By Adonis Byemelwa
Scholars and policymakers gathering at the University of Dar es Salaam for the 17th Julius Nyerere International Festival used the forum to confront one of the most persistent questions facing African higher education: whether universities on the continent can shape independent systems of knowledge production while remaining deeply tied to global academic and financial structures.
Held under the theme “Geopolitics, Development and a New Vision for Africa,” the three-day conference brought together academics, researchers, students and civil society representatives at a moment when global power relations are shifting, and African governments are increasingly seeking greater strategic and economic autonomy.
The event reflected growing concern among African intellectuals that much of the continent’s academic research agenda continues to be influenced by external funding institutions, international publishing systems and development priorities largely shaped outside Africa.
Delivering a keynote lecture titled “African Knowledge Production After the End of the Liberal Order,” Professor Zachariah Cherian Mampilly of the City University of New York argued that African scholarship must become more connected to social realities on the continent and less dependent on elite academic structures centred in the West.
“The goal is not to publish papers in Western academic journals that erect expensive paywalls that limit the dissemination of ideas beyond privileged institutions,” Prof. Mampilly said. “Rather, it is to demonstrate to ordinary people how knowledge shapes the social world.”
His remarks echoed longstanding debates within African academic circles over whether universities established during and after colonial rule have sufficiently transformed themselves into institutions capable of producing locally grounded research and policy solutions.
The discussion comes as African universities face mounting pressure from rapid population growth, youth unemployment, climate change and intensifying geopolitical competition involving the United States, China, Russia and the European Union.
According to UNESCO data, sub-Saharan Africa contributes less than 1 per cent of global research output despite accounting for nearly 15 per cent of the world’s population. The region also spends far less on research and development than wealthier economies, with most African countries investing below 1 per cent of GDP in scientific research.
By contrast, countries such as the United States, Germany and South Korea invest between 3 per cent and 5 per cent of GDP in research and development, supporting extensive university systems, scientific laboratories and innovation networks closely linked to industrial policy and technological competitiveness.
The financial disparity is reflected in global university rankings, where African institutions remain underrepresented. The University of Cape Town, often regarded as Africa’s highest-ranked university, competes in an international environment dominated by institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, whose endowments and research budgets exceed the annual higher education budgets of several African countries.
Harvard University’s endowment alone surpassed $50 billion in 2025, while many public universities across Africa continue to struggle with overcrowded classrooms, ageing infrastructure, unstable electricity supplies and limited laboratory capacity.
Participants at the Dar es Salaam festival argued that such inequalities cannot be understood purely in technical or economic terms but are rooted in historical power structures that shaped the global organisation of knowledge production.
Many African universities were initially designed during colonial rule to train administrative personnel rather than develop autonomous research systems capable of setting intellectual agendas independently of Europe or North America.
Even after independence, international financial institutions and donor agencies continued to play a major role in shaping research priorities through development assistance, scholarships and project funding.
However, several participants also cautioned against attributing all institutional weaknesses solely to external influence, noting that African governments themselves have often failed to prioritise higher education investment or protect academic freedom.
Across parts of the continent, universities continue to face political interference, inconsistent funding and bureaucratic restrictions that limit research capacity and discourage critical inquiry.
The African Union has repeatedly warned about the long-term effects of brain drain, with thousands of highly skilled African professionals leaving annually for opportunities in Europe, North America and the Gulf states.
This migration includes academics, scientists, engineers and medical researchers whose departures weaken local institutions and reduce opportunities for mentorship and long-term research continuity.
Professor William Anangisye, Vice Chancellor of the University of Dar es Salaam, said universities must go beyond producing graduates and instead contribute to society’s broader capacity to interpret political and economic change.
“We continue to recognise that a great university must do more than produce graduates and research results,” Prof. Anangisye said. “It must also help society think, question, interpret change and imagine the future with confidence.”
His remarks reflected wider debates over the role of universities in developing countries, where higher education institutions are increasingly expected not only to provide technical training but also to contribute to public policy, democratic participation and national development strategies.
In developed economies, universities often play direct roles in technological innovation, industrial planning and state policy formation. Institutions such as MIT and Stanford maintain close relationships with governments and private industries, helping transform academic research into commercial technologies and economic growth.
Germany’s public university system also benefits from strong state support and integration with manufacturing sectors, allowing research institutions to contribute directly to industrial competitiveness and export-driven economic policy.
African universities, however, frequently lack comparable funding systems, patent infrastructure and technology transfer mechanisms capable of translating research into large-scale economic transformation.
According to the World Intellectual Property Organisation, Africa accounts for a small fraction of global patent applications despite representing one of the world’s fastest-growing populations and expanding higher education enrollment.
Participants at the festival argued that without stronger investment in scientific infrastructure, digital access and research financing, calls for intellectual independence risk remaining largely rhetorical.
At the same time, discussions at the conference reflected concern that emerging geopolitical shifts will genuinely benefit African countries or merely replace one form of dependence with another.
China’s growing presence across Africa through infrastructure financing, educational partnerships and technology investment has created new opportunities for universities seeking alternative sources of funding and collaboration.
Chinese scholarship programs and research partnerships have expanded significantly over the past two decades, while Beijing has financed roads, railways, digital infrastructure and public buildings across numerous African states.
However, Prof. Mampilly warned against assuming that a multipolar international system automatically produces more equitable global relations.
“As the hegemony of the West recedes further into the past, we must not allow a new hegemonic power, whether China or anyone else, to simply take its place,” he said.
The warning resonated strongly in discussions about Africa’s growing importance in global competition over strategic minerals critical to renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles and advanced manufacturing.
Countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Tanzania possess significant reserves of cobalt, lithium, graphite and rare earth minerals that are becoming increasingly important to global supply chains.
Speakers at the University of Dar es Salaam festival said African universities must play a stronger role in shaping policies on industrialisation, environmental sustainability and resource governance to ensure the continent’s mineral wealth supports domestic development rather than foreign industries.
Climate change emerged as a major concern, with researchers calling for African-led research on drought resilience, food security, and public health, as the continent faces disproportionate climate impacts despite contributing relatively little to global emissions.
Participants also debated inequalities in global academic publishing, where African scholars often face high publication costs and limited access to major journals. A Nature study found that researchers from low-income countries remain underrepresented in leading publications due to funding and access barriers.
While some criticised the system for reinforcing global inequalities, others defended peer review standards as essential for scientific credibility. Professor Makulilo warned that an increasingly multipolar world “does not automatically mean justice” for smaller states unless they remain strategically united.
