Exploring International Partnership Experiences and Perceptions among Administrators, Faculty Members, and Postgraduate Students at Two African Universities

In the last two decades, there has been a significant expansion of cross-border higher education activities internationally. Many of these activities have been established through cooperation and partnerships. International cooperation and partnerships have become an important trend in African higher education. African universities increasingly seek to establish academic partnerships with foreign institutions, and many foreign institutions have become interested in establishing linkages with African institutions of higher education. Recent developments, particularly in the U.S. and in Europe suggest the partnership trend will continue to expand in coming years. International partnerships, however, are not a new phenomenon in African higher education. "Partnerships" have been established for decades. Yet, despite past and present developments, very little is known about how members of African university communities experience international partnerships, how beneficial they think partnerships are, or what they believe should be future priorities. Drawing from a survey of 470 and interviews with 40 administrators, faculty members, and postgraduate students at the University of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and the University of Lubumbashi (D.R. of Congo), this presentation will explore some partnership trends at the two institutions.