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Abstract

The paper examines African scholarship, digital innovation, and decolonial pedagogy and offers a critical opportunity to enhance culturally sensitive practices in international higher education. The paper will examine how African intellectual traditions have evolved over the years to become increasingly relevant in modern educational systems by highlighting a pedagogical paradigm shift that emphasizes the role of local knowledge systems in the interaction between local information and international innovation in digital technology. Decolonial pedagogy opposes the prevalence of Western-centric models of education and promotes a more diverse, decentralized approach that centers the experiences, histories, and cultures of marginalized groups, especially in African contexts. Digital innovation, which transcends geographical borders, plays a major role in establishing a platform through which African scholars repossess educational content and methodologies. The paper examines how African scholars are using digital tools to develop academic discourse, promote native knowledge, participate in global discourse, and resist epistemic violence. It also explores how digital technologies can be integrated into higher education as tools for decolonization, promoting positive learning outcomes and fostering African identity. As part of the conclusion, the paper proposed, among others, that African scholars should redefine knowledge production by engaging in collaborative digital spaces that amplify indigenous knowledge and renouncing existing power regimes, and adopting alternative approaches to knowledge production.

Keywords: African scholarship, digital innovation, decolonial pedagogy, higher education, culturally relevant practices.

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This paper suggests that higher education institutions can support the development of cultural capability and enhance efforts to valorise ICH. However, communities, groups, and individuals who constantly recreate ICH should be at the centre of any strategies to support ICH safeguarding

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In 2018, the University of Zambia (UNZA) introduced the Bachelor of Arts in Intangible Cultural Heritage (BA ICH), supported by UNESCO to strengthen the country’s capacity to manage ICH. In Zambia, as in many other African countries, ICH is prevalent in people's everyday lives through songs, naming traditions, the creative industries, food, dress, traditional craftsmanship, and knowledge systems, among other forms. It is central to identity, representation, and sustainable development. While ICH is a reservoir of meanings, values, and symbols of a given society, the BA ICH was ridiculed by many as a witchcraft programme. Using the concept of conversion factors from the Capability Approach, I argue that the negative perception of the BA ICH constrains cultural capability and agency for safeguarding ICH. The ridicule of the BA ICH may be a result of coloniality and epistemic injustice, which have fostered the sidelining of Indigenous Knowledge and Indigenous forms of cultural expression. While the introduction of the BA ICH is a decolonial step in challenging a highly Eurocentric higher education system, the ridicule associated with the BA ICH suggests there is a need for more advocacy and awareness. I suggest that higher education institutions have the opportunity to support the development of cultural capability by offering training and technical support to communities and government institutions, thereby enhancing efforts to valorise ICH. Still, communities, groups, and individuals who constantly recreate ICH should be at the centre of any higher education strategies to support ICH safeguarding.

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The study examines the relationship between politics and policy in higher education in Nigeria, using Ondo State as a case study. It compares policy implementation at Adekunle Ajasin University and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic and the effects of political interference during implementation.

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Although higher education plays a pivotal role in national development, it continues to experience decline in Nigeria. As a subset, tertiary institutions in Ondo State face challenges ranging from ineffective teaching methods and shortages of qualified personnel to deteriorating infrastructure. These problems mirror broader issues confronting higher education across many African countries. Since Nigeria’s return to democratic governance in 1999, policy implementation in the higher education sector has been subjected to contestation between political elites and bureaucrats, often hindering the implementation of well-intentioned policies. However, previous studies largely overlook this political dimension of policy implementation within the state’s higher education sub-sector. Using a comparative approach, this study examines the implementation of recruitment, funding and welfare policies at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo (RUGIPO), both owned by Ondo State. It investigates the relationship between political officeholders and institutional managements in policy formulation and implementation. Data are drawn from primary and secondary sources. Primary data are obtained from unstructured interviews and structured questionnaires involving forty-seven purposively selected stakeholders and 240 respondents from both institutions. The findings reveal significant political interference in the implementation of recruitment, funding and welfare policies in both institutions. Evidence shows a strong relationship between politics and policy implementation, with the political environment exerting a negative influence on policy outcomes. The study concludes that political involvement remains a major factor undermining effective policy implementation and recommends insulating policy processes from political manipulation.

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This study explores how unequal citation practices contribute to the marginalisation of African scholarship in global academia, highlighting structural biases in publishing and proposing pathways toward more inclusive and equitable knowledge production.

