7 - Towards Post-Coronial Futures: COVID-19, Rapid Digital Transformation and University Responsiveness
Corresponding Author(s) : Gerald Wangenge-Ouma
CODESRIA Bulletin,
No. 2 (2022): CODESRIA Bulletin, No 2, 2022
Abstract
Dramatic COVID-19-inspired changes – upended economies, exacerbated job losses, inequalities, major so- cial deprivation and accelerated digital transformation – occurring in the structure and scope of higher edu- cation institutions have put a premium on responsiveness to change. As open systems, universities are affected by contingencies in their environment, including complex demands, which they have to respond to in order to enhance their adaptability and societal relevance. This paper examines the dramatic changes occurring in the external environment of universities in the context of COVID-19, especially accelerated digital transforma- tion, and maps various response trajectories and reconfigurations by universities as they reposition for the yet unknown post-pandemic era.
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- Acs, Z.J., Braunerhjelm, P., Audretsch, D. and Carlsson, B, 2008, ‘The Knowledge Spillover Theory of Entrepreneurship’, Small Busi-ness Economics, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 15–30.
- Aoun, J.E., 2017, Robot-proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
- Araya, D. and Lamb, C., 2017, Surfing the 4th Industrial Revolution: Artificial Intelligence and the Liberal Arts. Washington DC: Brookings Institute, Brown Center Chalkboard.
- Attaran, M., 2020, ‘3D Printing Role in Filling the Critical Gap in the Medical Supply Chain During COVID-19 Pandemic’, American Journal of Industrial and Busi-ness Management, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 988–1001.
- Bercovitz, J. and Feldman, M., 2006, ‘Entrepreneurial Universities and Technology Transfer: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Knowledge-based Economic Development’, The Journal of Technology Transfer, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 175–188.
- British Council, 2014, Can Higher Education Solve Africa’s Job Crisis? Understanding Graduate Employability in Sub-Saharan Africa. Available online at https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/graduate_employabil-ity_in_ssa_final-web.pdf.
- British Council, 2016, Universities, Employability and Inclusive Development: Repositioning Higher Education in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria And South Africa. British Council.
- Burnard, P., Colucci-Gray, L. and Sinha, P., 2021, ‘Transdisciplinarity: Letting Arts and Science Teach Together’, Curriculum Perspectives, Vol. 41, pp. 113–18.
- Cloete, N. and Maassen, P., 2017, ‘Roles of Universities and the African Context’, in J. Muller, N. Cloete and F. van Schalkwyk, eds., Castells in Africa: Univer-sities and Development. Cape Town: African Minds. pp. 1–17.
- Cohen, M., 1999, ‘Commentary on the Organisation Science Special Is-sue on Complexity’ Organisation Science, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 373–6.
- Coombs, C., 2020, ‘Will COVID-19 be the Tipping Point for the Intelligent Automation of Work? A Review of the Debate and Implications for Research’, International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 55, pp. 1–4.
- Dhawan, S., 2020, ‘Online Learning: A Panacea in the Time of COVID-19 Crisis’, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, Vol. 49, Issue 1, pp. 5–22.
- El-Hani, C. and Machado, V., 2020, ‘COVID-19: The Need of an Integrated and Critical View’, Ethnobiology and Conservation, Vol. 9, pp. 1–20.
- Etzkowitz, H. and Leydesdorff, L., 1995, ‘The Triple Helix--Universi-ty-industry-government relations: A laboratory for knowledge based economic development’, EASST Review, Vol. 14, No.1, pp. 14-19.
- Etzkowitz, H. and Leydesdorff, L., 2000, The Dynamics of Innovation: From National Systems and “Mode 2” to a Triple Helix of University–Industry–Government Relations’, Research Policy, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 109–23.
- Fox, L., Mader,P., Sumberg, J., Flynn, J. & Oosterom, M., 2020, ‘Afri-ca’s ‘Youth Employment’ Crisis is Actually a ‘Missing Jobs’ Crisis’. Brooke Shearer Series 9. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Youth-employment-crisis_09.08.pdf
References
Acs, Z.J., Braunerhjelm, P., Audretsch, D. and Carlsson, B, 2008, ‘The Knowledge Spillover Theory of Entrepreneurship’, Small Busi-ness Economics, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 15–30.
Aoun, J.E., 2017, Robot-proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
Araya, D. and Lamb, C., 2017, Surfing the 4th Industrial Revolution: Artificial Intelligence and the Liberal Arts. Washington DC: Brookings Institute, Brown Center Chalkboard.
Attaran, M., 2020, ‘3D Printing Role in Filling the Critical Gap in the Medical Supply Chain During COVID-19 Pandemic’, American Journal of Industrial and Busi-ness Management, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp. 988–1001.
Bercovitz, J. and Feldman, M., 2006, ‘Entrepreneurial Universities and Technology Transfer: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Knowledge-based Economic Development’, The Journal of Technology Transfer, Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 175–188.
British Council, 2014, Can Higher Education Solve Africa’s Job Crisis? Understanding Graduate Employability in Sub-Saharan Africa. Available online at https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/graduate_employabil-ity_in_ssa_final-web.pdf.
British Council, 2016, Universities, Employability and Inclusive Development: Repositioning Higher Education in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria And South Africa. British Council.
Burnard, P., Colucci-Gray, L. and Sinha, P., 2021, ‘Transdisciplinarity: Letting Arts and Science Teach Together’, Curriculum Perspectives, Vol. 41, pp. 113–18.
Cloete, N. and Maassen, P., 2017, ‘Roles of Universities and the African Context’, in J. Muller, N. Cloete and F. van Schalkwyk, eds., Castells in Africa: Univer-sities and Development. Cape Town: African Minds. pp. 1–17.
Cohen, M., 1999, ‘Commentary on the Organisation Science Special Is-sue on Complexity’ Organisation Science, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp. 373–6.
Coombs, C., 2020, ‘Will COVID-19 be the Tipping Point for the Intelligent Automation of Work? A Review of the Debate and Implications for Research’, International Journal of Information Management, Vol. 55, pp. 1–4.
Dhawan, S., 2020, ‘Online Learning: A Panacea in the Time of COVID-19 Crisis’, Journal of Educational Technology Systems, Vol. 49, Issue 1, pp. 5–22.
El-Hani, C. and Machado, V., 2020, ‘COVID-19: The Need of an Integrated and Critical View’, Ethnobiology and Conservation, Vol. 9, pp. 1–20.
Etzkowitz, H. and Leydesdorff, L., 1995, ‘The Triple Helix--Universi-ty-industry-government relations: A laboratory for knowledge based economic development’, EASST Review, Vol. 14, No.1, pp. 14-19.
Etzkowitz, H. and Leydesdorff, L., 2000, The Dynamics of Innovation: From National Systems and “Mode 2” to a Triple Helix of University–Industry–Government Relations’, Research Policy, Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 109–23.
Fox, L., Mader,P., Sumberg, J., Flynn, J. & Oosterom, M., 2020, ‘Afri-ca’s ‘Youth Employment’ Crisis is Actually a ‘Missing Jobs’ Crisis’. Brooke Shearer Series 9. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Youth-employment-crisis_09.08.pdf