In this two-part Op-Ed, published in Daily Maverick (17 & 18 May 2021), Prof Firoz Khan, specializing in development studies at the School of Public Leadership (SPL), explores the origins and evolution of the university in Africa; and the relevance of the content and curriculum of mainstream public policy to the dreams, aspirations and needs of the continent's poor. The articles argue for a radical rethink of the purpose, role and mission of the university in Africa together with a long overdue regeneration of a public policy that is fit for purpose.
