Universities fail to meet African skills requirements
Subject Outlook for universities in sub-Saharan Africa. Significance Last month, the World Bank warned that population growth in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) -- from 1.16 billion in 2015 to 1.63 billion in 2030 -- spells a demographic "disaster" if states fail to make sufficient human capital investments. The growing numbers accessing tertiary education -- from 200,000 in 1970 to 10 million today -- might suggest improvement, but in fact has overstretched resources. Impacts University research output orientates towards medical concerns given the strong influence of donor funding. The lack of science, technology, energy and mathematics research hampers commercial R&D, hurting economic diversification. South Africa's recent tuition fee freeze will exacerbate university funding woes, spurring research and capital budget cuts. Low rates of formal job creation, coupled with rising enrolment, will exacerbate disaffection among the young.