Prof. Mrs. Goski Alabi, Chairperson of the Board of the African Network for Internationalisation of Education (ANIE), has called on African educationists in higher education to develop innovative ways to make a meaningful impact on the world.
Prof. Mrs. Alabi emphasized that achieving this positive impact requires continuous effort. “The watchword here is action, action, and action. We need to constantly work on the changes necessary to achieve this objective,” she stated.
Prof. Mrs. Alabi made these remarks during her closing address at the 14th ANIE Conference, held in Accra, Ghana, from October 9-11, 2024.
The conference, themed “Repositioning International Education for Africa’s Future,” brought together around 90 participants from 16 countries, consisting of researchers, educational technologists, lecturers, vice-chancellors, and university presidents from around the world.
It was organised by ANIE in partnership with OBREAL Global, University of Cape Coast, Ghana, Laweh University College, Ghana, and the All-Africa Students Union(AASU).
Prof. Mrs. Alabi, who is also the Founder of Laweh University College in Accra, urged African universities to stop engaging in the “blame-game” and instead focus on making the necessary efforts to achieve the desired results.
She described the conference as a “resounding success,” attributing this to the commitment of the participants, saying, “The participants chose to be here and made it happen.”
She also commended Prof. Rosemond Boohene, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, for her insightful keynote address, noting that Boohene’s perspectives on the internationalisation of education offered valuable learning experiences that could help participants explore new approaches to global challenges.
Dr. Lavern Samuels, Director of Internationalisation & Partnerships at Durban University of Technology, highlighted the importance of collaboration between universities and governments, stressing that universities should work closely with governments to address societal challenges rather than operating in isolation.
In addition to the keynote address, the event featured four workshops, four panel discussions, over 30 presentations, and the launch of two platforms—AfriCOIL Connect and the ANIE Internationalization Practitioners Group.
In recognition of the significant contributions made by the Conference Organising Team, Laweh University College honoured them with the ‘African Education Champions Award’.