledge creation and sharing – through e-learning, knowledge management, participatory and open approaches.  

It is my great pleasure to invite you to contribute to our online discussion, which is taking place in the frame of a series of workshops, conducted online and face-to face, and which aim at developing a new vision for higher education in Africa.

University 2.0 – what do we mean by that?  

Some people associate it with new technologies which they feel are needed for Africa to move on to the next stage and provide better education for all. Others rather associate new educational models and practices with it, together with a demand for better teacher training, improved working conditions for faculty and a renewal of organisational structures.

 All - however- share the belief that education should move on, and that is has to start with a vision. It is our firm conviction that this vision can only be developed in close partnership with the global higher education community, including practitioners, lecturers, students, and trainers, from higher education and also other educational fields, who together want to advance education for Africa.

The United Nations University is committed to support the development of networks around new ideas and innovative concepts in order to make the steps needed for those ideas to become a reality. 

The programme of the discussion 

The discussion will be divided in three parts corresponding to the three weeks.

The first week will be devoted to elaborating on the concept of University 2.0 – what meaning can we give it? What does this cover?

The second week will explore how universities 2.0 are close or far from our reality: what are the opportunities and challenges that can be associated with it.

The third week will give us the time to create a vision and see how this vision can be implemented in a Higher Education context.

How to participate?

1. Watch out for the statement from our expert, Tony Carr from the University of Cape Town, who will lead us into the topic of the week. Each week will start with an opening statement from an expert.

2. All participants are invited to freely contribute their thoughts, their best thinking and their most outrageous provocations to this. If you haven’t done so already, you need to register to the Science Connect platform* and then join the discussion: you can either respond to a message already posted or post a new discussion topic. http://science-connect.net/?q=forum/27

3. We will facilitate the discussion by summarizing and weaving together contributions, and allow our expert to react to upcoming questions and discussions before the week closes.

4. On Fridays the discussion will be summarised and the summary will be presented as a final communiqué to all participants on Monday morning, before the next week's discussion commences.

This rhythm will take us through a 3 week period: from 6 to 24 July. 

A big thanks goes to Prof. Dr. Ulf-Daniel Ehlers from the University of Duisburg-Essen and the Science Connect team for giving us the opportunity to host our discussion - thanks also the international and highly experienced and distinguished experts to join us and to agree to prepare their view, specifically for the discussion with you!

Now, I wish us all a fruitful debate - and open the discussion!

Sincerely yours,

Virginie

* to register to Science Connect, go to:  http://science-connect.net/?q=user/register