Creating Wakanda: Historically Black Colleges/Universities: Thirty Years of Community in the Global Knowledge Economy
Format Type
Plenary
Format Type
Paper
Start Date
13-1-2021 11:15 AM
End Date
13-1-2021 11:35 AM
Abstract
During the 1990’s Ghana enjoyed the greatest amount of investment and economic growth to date. In 2003 the African Union designated the African Diaspora (including HBCUs) the 6th region of Africa. In 2019 Ghana celebrated the Year of Return and HBCU Africa Homecoming launched its inaugural media campaign. One year later Morgan State University became the first HBCU to offer a joint degree program through an International Collaboration. This is the first tangible step toward the establishment of the first HBCU International Satellite Campus. This thirty year span of growth, cooperation and development between West Africa and the sixth region of Africa has culminated in the establishment of a global academic community throughout the diaspora. This case study will highlight the strategic nuances of the development of the first HBCU satellite campus. It will further outline the advantages, disadvantages, merits and prognostications for the world's first HBCU branch campus.As many HBCUs are vying to remain economically sustainable, academically viable and socio-politically relevant, international expansion may serve as a means for accomplishing these goals. This multilateral, consortium model highlights the shared educational responsibility of HBCUs within the African Diaspora as members of the Global Knowledge Economy.
Keywords
Ubuntu, International Branch Campus, Diaspora
Creating Wakanda: Historically Black Colleges/Universities: Thirty Years of Community in the Global Knowledge Economy
During the 1990’s Ghana enjoyed the greatest amount of investment and economic growth to date. In 2003 the African Union designated the African Diaspora (including HBCUs) the 6th region of Africa. In 2019 Ghana celebrated the Year of Return and HBCU Africa Homecoming launched its inaugural media campaign. One year later Morgan State University became the first HBCU to offer a joint degree program through an International Collaboration. This is the first tangible step toward the establishment of the first HBCU International Satellite Campus. This thirty year span of growth, cooperation and development between West Africa and the sixth region of Africa has culminated in the establishment of a global academic community throughout the diaspora. This case study will highlight the strategic nuances of the development of the first HBCU satellite campus. It will further outline the advantages, disadvantages, merits and prognostications for the world's first HBCU branch campus.As many HBCUs are vying to remain economically sustainable, academically viable and socio-politically relevant, international expansion may serve as a means for accomplishing these goals. This multilateral, consortium model highlights the shared educational responsibility of HBCUs within the African Diaspora as members of the Global Knowledge Economy.