The African Partnerships Universities Alliance (APUA) is a collaborative capacity-building project funded by South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) through the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP). Initiated through a successful 2022/2023 UCDP grant application, APUA supports the transformation of higher education by promoting Africa-centred internationalisation.
Led by Durban University of Technology, the project brings together a diverse consortium of 10 South African universities—including research-intensive, rural, comprehensive, and universities of technology.
Together, these institutions aim to foster strategic partnerships across Africa, building the capacity of academics, university leaders, and practitioners to drive sustainable change and collaboration across the continent’s higher education landscape.
The consortium universities jointly organise academic staff training workshops and seminars to develop an understanding of the opportunities, barriers, and complexities of partnering in Africa. This includes tackling language barriers and qualifications frameworks and leveraging current continental strategies like the DHET Policy Framework, African Union Agenda 2063, and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa.
Webinars and seminars are held regularly, focusing on subjects about developing and sustaining mutually beneficial collaborations, leveraging ICT for collaborative teaching and learning, and navigating socio-economic issues and international relations in Africa. In-person and online visiting lectures and teaching exchanges further enhance collaborative efforts, allowing university leaders and staff to engage directly with African partners and share research and educational practices.
The consortium universities actively facilitate strategic visits, networking events, and academic matchmaking across the African continent. This collaborative effort helps establish long-lasting partnerships and research linkages between South African and African institutions.
Through a combination of virtual introductions, strategic visits, and partnering fairs, the consortium members build a strong network of academic and research collaborations. These activities enable the participating universities to expand their footprint across Africa, driving forward intra-Africa engagement and partnership opportunities. During these visits, our delegation participates in conferences and workshops on the continent and strategically utilises this time for in-person meetings and collaboration engagements with universities in the visited countries.
The project shares information on Africa-centred funding opportunities to contribute to the awareness and knowledge of available resources for research and mobility across Africa.
By engaging African partner networks, philanthropists, and business sources, the consortium universities play a role in cascading the existing funding options that support collaborative research, academic mobility, and teaching initiatives, enabling students and staff to access knowledge on the resources needed to enhance intra-Africa engagement.
The consortium works together to influence and shape the internationalisation policies of participating universities, integrating Africa-centred internationalisation strategies into their frameworks.
By assisting each other, the universities develop and implement strategies that prioritise Africa’s needs. Through policy advocacy and sharing best practices, the consortium builds a unified approach to internationalisation that fosters meaningful, mutually beneficial collaborations across the continent.
The project establishes an advisory board to guide the expansion of intra-Africa partnerships and engagements within higher education.
The advisory board, composed of leaders and practitioners from the 10 participating universities, provides strategic advice and direction on strengthening partnerships and collaborations. This collaborative leadership ensures that the consortium’s efforts remain relevant, impactful, and aligned with the broader goals of Africa-centred internationalisation.
Reach APUA connects 10 South African universities to build networks across Africa, engage leaders and academics at multiple levels, and strengthen the knowledge base of African higher education.
Workshops, webinars, and masterclasses featuring African scholars and practitioners
Virtual and in-person networking sessions, research collaboration fairs, and strategic visits across Africa
Engagements on internationalisation policies and strategies addressing increasing higher education collaborations on the continent
Sharing and amplifying funding opportunities for intra-Africa for research, mobility and engagement
For decades, internationalisation in South African higher education has largely been shaped by partnerships beyond the continent. While these collaborations have brought value, they have often overlooked the immense potential of intra-Africa academic engagement. This project represents a progressive step that aims to build and sharpen the capacity of South African higher education to prioritise African research, teaching, and engagement collaboration.
As integral members of the African higher education landscape, South African universities can contribute to and benefit from stronger academic ties across the continent. Challenges such as limited institutional capacity, policy gaps, and insufficient funding for intra-Africa mobility highlight the urgency of rebuilding networks and equipping South African university leaders, academics, and professional staff with skills, tools, and knowledge to engage meaningfully across Africa.
APUA advances mutually beneficial partnerships, decolonised knowledge production, and expanded academic networks, committed to reshaping internationalisation to reflect Africa’s priorities and realities.
This initiative aligns with national and continental priorities, including South Africa’s Policy Framework for Internationalisation of Higher Education, the African Union’s Agenda 2063, and the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (2016-2025). It also acknowledges that higher education in Africa is evolving, and African universities are at the forefront of rethinking internationalisation and shaping their own internationalisation agendas.
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