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Citation practices are crucial for defining how academic work is perceived, its authority, and its impact on knowledge systems worldwide. Regardless of their significance, the available evidence shows significant inequality in these practices, which subjects scholars in Africa to unfair advantages. This paper discusses citation inequalities as one of the reasons for the marginalisation of African scholarship in the academic world. Based on a bibliometric investigation and critical scholarship on epistemic injustice and the decolonisation of knowledge, the research analyses citation patterns across different fields of study, including author setting, journal indexing, and network effects. The results indicate that publications by African-based scholars and journals are consistently less cited than those of their counterparts in the Global North, despite the existence of spheres of study directly related to African contexts. These disparities are compounded by key structural issues such as the hegemony of the Euro-American journals, linguistic biases, indexing bias on African journals, and the unbalanced research partnership. The paper contends that not only can such inequalities be applied to academic careers and funding accessibility, but academic knowledge can also be made more or less legitimate and authoritative. To address these imbalances, a review of research evaluation standards, the enhancement of African publishing infrastructures, and the adoption of more inclusive citation practices are required. The paper recommends maintaining the decolonisation of knowledge production worldwide and encouraging epistemic justice within academic circles.

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This study investigates African-led global collaborations that promote knowledge sharing while avoiding Western dominance, focusing on digital innovation, joint research, and strategies to decolonize higher education and ensure African scholarship shapes global academic systems.

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This paper explores how global academic partnerships can support African scholarship while avoiding the reproduction of unequal power dynamics that have historically shaped international collaborations. As African scholars advance efforts to decolonize knowledge and reshape higher education, global partnerships offer new opportunities for resource sharing, methodological innovation, and digital connectivity. Yet they also carry risks: without intentional design, partnerships may reinforce dependency, marginalize African epistemologies, or privilege Western institutions as the default centers of authority. The presentation critically examines different models of transnational academic collaboration, highlighting examples of initiatives that foster equity, reciprocity, and African-led intellectual agendas. It analyses how digital technologies, joint degree programs, collaborative research networks, and inter-university mobility schemes can be structured to support epistemic justice rather than perpetuate extractive patterns of knowledge production. Drawing on examples from African universities engaged in partnerships across Europe, North America, Asia, and the African continent, the presentation identifies both promising practices and persistent challenges. It argues that genuine collaboration requires shared governance, transparency in resource allocation, recognition of diverse epistemologies, and mechanisms that ensure African scholars shape the intellectual direction of joint work. Ultimately, the presentation proposes a framework for “collaboration without domination,” outlining principles and practical guidelines that institutions and scholars can adopt to build partnerships that amplify African contributions to global knowledge. The goal is to envision a future in which African universities participate in and influence global academic systems on equitable terms.

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This study explores external dependence in African higher education. Using descriptive analysis of literature and case studies, it finds limited AI capacity and persistent epistemic imbalance. It concludes that digital sovereignty requires policy reform, infrastructure, and sustained training.

Paper long abstract

African higher education continues to grapple with external dependence in its digital transformation. Reliance on foreign technological infrastructures and artificial intelligence systems has reinforced epistemic imbalances, limiting the continent’s ability to define and control its own knowledge agenda. This study investigates these challenges by employing a descriptive analysis of existing literature and selected case studies from African universities. The methodology highlights patterns of technological adoption, institutional readiness, and cultural contexts, offering a comprehensive view of current realities.

Findings indicate that while universities are increasingly integrating AI tools and digital platforms, significant gaps remain in local capacity development, infrastructural investment, and supportive policy frameworks. Indigenous scholarship is often overshadowed by external paradigms, constraining Africa’s intellectual sovereignty. The study concludes that achieving digital sovereignty requires deliberate strategies that balance global technological engagement with regional autonomy.

Recommendations emphasize the need for continuous professional development programs to strengthen librarians and academics in digital competencies. Collaboration with ICT experts, database vendors, and professional associations is essential to build technical expertise and foster knowledge exchange. Policy support from government agencies and university management must prioritize funding, training, and integration of digital skills into institutional frameworks. Finally, sustained investment in digital infrastructure—such as high‑speed internet, reliable servers, and modern library systems—is critical to ensure effective management of electronic resources and long‑term preservation of knowledge.

By addressing these areas, African higher education can move toward greater digital sovereignty, enhanced AI capacity, and meaningful decolonisation of knowledge.