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With this model, “thinking outside the box” can be tested to see where successes may occur that were not even thinkable before. However, I hasten to point out again the first part of this overall “key”—that is, to engage others in dialogue. Without that as a backdrop, people will not experience the “buy in” that is crucial with regard to large-scale change. All too often, projects with good vision simply fail to get off the ground because key stakeholders did not have a chance to take part in dialogue and become advocates. In November 2008, a university leaders' forum was held in Ghana, and this is a prime example of bringing people together to engage in dialogue, specifically aimed at meeting Africa's higher education needs. These types of activities are crucial to further engaging stakeholders.
Engaging stakeholders is exactly what the editors of this treatise, Dr. Kenneth Kaoma Mwenda and Dr. Gerry Nkombo Muuka, have done. Not only have they outlined and defined challenges of change with regard to Africa's higher education communities, but they also very much succeed in identifying relevant and specific examples from across the continent that show “out of the box” thinking and action. With careful attention to these details, leaders could develop plans in a broad-based fashion to help address this crisis, welcome the notion of change, and propel the continent of Africa further into the 21st century.
Timothy S. Todd, PhD
Dean and Professor, College of Business
Murray State University