Jul 23, 2009
U.S. Support of African Higher Education: The Perils and Promise of Partnerships
On July 23, 2009, The Africa-America Institute (AAI) and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), in cooperation with the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health, held its first Africa Thursday Congressional Seminar of the 111th Congress. The meeting was co-hosted by Mora McLean, AAI’s President and CEO and Representative Donald M. Payne (10th District, New Jersey), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health.
Against the backdrop of pending legislative proposals and private initiatives calling for U.S. - Africa university partnerships, this panel presentation and discussion that followed explored critical issues including especially: 1) lessons from the experience of major U.S. private foundations that have a long history of supporting African higher education; 2) the constituency and potential role of African and Africanist university professionals who are already engaged in partnerships of various forms; and 3) the APLU's ongoing African-U.S. Higher Education Initiative.
Panelists included: