The Role of CERMESA in internationalization of higher Education and Student Mobility in Africa

Abstract

This study focuses on the influence of institutional policies on student’s mobility in the context of internationalization of higher education in DAAD established East and South African-German Centre of Excellence for Educational Research, Methodologies and Management – CERMESA member universities. This is a comparative study based on four case studies namely Moi University in Kenya, University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, Uganda Management Institute and Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. This study has revealed how institutional policies have influenced student mobility in an organised setting making a reality anchored on internationalization of higher Education. The study was guided by the following objectives; to examine student mobility trends among CERMESA member Universities; to establish the role of CERMESA in enhancing student mobility in Africa; to assess the influence of institutional policies on student mobility in CERMESA member universities. Based on the above objectives the study answered the following questions: What is the trend of student mobility among CERMESA member universities? What is the role of CERMESA in enhancing student mobility in Africa? To what extent do university policies among CERMESA member universities accommodate student mobility? Recently cross border and inter regional movement of people has been characterized by increasing trends of student mobility in higher education. This has been actualised further through educational partnership among African states; CER-MESA is one of eleven centres of African excellence in sub-Saharan Africa, but no study has been done on the contribution of such organizations in establishing student mobility and regional integration in Africa a gap this study has filled.