Challenges and opportunities for strengthening tertiary agricultural education and private sector collaboration in Africa : a case study of the UniBRAIN agribusiness innovation incubator consortia

Abstract: Tertiary Agricultural Education is taking place in an environment of complex constrain in Africa. These include poor state of institutional facilities, sometimes outmoded curricula, limited institutional collaboration and too large student-lecturer ratios. In order to address some of these challenges, tertiary education institutions are venturing into collaborations with industries. One such program is UniBRAIN, a program that connects tertiary education institutions, research institutions and the private sector. The program is on a pilot roll out in five African countries, Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Ghana and Mali. It is organized in six consortia that manage the incubators with a goal of boosting and fast-tracking innovations and technologies. This study, cross-sectional in design with case study elements aims to clarify the challenges and opportunities for strengthening tertiary agricultural education and private sector collaboration by examining the UniBRAIN program. Data collection was done through literature review, semi-structured and in-depth interviews, and focus group interviews. In total 66 respondents from 23 organizations, businesses and institutions in Africa participated in the revealed study. The results provide insights on the challenges and opportunities for the UniBRAIN consortia and similar university-private sector collaborations. More specifically, we argue that mutual efforts in establishing student internships, curricula improvement, engaging in relevant research for industries, formalized institutional collaboration and services benefit both institutions of learning and private sector. In order for the participating individuals, institutions to maximize benefit, partners have to adopt a mutual code of conduct and mindset. Much more effort is required in building up a culture of professionalism and trust to build sustainable collaborative partnerships. These things take time, however if genuine investments are made to foster these partnerships they could enhance considerably the quality of tertiary agricultural agribusiness education in Africa.