Enhancing Innovation: The Idea, Validity and Higher Education Reflections from the Field amid COVID-19 Crisis

Abstract

The changes experienced by African higher education institutions over the past decade remain unprecedented. An increasing external pressure, linked to the broader and modern concept of higher education that looks beyond to bringing about a new level of self-empowerment and graduate’s employability has consequently, brought about a need for overhauling higher education systems in African countries. Eventually, the validity of higher education reflections from the field amid COVID-19 crisis, casts back a light to conducting a serious educational discussion. This chapter argues neither recognized framework established nor innovative strategies are considered beyond teaching and learning to observe higher education as a fulcrum of knowledge based learning in African higher education. Findings from a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with 30 creative entrepreneurs and arts alumni from the University of Dar-Es-Salaam and other East African universities, reveal that many suffer a social undermining problem. Hence, there is an importance of enhancing educational innovation by cultivating social capital while at university.