Universities Need to Reclaim What It Means to Be African: Unisa Vice-Chancellor's Vision

The Urgent Call from Unisa's Leadership

In a compelling address at the Times Higher Education Africa Summit in Nairobi, Professor Puleng LenkaBula, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa (Unisa), articulated a visionary imperative for higher education across the continent. She urged African universities to reclaim what it means to be African, emphasizing that the challenge lies not in a lack of knowledge production but in bridging the gap between knowledge generation and its real-world impact. This statement resonates deeply within South Africa's higher education landscape, where institutions grapple with legacies of colonialism while striving to foster authentic African identities among students and scholars.

LenkaBula's words highlight a broader movement toward decolonization and Africanisation, processes aimed at centering African epistemologies, languages, and values in curricula and research. As Africa's largest university by enrollment, Unisa positions itself at the forefront of this transformation, serving over 370,000 students through its open distance e-learning model. This approach allows widespread access but also demands curricula that reflect the diverse cultural fabrics of South African society.

Historical Roots of Colonial Influence in SA Higher Education

South African universities trace their origins to colonial and apartheid-era institutions designed to perpetuate Eurocentric knowledge systems. Established in the early 20th century, bodies like the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) initially catered primarily to white students, with curricula imported wholesale from British models. Indigenous knowledge systems, African philosophies, and local languages were marginalized, reinforcing a narrative of intellectual inferiority.

Post-apartheid reforms in 1994 promised transformation, yet progress has been uneven. Government reports from the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) indicate that as late as 2025, over 90 percent of academic publications from SA universities remained in English, sidelining the 11 official African languages. This linguistic hegemony perpetuates epistemic violence, where African worldviews struggle for legitimacy in global academic discourse.

Student-Led Movements Igniting Change

The #RhodesMustFall campaign at UCT in 2015 marked a watershed moment, protesting Cecil Rhodes' statue as a symbol of colonial oppression. This evolved into #FeesMustFall nationwide protests from 2015 to 2017, which disrupted campuses and demanded not only fee-free education but also decolonized curricula. Students argued that learning Plato and Shakespeare without equivalent engagement with African thinkers like Anton Lembede or Steve Biko alienated black youth from their heritage.

These movements compelled universities to act. Wits University introduced modules on African philosophy in its humanities programs, while Stellenbosch University committed to multilingualism policies. A 2023 DHET audit revealed that 65 percent of SA universities had initiated curriculum reviews post-protests, though implementation varied widely due to resource constraints.

Defining Knowledge Sovereignty and African Values

Reclaiming African identity necessitates achieving knowledge sovereignty—the ability to define valid knowledge on African terms. Kenneth Matengu, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Namibia and President of the Association of African Universities, echoed LenkaBula at the same summit, questioning whether Africa hosts 'African universities' or merely 'universities in Africa.' With over 3,000 ethnic groups and 2,000 languages continent-wide, curricula must integrate diverse perspectives.

In practice, this involves validating ubuntu—a philosophy emphasizing communal harmony—as a pedagogical tool. Step-by-step, universities can: first, audit existing syllabi for Eurocentric bias; second, incorporate indigenous case studies; third, develop multilingual resources; and fourth, foster community partnerships for applied research addressing local issues like climate resilience in rural communities.

Unisa's Pioneering Initiatives

Unisa has aggressively pursued decolonization. Its 12th Decoloniality Summer School in January 2026 immersed participants in transforming classrooms through African epistemologies. The seventh Chief Albert Luthuli Founders Lecture in November 2025 focused on reclaiming African languages as instruments of identity and transformation, honoring the Nobel laureate's legacy.

Under LenkaBula, Unisa reported a 42.7 percent surge in research output by 2026, per DHET data, with increased emphasis on African-centered studies. Programs like the UNESCO-UNEVOC Centre promote technical vocational education and training (TVET) aligned with continental needs, blending indigenous knowledge with modern skills.

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Efforts Across Other South African Institutions

UCT's Centre for African Studies offers decolonized courses drawing on Khoisan oral histories, while the University of the Western Cape (UWC) integrates Pan-African scholarship into its social sciences. Wits has piloted African languages in undergraduate modules, with isiZulu and Sesotho gaining traction.

• UCT: Removed colonial statues and revised history curricula to include pre-colonial narratives.
• Wits: Launched an African Digital Heritage project digitizing indigenous artifacts.
• UWC: Emphasizes community-engaged scholarship tackling apartheid's spatial legacies.

These cases demonstrate organic adaptation, though a 2026 CHE report notes only 25 percent of modules fully Africanised.

Linguistic Barriers and Progress in African Languages

African languages remain underrepresented; a 2025 Pan South African Language Board study found English dominates 85 percent of instruction, with Afrikaans at 10 percent, and indigenous languages under 5 percent. This disadvantages first-generation students from rural areas, where mother-tongue proficiency boosts comprehension by 30-40 percent, per UNESCO data.

Initiatives like Unisa's push for isiZulu textbooks and UCT's multilingual policy aim to reverse this. The DHET's 2026 strategy mandates phased integration, projecting 20 percent African language use by 2030. Challenges include lecturer training and digital resources scarcity.

Structural Challenges from Past Policies

LenkaBula referenced 1980s structural adjustment programs imposed by the World Bank, slashing public funding and forcing self-financing. SA universities now derive 40 percent revenue from fees, per 2026 USAf data, limiting complex research to elite institutions.

Publication biases exacerbate this: African-authored papers in top journals face 50 percent higher rejection rates if including local languages, according to a 2025 Scopus analysis. Solutions include open-access platforms like SciELO SA prioritizing indigenous scholarship.

Student Impacts and Sense of Belonging

Decolonized curricula enhance student retention; UWC studies show a 15 percent graduation rate increase among black students in Africanised programs. Enhanced belonging counters alienation, fostering critical thinkers attuned to local realities like unemployment (youth rate 45 percent in 2026 Stats SA).

Future Outlook and Continental Aspirations

Aligning with African Union Agenda 2063, SA universities eye epistemic freedom. Partnerships like Unisa-DHET Google AI scholarships build digital sovereignty. Projections: by 2030, 50 percent curricula Africanised, per national targets.

Stakeholders urge sustained funding—R50 billion annually needed—and policy enforcement for true transformation.

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Pathways to Authentic Transformation

To realize LenkaBula's vision, universities must invest in faculty development, community co-creation of knowledge, and metrics valuing impact over citations. This holistic reclaiming promises empowered graduates driving Africa's renaissance.