Reimagining quality assurance in African universities through UNESCO’s Futures of Education 2050: a critical policy analysis
Stella Bolanle Apata, Ademola Olumuyiwa Omotosho, Kezia H. MkwizuPurpose
This paper aims to examine how UNESCO’s Futures of Education 2050 vision can inform the transformation of quality assurance in selected African university systems.
Design/methodology/approach
It uses critical policy analysis and thematic document analysis to examine UNESCO, pan-African and selected national quality assurance policy texts from Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.
Findings
The analysis shows that the sampled frameworks remain strongly compliance-oriented. UNESCO-aligned language on equity, sustainability, participation and digital transformation is evident but is unevenly translated into operational quality assurance mechanisms.
Originality/value
The paper develops a process-oriented Transformative Quality Assurance Model that links compliance, organisational learning, participatory quality culture, ethical digital governance and socially just futures. It clarifies that UNESCO 2050 is used as a critical normative resource rather than an imported template.