UKZN Professor Addresses African University Week

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UKZN’s Professor Vannie Naidoo presented a paper titled: Digitalising Higher Education - The Case of E-learning During COVID-19, at the African Universities Week held annually to commemorate the birth of the Association of African Universities (AAU) in 1967 in Rabat, Morocco.

The AAU is the voice of Higher Education in Africa and serves as a forum for consultation with the aim of improving the quality of Higher Education on the continent. The AAU is also the technical implementing arm of the African Union Commission in Higher Education.

The African Universities Week celebration took place online under the theme: Digital Transformation of Higher and Tertiary Education.

Distinguished speakers from a variety of universities including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Sudan shared their insights and experiences on Virtual, Distance or E-Learning during COVID-19.

Professor Naidoo of the School of Management, Information Technology and Governance said in her address that E-learning had been what African universities were leaning towards as they embraced the 4th industrial revolution. ‘In 2020, COVID-19 was a sudden and unexpected pandemic now registered as one of the biggest humanitarian crises confronted by mankind in our present history.’

‘The pandemic has caused the shutdown of many activities worldwide with the education sector being severely affected. The sudden emergence of COVID-19 forced African universities to migrate from traditional learning to on-line learning platforms.’

Naidoo pointed out many challenges faced by both students and academics in e-learning/distance learning during COVID-19. ‘However, in spite of these challenges many universities are forging ahead with their curriculum and programmes, trying to bring as much normalcy to the university community as possible to help make a success of what will probably be another very difficult academic year,’ she added.

Words: NdabaOnline

Photograph: Supplied